High School Senior, Need Advice

[Zakk]

That's interesting by the way Rufio, I don't seem to see a lot of people going the reserves route as a way to get an aviator slot but it sounds like an option. Can you explain what you meant in regards to the NROTC and reserves?

 

[wink]

E is an option, however "Members of reserve components must be conditionally released from their
present enlistment contract and enlisted under the provisions of the NROTC Program to facilitate Scholarship or College Program Advanced Standing enrollment." (NSTC1533.2A)
So be careful about enlisting in the reserves if you want to go NROTC, as there is no guarantee of getting released from your Reserve obligation to accept advanced standing or a NROTC scholarship.

I can not speak to OCS requirements if on a reserve enlistment.

This is not a problem. Never, in many years of recruiting and 26 as an officer, did I see an applicant or sailor in any command I served denied a conditional release for an officer program. It is an addition hoop to jump through, but it is just a formality. And it does apply to both OCS and USNA as well. Even from other services.

 

[Uncle Fester]

It's difficult and annoying asking these questions coming from a point of disadvantage because most of these officers already have an unfair advantage over me. Not saying they didn't earn it but not everyone has had a starting point like that and I look reading about stories of underdogs like myself rising to a point of power and mark my words, I will get there no matter what I have to sacrifice and do to reach that point.

I must have missed something in your other posts...what's the 'point of disadvantage' you're referring to? And why do these others have an 'unfair' advantage?

 

[koliver]

Hi everyone, first time posting here and I really need help. So some background, I've always been loosely interested in helicopters and planes because my dad was. We'd go to air shows but I never understood too much. I had planned to be a doctor after high school. That is, until a few weeks ago talking to him. He wanted to be a pilot but never thought he'd make it and never tried. Now I have that opportunity and I plan on taking it. I, like many others I'm sure, want to become a pilot for the navy. I want to fly jets and I would assume you have to be one of the best in your class. At this point, I'm ready to grow up and get my head in the books to become that. So that's where I really need help, just getting to that point to become a pilot. I was thinking NROTC, but my GPA isn't competitive for that or even a high grade university right now. For reference, it's currently sitting at about a 2.45. That's what I get for slacking off and not taking it seriously enough. Seeing as scoring a high SAT may get me placed in a good university, but not the NROTC program, there's still the GPA I need to compensate for. So my plan was knocking out 2 years at a community college in a town of a university that has NROTC (I'm thinking San Diego, 2 universities have NROTC but are competitive) and getting my GPA up. After then I was wanting to get into an NROTC program. Basically, my preference would be getting into NROTC ASAP if that's possible. Because I wanted to be a doctor as a kid, I was planning on majoring in something in the medial field and minoring in aeronautical, flying related courses. That would be helpful to have a guideline on what to take that could help me prepare as well. But otherwise, I feel that would be a good back up plan for after the military or in case it doesn't work out. Besides that, I've heard of OCS but wouldn't that only be for if I had my bachelors degree and I was going into the navy? I'd really like to get my college paid for, so that's why I was thinking the community college for 2 years. But besides that, I believe I would qualify physically. I have a clean record, no driving infractions, just turned 18 on the first, and I don't have any medical conditions or prescriptions. Going on what I said before, my dad has his PPL for helicopters (though because of financial reasons, he cannot fly anymore) and he gave me a manual for private pilots that I could begin reading now and have concepts to go off of when I get to training. I just need help on how to get there. I talked to a local enlisted navy recruiter today about my plan and because she didn't know too much about a pilot's path, she gave me the officer recruiter's number. I called him and he basically said I have a good plan and that I need to get a bachelors first. This is also where I don't know if he was bullshitting. He said being in the reserves in college could help me get to becoming a pilot for financial aid and because of prior experience (which in his words, is very appealing to the navy). I don't know if that's bullshit. I would commit to the Navy now, but I just don't want to commit only to find out I can't become what I want to be and be required to serve my term sweeping floors. So I just need help, what should I do at this point, and is my current plan a good or a bad one? What can help me get there at this point? Thank you everyone

I was in the same position in high school as you. I knew I wanted to be a Naval Aviator and would try my hardest, but my GPA was a 2.9 in high school. I applied anyways for the 4 year NROTC scholarship and was not selected, but that didn't stop me. I applied for the college program NROTC application. That is separate from the scholarship application and independent for each college. I was accepted and worked hard in college but found that my first degree choice was not for me, and I finished my freshman year with a 1.75 GPA and put on academic probation. Even on probation, I still was a squad leader and guide for my battalion. I had very good standing in the unit and perfect PRT scores. As a college programmer, you must keep applying for the scholarship or what is called advanced standing. If you are not selected for either, you will be dropped from NROTC after your sophomore year. That is what happened to me. I am now a junior in college, and I am still working on becoming a Naval Aviator. I am applying for OCS and work with my old NROTC unit for ASTB testing, and the XO and CO both have promised to write letters of recommendation for me. So with that being said; I encourage you to try your hardest and avoid the nay-sayers. If one way doesn't work try again and again. IF that doesn't work try a different way. Do not loose hope. My one word of suggestion is to focus on getting your college degree first. Going enlisted first is a longer and even more difficult route from what I have heard.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Enlisting in order to become an officer is not a good idea. Generally speaking, if you're competitive for officer programs out of HS/college, go that route, because once the Navy's got you, your wants become subordinate to the Navy's needs.

