Boards and selection

[getawaydriver]

Great to hear from you!

Congratulations on the commission. It's been a long road for me but it looks like the class up is finally coming.

I will have to catch up with you offline.

Thanks for the information.

 

[flager]

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[Fonz]

Hey guys, I need some advice.

I applied for SNA/NFO for this past Feb boards. I wasn't selected for either, but was told that the quota for fiscal year was 90% met or so. So my situation is:

I have already taken the ASTB twice, I have one more retake. I will be eligible for resubmission in Sept, which happens to be the beginning of the new fiscal year (with the quota back at zero). I have great LORs, motivational letter, and extra currics (college sports, community service, etc.).

ASTB: 5/6/5/54
GPA: 2.6 (sucks I know)

Should I reapply with my original packet again in Sept, and hope for selection under the new fiscal year, or retake the ASTB? (Basically, I was told that my chances may be "better" in Sept because of the new fiscal yr and new quota. Is this true?) Are my scores good enough?

Thanks guys. I need some guidance other than what my recruiter tells me (which isn't anything I couldn't read on paper).

 

[eas7888]

Hey guys, I need some advice.

I applied for SNA/NFO for this past Feb boards. I wasn't selected for either, but was told that the quota for fiscal year was 90% met or so. So my situation is:

I have already taken the ASTB twice, I have one more retake. I will be eligible for resubmission in Sept, which happens to be the beginning of the new fiscal year (with the quota back at zero). I have great LORs, motivational letter, and extra currics (college sports, community service, etc.).

ASTB: 5/6/5/54
GPA: 2.6 (sucks I know)

Should I reapply with my original packet again in Sept, and hope for selection under the new fiscal year, or retake the ASTB? (Basically, I was told that my chances may be "better" in Sept because of the new fiscal yr and new quota. Is this true?) Are my scores good enough?

Thanks guys. I need some guidance other than what my recruiter tells me (which isn't anything I couldn't read on paper).

Hey Fonz, The GPA is a problem. Mine is pretty low too, but not quite that low. Your ASTB and OAR, while technically considered acceptable to submit to the board, will likely not be considered competitive. I would recommend studying your ass off, maybe sitting down with a flight instructor and going over some of the fundamentals of flight that are covered on the ASTB. Also, maybe some community involvement would work in your favor. Have you graduated? If you have, you might consider taking a few courses toward your masters degree to help with your GPA. If you can show that you can succeed at a graduate level, holding a 4.0 for 2 or three of those classes might have a great impact on your packet.

I'm just a fellow applicant, so take what I say with a grain of salt. Just remember that it's a whole person concept, so, do what you can to improve your numbers and your self.

 

[Lucy]

Hey Fonz,
New FY doesn't really change much, the board might be able to select a few more people, but each board has a set number, and they select the best for those spots. So it has more to do with who is also applying that month than when you are applying. I think the selection out of Feb. was somewhere in the 7's and around a 60 OAR (and 3.3-3.5 average GPA). So if you feel you could improve your ASTB I would say do so. However, if you choose not to than you will want to increase community service, take grad classes like eas7888 suggested, or do something that shows you have continued to work towards your goal. Your worse mistake would be to submit in September without having made progress in at least some areas. Also maybe look into an interview with an O-5/O-6 if you feel you would do well.

Best of Luck!

 

[BuckWild]

Fonz,

IMO, don't wait until September to reapply. Strengthen all of your weaker areas and resubmit asap. If you want this bad enough you will reapply at every possible opportunity. Not wait around for when it "might" be better. It will show that you want it that much more.

 

[Fonz]

Thanks for the response. I graduated in 2008 with a BS in Business. My GPA is stuck, cant change it unless i take undergrad courses. I suppose I could consider grad school, but that'll just be another application process and more time taken away from my real goal. I guess my best alternative is do some more community involvement (which i actually have a decent amount) and retake the ASTB. Now that I have the fiscal yr thing squared aways (doesnt make a difference) im back at sqaure one--retaking the test. I dont know how the interviews work, how to set them up, or even how it goes on my application. Id hate to think that because of my GPA im immediately discarded. And i dont know what eas7888 is, im assuming its something aeronautical. Ill retake the test i suppose and lock myself in my room. I'm just nervous knowing that this is my LAST shot. So i basically need 7s and a 60 or so.

1. eas7888?
2. how do i set up an interview and how does it work with my app?

