Hi i just talked to a NAVY officer recruiter and i have a few questions if those knowing would not mind answering. Im currently about to graduate college with a degree in communications. My GPA is 2.98, however i have had a finance internship, joined clubs while in school and also a member of a national fraternity. My question to him was is this good enough to be considered for a pilot slot. He responded as if i had a better chance of winning the lottery, what do the members on this forum think? Im 22 should i go to graduate school? Try and get another bachelor degree in a technical major? All advice is appreciated. Adrian
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Question for pilots
- Thread starter adrian
- Start date
The advice is no one here knows your chances. Your chance at being accepted are 0% unless you apply and give it a shot. If you take the ASTB and feel like you have other stuff to strengthen your package then give it a shot. Only you really know if you have what it takes.....also don't waste money on getting a technical degree that you really don't want just because you feel it may give you something else. If you're going to use it to fall back on later, fine, but what happens if you go through all that and STILL don't get accepted?
To echo what CUPike said... there is very little insight we can offer apart from apply and find out.
You have a few things going for you though:
You're young. If you dont get accepted you can always apply, and you can apply for several more years. I got my wings at 27, and though I went through NROTC I know several OCS grads that are my age. So you have time to get your affairs in order.
There are plenty of Naval Aviators who performed similar to you in college, and they have wings. Its not impossible.
You also have a few things moving against you:
It's a tough time to apply for Naval Aviation and Officer programs in general. High unemployment means several folks who otherwise would not have applied are applying.
Both wars are drawing down, deficits are a major concern, and the political landscape could be changing soon. All of which help contribute to the drawing down of the Navy. It's not the Post WWII or Vietnam drawdown, but its still noticeable. It increases the competition.
There are a lot of other guys out there that have higher GPAs and have technical degrees.
If this is something you really want, apply, put your 110% effort into it, and if you get told no, apply again, and again, and again. You have 5 more years, if you want it bad enough you'll apply for all 5 years.
You have a few things going for you though:
You're young. If you dont get accepted you can always apply, and you can apply for several more years. I got my wings at 27, and though I went through NROTC I know several OCS grads that are my age. So you have time to get your affairs in order.
There are plenty of Naval Aviators who performed similar to you in college, and they have wings. Its not impossible.
You also have a few things moving against you:
It's a tough time to apply for Naval Aviation and Officer programs in general. High unemployment means several folks who otherwise would not have applied are applying.
Both wars are drawing down, deficits are a major concern, and the political landscape could be changing soon. All of which help contribute to the drawing down of the Navy. It's not the Post WWII or Vietnam drawdown, but its still noticeable. It increases the competition.
There are a lot of other guys out there that have higher GPAs and have technical degrees.
If this is something you really want, apply, put your 110% effort into it, and if you get told no, apply again, and again, and again. You have 5 more years, if you want it bad enough you'll apply for all 5 years.
I was 18, had terrible hs grades (though a little better my junior and senior year), and chatted with the enlisted recruiter that visited our school. Asked him about being a Navy pilot, and he pretty much just laughed at me and said that would not be happening. I walked out, knew he was wrong, figured out a way to make it happen, and I logged my 117th hour in the Hornet yesterday, just over 11 years later. Slightly different situation from yours, but the lesson is the same. Don't take no for an answer if it's something that you want. Figure out a plan to get there, execute the plan, and be persistent. And don't let asshole recruiters who don't know you from the next kid off the street get you down......you are only 22 yrs old......that is an eternity of time to get your life, grades (graduate school?), and others in order if you really want to do this. I was 25 when I commissioned, and 28 years old when I earned my wings, so there is definitely time.
Dude, keep calling until they answer the phone and, if you have to, drive up there and talk to them in person. Go ahead and fill out as much paperwork as you can and try to be the guy that shows up on their door step willing to do whatever it takes. That will go A LONG way with recruiters/OSOs.
As far as school goes, whether you go Grad school or another bachelors...just go to school for what you want and what you're passionate about and make good grades, but dont go back to school and pick some arbitrary engineering major because you think it'll get you picked up for a pilot slot. Before you know it you'll be 25 or soomething and hating your major with worse grades than you started with. Do what you love and do well in it.