SWO Board 20 April

[Infinitedouble]

you submitted your waiver at the same time I submitted mine, I got confirmation last month on approval. That’s odd... congratulations on your masters, Mr. Celestin said we can send our transcripts in to him prior to the August board to update our packages. Good luck!

Congrats on completing your Master's with flying colors, My age waiver took about three months before it came back, you have enough time. Wish you all the best!

 

[WWUPNW]

Hey all! On this board as well obviously. Officer has been my goal for the past 10 years or so but little did I know at 18 and a freshman that it wasn't a gimme just because you have a degree, so my GPA is not really on par for what it needs to be for a competitive board. Perhaps would be fine for the 85 to 90 percent acceptances that they had a few boards back (just the numbers I was told not sure how accurate). Anyway it looks like the last board was pretty low acceptance and with how the economy is looking this one could follow suit.

To finally get to the point, enlisted is something I'm now looking into. I've tried the search function on this form but either I can't find info that isn't 10 years old or I can't find results for some reason. But do any AD know how competitive it is internally? Best rates for OCS selection? From the looks of the Google spreadsheets it looks about the same as civilian applicants? My step dad retired recently as a 28.5 year LDO and didn't pick up officer until the very last minute at 17 years as a chief. My stepdad and mom are under the impression it's just as competitive as LDO so they think id never get selected and am wasting my time and degree going enlisted.

Can any AD applicants give me a quick rundown? And are any of you other civilians who aren't prior service considering enlisting giving the economy? I'm 24 and I'm sure eventually I could get picked up once boards ease up but that could be years.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this!

 

[Nicholsq]

Hey all! On this board as well obviously. Officer has been my goal for the past 10 years or so but little did I know at 18 and a freshman that it wasn't a gimme just because you have a degree, so my GPA is not really on par for what it needs to be for a competitive board. Perhaps would be fine for the 85 to 90 percent acceptances that they had a few boards back (just the numbers I was told not sure how accurate). Anyway it looks like the last board was pretty low acceptance and with how the economy is looking this one could follow suit.

To finally get to the point, enlisted is something I'm now looking into. I've tried the search function on this form but either I can't find info that isn't 10 years old or I can't find results for some reason. But do any AD know how competitive it is internally? Best rates for OCS selection? From the looks of the Google spreadsheets it looks about the same as civilian applicants? My step dad retired recently as a 28.5 year LDO and didn't pick up officer until the very last minute at 17 years as a chief. My stepdad and mom are under the impression it's just as competitive as LDO so they think id never get selected and am wasting my time and degree going enlisted.

Can any AD applicants give me a quick rundown? And are any of you other civilians who aren't prior service considering enlisting giving the economy? I'm 24 and I'm sure eventually I could get picked up once boards ease up but that could be years.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this!

As far as competitiveness is concerned its about the same, however it really depends on what community you want to be apart of. If you were to enlist, your rate does have some weight depending on the community you wanted to be apart of. For example, if you're an LS who has a degree in finance trying to become a supply officer you would probably have a better chance than let say an HM with a degree sociology. However there are so many other factors to consider. what make applying for OCS difficult while being currently enlisted is that fact that you will have several other obligations that will take precedence over applying. OCS and LDO are two separate beast. Programs like LDO and CWO programs are highly competitive.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Hey all! On this board as well obviously. Officer has been my goal for the past 10 years or so but little did I know at 18 and a freshman that it wasn't a gimme just because you have a degree, so my GPA is not really on par for what it needs to be for a competitive board. Perhaps would be fine for the 85 to 90 percent acceptances that they had a few boards back (just the numbers I was told not sure how accurate). Anyway it looks like the last board was pretty low acceptance and with how the economy is looking this one could follow suit.

To finally get to the point, enlisted is something I'm now looking into. I've tried the search function on this form but either I can't find info that isn't 10 years old or I can't find results for some reason. But do any AD know how competitive it is internally? Best rates for OCS selection? From the looks of the Google spreadsheets it looks about the same as civilian applicants? My step dad retired recently as a 28.5 year LDO and didn't pick up officer until the very last minute at 17 years as a chief. My stepdad and mom are under the impression it's just as competitive as LDO so they think id never get selected and am wasting my time and degree going enlisted.

Can any AD applicants give me a quick rundown? And are any of you other civilians who aren't prior service considering enlisting giving the economy? I'm 24 and I'm sure eventually I could get picked up once boards ease up but that could be years.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this!

Like was said in the post above some enlisted rates can give you a little push toward selection but not always, I have seen IT's apply that had good GPA's who were not picked and then they did pick a math major with a very good GPA.