Thanks guys

 

[eas7888]

Thanks for the response. I graduated in 2008 with a BS in Business. My GPA is stuck, cant change it unless i take undergrad courses. I suppose I could consider grad school, but that'll just be another application process and more time taken away from my real goal. I guess my best alternative is do some more community involvement (which i actually have a decent amount) and retake the ASTB. Now that I have the fiscal yr thing squared aways (doesnt make a difference) im back at sqaure one--retaking the test. I dont know how the interviews work, how to set them up, or even how it goes on my application. Id hate to think that because of my GPA im immediately discarded. And i dont know what eas7888 is, im assuming its something aeronautical. Ill retake the test i suppose and lock myself in my room. I'm just nervous knowing that this is my LAST shot. So i basically need 7s and a 60 or so.

1. eas7888?
2. how do i set up an interview and how does it work with my app?

Thanks guys

eas7888 is . . . me? I'm not sure what you're asking.

 

[Fonz]

eas7888- hahah wow. thats embarrasing. I didnt even think to look at your name, sorry about that. I thought you were talking about a class or something. but my question is regarding an interview. how would i go about doing that? my RO never mentioned it.

Buckwild- you're absolutely right. but i still have that 6 month waiting period before i can reapply, unless there's a "significant change" in my packet--like the ASTB. what else would be a significant change? am i wrong?

i spoke with a flight instructor, im going to retake ground school (i hope itll give me a better grasp in the PFAR, FOFAR etc.) Ill finish ground in probably September, when ill retake the ASTB

SNA/NFO
Male/25
B.S. Business Management, Marketing Concentration; Aviation Management Minor from Bridgewater State College 2008
G.P.A. 2.6
ASTB 5/6/5 54

Extras:
College Hockey
College Lacrosse
3 Internships

LOR's:
Air Force Colonel (Active)
Marines Colonel (Active)
College Hockey Coach
College Professor
Employer (6 years)
Senator R. Tisei (knows me well)
Senator J. Kerry
Representative M. Falzone (interned for him)

PT:
90 PU, 103 SU, 12:00 1.5 (down to an 11 now but still working on it)

thanks guys.

 

[eas7888]

Hah, no problem Fonz, I think you're on the right path. The way I interviewed with a navy CDR and LCDR was via my OR. She arranged the in person and over the phone interview respectively. It worked out really well for me, I believe.

Good luck with the ground school, I'm sure it'll help you do better with the aviation knowledge portion. Also, using the ARCO study guide and the gouge material on here helped me out significantly.

 

[Fonz]

Ya I'm looking forward to the ground school, maybe even log a few more flight hours--and the study aids are good too, collect the whole set. I'l talk to my recruiter about the interview. Did the interview turn into a letter of recommendation? Is that how it helped? Thanks for your input.

 

[AGonxAV8R]

I know this is all going to be RUMINT cake with a layer of speculative icing, but does the same situation hold for those applying for and awaiting to train as FOs?

I've been in the hold for a while concerning a medical issue. Just wondering.

Alex! Whats up bro? I am classing up for API next week. FOs are going through the programs a bit quicker and their NSS is not up to 43, like it is for Pilots. My class up date is a bit quicker than most, I am not sure why. Some people have even thought that I had volunteered for Vance AFB. I cant wait to start API and get done with it. I have been working down here about 35 Hrs a week earning my pay... hahaha! I has allowed me to do some networking though. Networking in the NAVY is a good thing.

Whats going on with you? Are they going to give you a spot on aviation?

 

[Seafort]

A note on the interview: ask!

I asked an O-10 (four star admiral) after sending him a copy of my motivational statement. He could have ignored me, he could have said no. He said yes. He who does not risk cannot win. Remember what JPJ said, "I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way."

 

[james23]

A note on the interview: ask!

I asked an O-10 (four star admiral) after sending him a copy of my motivational statement. He could have ignored me, he could have said no. He said yes. He who does not risk cannot win. Remember what JPJ said, "I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way."

An O-10... I only saw an O-5 at the highest lol... I'd feel soooo shocked if I saw an O-10 in my neighborhood

 

[Chachi]

Fonz,

IMO, don't wait until September to reapply. Strengthen all of your weaker areas and resubmit asap. If you want this bad enough you will reapply at every possible opportunity. Not wait around for when it "might" be better. It will show that you want it that much more.

By the way, if you reapply do you have to repeat the whole process all over again? That is, new LOR's, all the paper work done again... everything! Or do they save our files and make changes to what ever needs to be changed for future reapplications?