The OP is not competitive for officer programs right now - low HS GPA and not much on the resume. So basically he has two routes: enlist and try for a degree/commission program down the road, or go the college route and try for OCS or a college program ROTC spot. There are pros, cons, and risks both ways, and neither offer any guarantees. It really comes down to attitude.

 

[Spekkio]

1) Realistically, you have to choose between pursuing the Navy and medical school. The doctor education pipeline takes 12 years at a minimum, do the math and factor in if you ever want to get married, have kids, etc. Also, your college coursework expires when it comes to applying to med school, so if you went pilot you're going back to undergraduate school to retake classes for another year.

2) If you get/got under a 2200 on your SAT you probably don't have the aptitude to get into medical school. The average acceptance gpa is around 3.7 in a STEM major and 85th-90th percentile on the MCAT.

3) The main filter for these programs is your GPA and SAT score (later gpa and astb for pilot or MCAT if you pursue medical school). They won't even look at your extra-curriculars unless you meet the cutoff. Unfortunately, a 2.45 gpa won't make the cut. Period.

4) No, what you did in 5th grade doesn't matter.

Your options now are basically community college for a year or two. Get As. Transfer to the best school you can get into.

That or enlist and use the GI bill on the back end if you want the Navy to pay for school.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Hi everyone, first time posting here and I really need help. So some background, I've always been loosely interested in helicopters and planes because my dad was. We'd go to air shows but I never understood too much. I had planned to be a doctor after high school. That is, until a few weeks ago talking to him. He wanted to be a pilot but never thought he'd make it and never tried. Now I have that opportunity and I plan on taking it. I, like many others I'm sure, want to become a pilot for the navy. I want to fly jets and I would assume you have to be one of the best in your class. At this point, I'm ready to grow up and get my head in the books to become that. So that's where I really need help, just getting to that point to become a pilot. I was thinking NROTC, but my GPA isn't competitive for that or even a high grade university right now. For reference, it's currently sitting at about a 2.45. That's what I get for slacking off and not taking it seriously enough. Seeing as scoring a high SAT may get me placed in a good university, but not the NROTC program, there's still the GPA I need to compensate for. So my plan was knocking out 2 years at a community college in a town of a university that has NROTC (I'm thinking San Diego, 2 universities have NROTC but are competitive) and getting my GPA up. After then I was wanting to get into an NROTC program. Basically, my preference would be getting into NROTC ASAP if that's possible. Because I wanted to be a doctor as a kid, I was planning on majoring in something in the medial field and minoring in aeronautical, flying related courses. That would be helpful to have a guideline on what to take that could help me prepare as well. But otherwise, I feel that would be a good back up plan for after the military or in case it doesn't work out. Besides that, I've heard of OCS but wouldn't that only be for if I had my bachelors degree and I was going into the navy? I'd really like to get my college paid for, so that's why I was thinking the community college for 2 years. But besides that, I believe I would qualify physically. I have a clean record, no driving infractions, just turned 18 on the first, and I don't have any medical conditions or prescriptions. Going on what I said before, my dad has his PPL for helicopters (though because of financial reasons, he cannot fly anymore) and he gave me a manual for private pilots that I could begin reading now and have concepts to go off of when I get to training. I just need help on how to get there. I talked to a local enlisted navy recruiter today about my plan and because she didn't know too much about a pilot's path, she gave me the officer recruiter's number. I called him and he basically said I have a good plan and that I need to get a bachelors first. This is also where I don't know if he was bullshitting. He said being in the reserves in college could help me get to becoming a pilot for financial aid and because of prior experience (which in his words, is very appealing to the navy). I don't know if that's bullshit. I would commit to the navy now, but I just don't want to commit only to find out I can't become what I want to be and be required to serve my term sweeping floors. So I just need help, what should I do at this point, and is my current plan a good or a bad one? What can help me get there at this point? Thank you everyone

I might get some flak for what I am going to say but if you had called me I would have said the same thing and the reason is that with a 2.45 the odds are you will not do well enough in college to apply to any officer programs, you have to find a way to buck the odds, and you can with a good plan.

you need to find a way to adjust to college, that might be community college, that might be taking just a few classes to get your feet wet, but whatever you do you want to give yourself the best shot you can at getting high grades, and college isn't a race, the person who gets their degree first doesn't win, the guy who graduates in 4 years with a 2.0 will lose to the guy that took 6 years and has a 3.5 when applying for a commission.

NROTC ASAP probably isn't going to happen, you need to establish yourself in college by showing good grades, and that will help with OCS as well.

Enlisting in the reserves MIGHT be a way to go if you need some money AND you want to serve, but if your heart isn't in to going enlisted I wouldn't.

You also have several years until you can apply, people have things happen such as your vision could go bad, or some other unforeseen medical issue, this is another reason to get a good start in college.