Do I have a chance?

[mimisoko9]

rpm126-

For what's it's worth, I was a philosophy major who now works on Wall St. The first recruiter I called was only interested if I wanted to go medicine or chaplain. He didn't care about anything except for my major. Not what I did for a living, where I went to school, if I played sports, or if both my parents were navy officers. Discouraged, but not defeated, I called another recruiter. He thinks I've got a real shot and is ready to see things through 'til I get SNA or SNFO. I wouldn't let one recruiter's feedback keep you down.

kevin - No teachers or profs, but maybe an editor from my old job will take a look. Thanks for the tip.

 

[wink]

RPM126,
OK, so the GPA is good to go and the engineering course work is very helpful. Hate to say it but you just ran into a jerk of a recruiter. Maybe he is a cop hater. I'm a volunteer for the local Sheriff's Office and I get those looks when I'm out in uniform. The answer to your question to me came in a couple posts from others. Yes you can use the 200 word personal statement and I do recomend, like catpounce, that you get your personal and employment references to stress the points you want to highlight. If you have supervisors in your agency that are ok with you leaving, have them write a killer mom and apple pie rec. for ya. Maybe an instructor from the LE Academy. Check out the gouge here on studying for the test. Smoke the test and then make another run at it. Good Luck.

 

[jwgross]

The first recruiter I talked to basically told me, "Yeah, you and everybody else" when I told him I wanted to be an aviator. A month or two later, I talked to a different one, and he wasn't exactly super enthusiastic, but he did help me. So, yeah, get a different recruiter.

A few things for you I can think of: make _every_single_part_ of your application as good as it possibly can be. The fitness part, the ASTB scores, your personal essay, the letters. Badger everybody you can think of for letters, especially anybody at work who is high-ranking, and knows you and the quality of your work, very well. See whose letters are best, and send those. Write and rewrite your personal statement. Bug people who you know write well to help you with it. Run your ass off, and work out. (though as a cop, that should be easy for you) Study for the tests - learn your weaknesses and improve upon them. If this is something you truly want, don't let anything at all stand in your way, especially not a recruiter who says you aren't going to make it. Find a recruiter who will help you, but you're going to have to motivate yourself first. It took 2 months of pretty much daily work for me to get the package together, particularly the background check, as I've lived in um, 4 states and well over a dozen different addresses. That took ages, and sometimes I wondered if it would be worth it, if I didn't make it. But now as an upcoming OC, I can say that it was worth it. And, if I had NOT gotten it, I would still say that it's far better to try and fail than not to try at all.

Josh

 

[rpm126]

Actually, you'd be surprised how out of shape most cops are. You start out in great shape because of all the PT in the academy, but i quickly goes to hell for most people. When you get right down to it, most cops spend 8-10 hours a day driving a car around and eating crappy fast food.

 

[NA71]

rpm126,
I have a technical degree, well actually a BS and masters in aero engineering. Will it help? Possibly - when it comes to knowing my way around an airplane and how they work. However, there's definitely something to be said about sheer ability and physical fitness. I know that I have a lot left to prove and I won't get by on my degree alone. The recruiter also pointed out the importance of those 200 words...

Funny, I had an Air Force recruiter in my state give me the same kind of response. The Navy was MUCH more interested in talking to me. I think their application process is fair. Go for it!!