SWO is pretty to the point so GPA is going to be important, and then it will come down to how many spots they have, if you have a GPA of 2.6 that could be a problem, if you have a GPA of 3.2 then not so much.

Just like LDO the competitiveness depends on the designator, IWC designators historically hang around 10%, while aviation historically is above 50%, I had friends who were commissioned LDO at the last minute, he was the last alternate and from notification to commission was less than 2 weeks, and I have known guys that applied for LDO and never did get picked up even though they were great at what they did.

 

[Goat_class125]

Hey all! On this board as well obviously. Officer has been my goal for the past 10 years or so but little did I know at 18 and a freshman that it wasn't a gimme just because you have a degree, so my GPA is not really on par for what it needs to be for a competitive board. Perhaps would be fine for the 85 to 90 percent acceptances that they had a few boards back (just the numbers I was told not sure how accurate). Anyway it looks like the last board was pretty low acceptance and with how the economy is looking this one could follow suit.

To finally get to the point, enlisted is something I'm now looking into. I've tried the search function on this form but either I can't find info that isn't 10 years old or I can't find results for some reason. But do any AD know how competitive it is internally? Best rates for OCS selection? From the looks of the Google spreadsheets it looks about the same as civilian applicants? My step dad retired recently as a 28.5 year LDO and didn't pick up officer until the very last minute at 17 years as a chief. My stepdad and mom are under the impression it's just as competitive as LDO so they think id never get selected and am wasting my time and degree going enlisted.

Can any AD applicants give me a quick rundown? And are any of you other civilians who aren't prior service considering enlisting giving the economy? I'm 24 and I'm sure eventually I could get picked up once boards ease up but that could be years.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this!

Hello there and good luck to you in August, unfortunately the only members who could answer your question are previous and current board members. Furthermore, board members can’t talk about the details of a board and hypothetically if they did they would only be able to give you the details of the boards they sat as we all know every board is different with new packages, new people, and quotas etc.

Sorry if that’s not helpful :-(

 

[WWUPNW]

Ah thanks everyone! Sometimes you never know with the navy, there are always the good gpa and good oar that tend to get selected but I've seen mediocre numbers get picked and 3.5+ gpa and 60+ oar not get picked, so the full person concept is definitely important.

It's out of my hands now so Ill just have to wait and see what happens, but the navy is always on my mind long term so if I have to enlist at 25 to even have a chance of reaching my goals than so be it. Best of luck to y'all!

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Ah thanks everyone! Sometimes you never know with the navy, there are always the good gpa and good oar that tend to get selected but I've seen mediocre numbers get picked and 3.5+ gpa and 60+ oar not get picked, so the full person concept is definitely important.

It's out of my hands now so Ill just have to wait and see what happens, but the navy is always on my mind long term so if I have to enlist at 25 to even have a chance of reaching my goals than so be it. Best of luck to y'all!

They put out "whole person concept", what is privately said within NRC is depending on the designator certain things are important, with aviation ASTB is extremely important, with SWO it is GPA, IWC is more about GPA and degree.

In many cases those with higher GPA who have been turned down have something that is negative in the application.

In the end whole person concept has never really been a thing.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Hello there and good luck to you in August, unfortunately the only members who could answer your question are previous and current board members. Furthermore, board members can’t talk about the details of a board and hypothetically if they did they would only be able to give you the details of the boards they sat as we all know every board is different with new packages, new people, and quotas etc.

Sorry if that’s not helpful :-(

You are correct in some regards, looking at the history of the boards and what the board members look for has been fairly constant

 

[Goat_class125]

You are correct in some regards, looking at the history of the boards and what the board members look for has been fairly constant

I figure as much I always thought as the Navy places emphasis on certain things I thought the boards would adjust to that

 

[WWUPNW]

They put out "whole person concept", what is privately said within NRC is depending on the designator certain things are important, with aviation ASTB is extremely important, with SWO it is GPA, IWC is more about GPA and degree.

In many cases those with higher GPA who have been turned down have something that is negative in the application.

In the end whole person concept has never really been a thing.

• #175

Good to know. So as far as getting my masters, do they average it with your undergrad or look at both or? E.g. I had a 2.67 so I basically only qualify for swo and aviation. If I get my masters, with say a 3.5 I should qualify for supply, intell, etc or do they only take undergrad gpas into account?

Lastly, does the board particularly care where you get your master's from? Does it matter if I just do an online program with one of the affiliated military online universities if I enlist, or is it seen as more prestigious to do an on campus program at a public or private University? I know from the civilian corporate world your degree is just a check in the box most of the time, they could care less as long as you've got the degree.

