Applying to Jan board 2013

[Artur]

Hey Artur, welcome to AW!
As far as the papers go with the background check, I know I filled mine out before submitting my application, but as to whether or not they're required before the submission deadline I couldn't say.
If you don't mind my asking, what were your ASTB scores/GPA? I'm actually compiling a table of all the stats for the people applying to the December boards and posting it on this thread.

Sure, i included some of my background info in the profile. But here's the info:
my ASTB was 6/6/5 56 and GPA 3.81
when i originally skipped through the forum, i was like, damn.... these people rocked the test. Oh well, i guess, my being a non-native english speaker might have played some role?

in either case, looking forward to the results, hopefully soon.

 

[McHale's Navy]

There are definitely a lot of super competitive applicants here. However, I think that people who browse this forum and contribute to the discussions here are highly engaged and very well prepared. Regardless of how one cuts it...top ASTB marks and a GPA above a 3.0 is competitive. It is true that in this economy the Navy can be more selective, but at the same time...lets think about it...a top tier applicant is still a top tier applicant. They know above average regardless of "market conditions."

I think that the next batch of Naval Aviators just might be one heck of amazing group of individuals.

I agree, but it's not just the Navy being more selective. Statistics show that as early as 4 years ago, top tier applicants were few and far between. Everyone has their own reasons for joining the military, but recently we've seen more individuals apply who are just looking for a job in today's economy. To be blunt, they're taking up space for those who actually want to continue to be here.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Only three people? Yikes! I mean, it seems like there are a ton of packages in from the AirWarriors community, and I am (potentially falsely) assuming that the AW community represents a minority of all the actual packages submitted...

Pilot and NFO make up nearly half of the OCS slots, but they do go thru them all, sometimes it does take a bit longer.

 

[McHale's Navy]

You guys know what happens if we get selected today right? We're all doomed to be stationed in Hawaii.

 

[TolgaK]

You guys know what happens if we get selected today right? We're all doomed to be stationed in Hawaii.

¿Que? Are they anticipating only whirlybird spots for the next year? Do we get leis? Are we all getting transferred to the Marine Corps? Why are helicopters more often referred to as "ships" than planes are? Is Israel Kamakawiwo'ole going to rise out of the ocean and lure the squadrons Westward? Who refills the chemtrail tanks on airliners? Who first figured out how to make cheese? I WANT ANSWERS DAMNIT!!!

I may be a little on edge due to this whole selection business.

 

[WilliamC]

I don't know about you but I would love to spend time in Hawaii. It's awesome. Plus if you think anyone is dumb enough to attempt attaching Pearl again I think you're wrong.

The 7th is still 40 minutes away for me since I'm on mountain time but...

Brave souls who perished this day 1941, you will not be forgotten. Thank you for your service.

Remember the fallen and God bless the U.S.!

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

Table's finished!



A few of the designators I wasn't 100% sure about, so if I got yours wrong, let me know.

 

[nombrescreeno]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but they use the whole GPA worksheet to calculate your final GPA if you've been to two or more schools?

 

[LFCFan]

I agree, but it's not just the Navy being more selective. Statistics show that as early as 4 years ago, top tier applicants were few and far between. Everyone has their own reasons for joining the military, but recently we've seen more individuals apply who are just looking for a job in today's economy. To be blunt, they're taking up space for those who actually want to continue to be here.

Or they all realized that the Barron's ASTB book sucked and some of us didn't get the memo.

You seem to have a bit of an attitude in this thread about who this board is selecting and why. Do you have any evidence to back up the claim that these high scorers are the "just looking for a job" crowd? The economy does certainly explain an increase in the quantity of applications, but not necessarily the quality. Have you considered that maybe boards are using the ASTB & GPA more than the "whole person" for some reason lately (maybe it makes application sorting easier?), and thus the ORs are like "You must destroy this test, I don't care if you are an Eagle Scout fraternity president with an LOR from the CNO!" and so people are studying harder for it.

