'T'would seem "tough love" just got a whole lot tougher after my reply. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
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Trying to decide if becoming A SWO is what I really want
- Thread starter jrice15
- Start date
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
you don't have much time to decide, your application needs to be in ASAP if you don't get the Dec board there is no time for you to get to OCS, last board was less than 25% selection rate so you have an uphill battle.
2.6 GPA in a technical field is not a show stopper, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'm not too worried about your motivation like others here, OCS usually filters those types out. Don't misinterpret their intent -- the officer community is not some sort of elite group of super humans. We have an entire spectrum of people ranging from shitty to superb. Most of us have all seen the bottom end of that spectrum and all these guys are trying to do is prevent that group of people from increasing. One of the most important traits of an officer, IMHO, is a high give-a-shit factor. Being highly-qualified and over-educated does nothing for your Sailors if you don't care.
Have a reason for joining. Believe in it.
Have a reason for joining. Believe in it.
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
in 99.99% of cases a low GPA like that will not get selected in today's environment tech degree or not, before I left there were a few cases of NRD's being chastised for submitting those low GPA's without taking a hard look at them at potentially giving them field reject letters.
In general highly qualified and over educated is exactly what the board looks for (excluding aviation, for aviation ASTB is king). I do not necessarily agree with this though.
If that's the current environment, then no one need panic about his acceptance. Let him apply, why discourage him?
I'm a firm believer in hiring better people from the beginning, but I don't think that "better people" is necessarily wrapped up around a GPA.
What happened to the "whole person concept?"
The OP's recruiter should be asking him to write a statement to the board explaining any hardship that may have contributed to the GPA. Maybe he worked two jobs and went to school and his mom died. I'd hire that over someone with a silver spoon.
I'm a firm believer in hiring better people from the beginning, but I don't think that "better people" is necessarily wrapped up around a GPA.
What happened to the "whole person concept?"
The OP's recruiter should be asking him to write a statement to the board explaining any hardship that may have contributed to the GPA. Maybe he worked two jobs and went to school and his mom died. I'd hire that over someone with a silver spoon.
With no disrespect…and absolutely ZERO understanding of the recruiting/acceptance criteria that may be extant today...I think it still exists, but has moved upwards in the milk float from the "good enough for government milk" to the "heavy cream on top".
In a buyer's market, the number-cruncher is king...much of the time…for the first cut. Then there's the "real crunch"…which no doubt looks deeper…and hopefully considers the "whole [wo]man"…admittedly hard to quantify without genuine, personal knowledge and insight.
Spoken from the perspective of a likely "crunch vet". I, too, fondly remember the good old days of the "fogged mirror volunteer" (Where do we get such men?).
Probably explains my entry into the program.
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exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
In some designators the whole person concept comes into play once they make the GPA cut so to speak, in other designators the whole person concept is just out there for PR feel good item.
I would say the same thing about the statement if it applies.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
It doesn't matter what you think. It matters what the selection board policies are.
NavyOffRec posted that NRDs were being instructed to field reject candidates with OPs credentials (or lackthereof). That's why it seems like he was being 'discouraged.'
No, the OP's recruiter should do whatever it is current guidance tells him to do.
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
It wasn't so much as "you will hold FRB" as "why are you submitting low quality applications, why not hold FRB"
Thank you, none of us knew that.
If he wants it badly enough he will go through the process and see what happens. That is my point. Everything else is hypothetical.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
My job as an Officer Recruiter is to put QUALIFIED and MOTIVATED applicants into the United States Navy. Right now it doesn't seems like you have the motivation to pursue an active commission.
You nailed it! Why would anyone want to join the military, if being IED'd or shot at is a no no; OR, the Navy if they didn't want to go to sea? Long on "What can the Navy do for me"... ; "What can I do for the Navy", not so much.
BzB
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
well said.
when I had a person that had a low GPA I would tell them the odds, I would also tell them if they did their part I would do mine, only a couple actually followed thru that had lower GPA's, I guess the others weren't motivated.