 

[Nicholsq]

• #175

Good to know. So as far as getting my masters, do they average it with your undergrad or look at both or? E.g. I had a 2.67 so I basically only qualify for swo and aviation. If I get my masters, with say a 3.5 I should qualify for supply, intell, etc or do they only take undergrad gpas into account?

Lastly, does the board particularly care where you get your master's from? Does it matter if I just do an online program with one of the affiliated military online universities if I enlist, or is it seen as more prestigious to do an on campus program at a public or private University? I know from the civilian corporate world your degree is just a check in the box most of the time, they could care less as long as you've got the degree.

I completed my BS online and currently halfway done with my Master's (online as well). Whether it's online or not doesn't really matter so as long as your degree is accredited.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

• #175

Good to know. So as far as getting my masters, do they average it with your undergrad or look at both or? E.g. I had a 2.67 so I basically only qualify for swo and aviation. If I get my masters, with say a 3.5 I should qualify for supply, intell, etc or do they only take undergrad gpas into account?

Lastly, does the board particularly care where you get your master's from? Does it matter if I just do an online program with one of the affiliated military online universities if I enlist, or is it seen as more prestigious to do an on campus program at a public or private University? I know from the civilian corporate world your degree is just a check in the box most of the time, they could care less as long as you've got the degree.

I had a person picked up for SWO that just did the online thing, if it is blatantly online only it might have a bit of a negative view, if it is one of those schools that has online and in person then probably not so much, of course pretty much everything is online now LOL

They average everything together, however the bachelors is weighted due to credits 2:1 more than a masters.

I would look at going for aviation, they look heavily at ASTB, and the fact that SWO is pushed until August and they had done some over selecting could make it a tough board.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I figure as much I always thought as the Navy places emphasis on certain things I thought the boards would adjust to that

What they look for doesn't really change that much in accession boards, they look for data that will give the best chance of success, if aviation that would be the ASTB, for SWO they lean heavy on GPA, CEC is GPA, EIT and interviews so they know the person will be able to get a Masters and PE. It is very much the same for enlisted accessions, the go for the hard data that will give the best chance of success.

I know you just like I have seen how the USN will change what they look for in regards to promotion or advancement boards, this is another one of those how things are different before and after.

 

[Goat_class125]

What they look for doesn't really change that much in accession boards, they look for data that will give the best chance of success, if aviation that would be the ASTB, for SWO they lean heavy on GPA, CEC is GPA, EIT and interviews so they know the person will be able to get a Masters and PE. It is very much the same for enlisted accessions, the go for the hard data that will give the best chance of success.

I know you just like I have seen how the USN will change what they look for in regards to promotion or advancement boards, this is another one of those how things are different before and after.

Can you go a little further and expound on GPA, how does GPA alone give the best chance for success? What are the details behind that? s it more of: Member (A) has 3.99 in Mathematics while Member (B) has a 4.0 in Art and Literature? or do they did deeper and see that Member (C) has a 3.39 in Public Administration however there math and science core courses produced a grade of A? where Member (D) has a 3.4 in Finance but science and core classes produced a C?

What about members with post graduate degrees already?
What do the statistics state about why SWO has a high attrition rate? Is it due to a hardship to perform in academics? Is it a failure to adjust in a arduous environment?

Sorry I have many questions

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Can you go a little further and expound on GPA, how does GPA alone give the best chance for success? What are the details behind that? s it more of: Member (A) has 3.99 in Mathematics while Member (B) has a 4.0 in Art and Literature? or do they did deeper and see that Member (C) has a 3.39 in Public Administration however there math and science core courses produced a grade of A? where Member (D) has a 3.4 in Finance but science and core classes produced a C?

What about members with post graduate degrees already?
What do the statistics state about why SWO has a high attrition rate? Is it due to a hardship to perform in academics? Is it a failure to adjust in a arduous environment?

Sorry I have many questions

In some designators they do look at grades in individual classes, but that is more the nuke designators.

In the others it is often just a quick look at the GPA, I had people with mid 3 GPA in English get picked up over a 3.0 in engineering for SWO before. The basic premise is that a person who can get a higher GPA knows how to time manage, study, ask for guidance, etc....

Post grad is always a plus, CEC used to really like those with a post grad as then they didn't have to worry about sending them to get a post grad degree.

SWO attrition is subjective, are you talking about failure to obtain SWO pin or just those that leave after their initial obligation?