You may be right, but to imply that people who do well on the test are more likely to have had better options before the recession is not a great thing to say to those guys and gals. Hell, one of the stigmas of OCS in general is that if we were actually serious about the military we would have gone ROTC or to an academy, and that we are ALL people "just looking for a job." Coming from a massive military family I get the question "....errr...you had a flight suit on in your crib, and why didn't you do ROTC/academies?" constantly. The Navy is my first choice now, and that can hopefully be said for everyone in here, so that's really all that matters.

Also, from a more pragmatic standpoint, the Navy doesn't need everyone to have a 20-30 year career. The system is set up so that some people will get out long before that, and I don't think it is productive and wise to denigrate those that don't want the whole shebang and say they don't "actually want to continue to be here."

 

[WilliamC]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but they use the whole GPA worksheet to calculate your final GPA if you've been to two or more schools?

Yeah, your GPA from every college you have been to is weighed in depending on how many hours you spent there compared to your total number of hours.

 

[LFCFan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but they use the whole GPA worksheet to calculate your final GPA if you've been to two or more schools?

I thought my recruiter said something along those lines at some point, but my application listed my 3.9 GPA from my MA. I also have a BA at 3.45, so I'm not sure exactly which one the board uses. So my 3.9 might be misleading, but I was just using what was on the application proper.

 

[nombrescreeno]

I thought my recruiter said something along those lines at some point, but my application listed my 3.9 GPA from my MA. I also have a BA at 3.45, so I'm not sure exactly which one the board uses. So my 3.9 might be misleading, but I was just using what was on the application proper.

There's another form on the checklist the recruiter is supposed to use to calculate the overall GPA I believe. You can get it here:

http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/publications/CHECKLISTS/GPACALCWKST.xls

If your school is on quarters, you multiply your units and hours by 1.5 to get the semester equivalent

 

[WilliamC]

Or they all realized that the Barron's ASTB book sucked and some of us didn't get the memo.

You seem to have a bit of an attitude in this thread about who this board is selecting and why. Do you have any evidence to back up the claim that these high scorers are the "just looking for a job" crowd? The economy does certainly explain an increase in the quantity of applications, but not necessarily the quality. Have you considered that maybe boards are using the ASTB & GPA more than the "whole person" for some reason lately (maybe it makes application sorting easier?), and thus the ORs are like "You must destroy this test, I don't care if you are an Eagle Scout fraternity president with an LOR from the CNO!" and so people are studying harder for it.

You may be right, but to imply that people who do well on the test are more likely to have had better options before the recession is not a great thing to say to those guys and gals. Hell, one of the stigmas of OCS in general is that if we were actually serious about the military we would have gone ROTC or to an academy, and that we are ALL people "just looking for a job." Coming from a massive military family I get the question "....errr...you had a flight suit on in your crib, and why didn't you do ROTC/academies?" constantly. The Navy is my first choice now, and that can hopefully be said for everyone in here, so that's really all that matters.

Also, from a more pragmatic standpoint, the Navy doesn't need everyone to have a 20-30 year career. The system is set up so that some people will get out long before that, and I don't think it is productive and wise to denigrate those that don't want the whole shebang and say they don't "actually want to continue to be here."

Thank you for saying this, I could not agree more.

And yeah the Barron's book stinks! I'm looking at it right now and considering donating it to my fireplace for some more warmth while I study.
I found so many wrong or misleading answers and explanations in that thing!

 

[Chemystery]

Or they all realized that the Barron's ASTB book sucked and some of us didn't get the memo.

Don't you dare knock on the Barron's book.

No other company can prepare me for my ASTMBAGRE better than those crack pots! Shoot man...I owe my entire professional career to coffee, twilight, and Barron's.

 

[LFCFan]

There's another form on the checklist the recruiter is supposed to use to calculate the overall GPA I believe. You can get it here:

http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/publications/CHECKLISTS/GPACALCWKST.xls

If your school is on quarters, you multiply your units and hours by 1.5 to get the semester equivalent

Yeah, I think I remember that. I'm just not sure which GPA actually gets used or matters more. Most applicants probably just have a bachelor's and thus they just write the same thing twice (or something very close if they had a few transfer credits). My application specifically said 3.9 on MA though, but they only list one spot there.

Without busting out my transcripts, a straight weighted average for my GPA on that form would have been about 3.6.