What NRC considers competitive

[bcekli]

I appreciate the response. So you agree its not worth retaking just the OAR since the GPA rules me out of IP anyways? I guess I will give it a shot and see where I end up retest and apply if needed then look into masters.

Weird they had you take the ASTB when you’re too old. Only options now are going to be supply and swo, both of which the odds are against you because of the low GPA.

You can give those two a shot, OR, start and complete a masters program - ideally STEM focused.

 

[zoeth]

I appreciate the response. So you agree its not worth retaking just the OAR since the GPA rules me out of IP anyways? I guess I will give it a shot and see where I end up retest and apply if needed then look into masters.

A 53 OAR is perfectly fine for SWO/Sup. The GPA will hurt, but plenty have gotten into SWO and Suppo with <3.0. Your biggest problem is age because you aren't prior. 29 is the hard cuttoff for both of those communities. Like Rufio said, if you are set on IP, start a Masters program and raise that GPA to 3.0+ IP also prefers STEM

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I appreciate the response. So you agree its not worth retaking just the OAR since the GPA rules me out of IP anyways? I guess I will give it a shot and see where I end up retest and apply if needed then look into masters.

I wouldn't retake the OAR if I were you.

 

[BobafrigginFeet]

Admins, request sticky on this one.

Frequently I get asked what is considered "competitive". For those not familiar with this, a competitive profile is a set of preferred (not minimum) qualifications based off previous selection boards. This is essentially what Navy Recruiting Command considers competitive. Of course they vary for specific programs and by no means this is a tool to discourage otherwise qualified applicants. For instance, you should still submit your kit if you have a average/below average ASTB score but a very stellar GPA/major.

Biggest favors for a competitive profile include the following: GPA, OAR/ASTB scores, SAT scores (NUPOC/Collegiate programs only), and other factors (leadership experience, etc.).

With that being said, here's the competitive profile for the major GENOFF programs. This is updated as of September, 2013.

Pilot (1390):

3.3 GPA, 58/6/7/7 ASTB,
Positive factors: Flight license / experience. Leadership/management experience, extracurricular/sports involvement, Strong EVALs if prior service.
Negative factors: Drug use within last year, debt in collection, criminal record.

NFO (1370):

3.25 GPA, 50/6/6/6 ASTB
Positive factors: Flight license / experience. Leadership/management experience, extracurricular/sports involvement, Strong EVALs if prior service.
Negative factors: Drug use within last year, debt in collection, criminal record.

SWO (1160):

3.4 GPA, 50 OAR score
Positive factors: Leadership/management experience, extracurricular/sports involvement, Strong EVALs if prior service
Negative factors: Drug use within last year, debt in collection, criminal record.

SEAL (1180):

3.5 GPA, 43 OAR score
Other factors: Run/Swim <9:00, Pushups/Situps >100, Pullups >20, Competitive sports, Extensive Leadership, Foreign language proficiency

CEC (5100):

3.3 GPA, Architecture/Civil Eng Major (or similar)
Other factors: EIT; Eng/Construction internships; Community Involvement; Leadership positions in athletics or campus organizations, strong motivation statement

Thank you!! Btw do they tolerate community college graduates?

 

[LindseyJordan]

After finally taking my OAR and lurking through these boards I would love any opinion on my chances for Intel. Intel is my number one choice but I am willing to apply for other jobs if my chances for intel were not optimal.

About me:

Graduated from the Honors College at Arizona State University with a B.S. in Forensics (chemistry) and a B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. My overall GPA was a 3.65.

My OAR score is a 51.

I also listed my volunteer experience with multiple autism organizations and my positions of leadership on both my high school and collegiate cheerleading teams.

My LORs are from multiple professors including my thesis director as well as an agent from the Department of Homeland Security.

What are my chances for intel with my current OAR score or should I consider retaking? I am even open to different jobs if there is one that matches my credentials better. Any advice helps, thank you!!

 

[AULANI]

After finally taking my OAR and lurking through these boards I would love any opinion on my chances for Intel. Intel is my number one choice but I am willing to apply for other jobs if my chances for intel were not optimal.

About me:

Graduated from the Honors College at Arizona State University with a B.S. in Forensics (chemistry) and a B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. My overall GPA was a 3.65.

My OAR score is a 51.

I also listed my volunteer experience with multiple autism organizations and my positions of leadership on both my high school and collegiate cheerleading teams.

My LORs are from multiple professors including my thesis director as well as an agent from the Department of Homeland Security.

What are my chances for intel with my current OAR score or should I consider retaking? I am even open to different jobs if there is one that matches my credentials better. Any advice helps, thank you!!

I've been on OHARP for almost 2 months now and almost everyone that comes through the door (about 2-3 people a day) wants to be Intel for some reason (maybe because it's the DC area). When I ask them why they want to be Intel almost every single one of them tells me what they majored in at college.

I'll tell you what I tell them, if you really want to go for Intel do it. But if you really want to be an officer in the Navy and you're picking Intel because you have a degree in International Relations or something like that, you're better off picking something where statistically speaking, your chances of getting selected are much higher.

 

[zoeth]

After finally taking my OAR and lurking through these boards I would love any opinion on my chances for Intel. Intel is my number one choice but I am willing to apply for other jobs if my chances for intel were not optimal.

About me:

Graduated from the Honors College at Arizona State University with a B.S. in Forensics (chemistry) and a B.S. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. My overall GPA was a 3.65.

My OAR score is a 51.

I also listed my volunteer experience with multiple autism organizations and my positions of leadership on both my high school and collegiate cheerleading teams.

My LORs are from multiple professors including my thesis director as well as an agent from the Department of Homeland Security.

What are my chances for intel with my current OAR score or should I consider retaking? I am even open to different jobs if there is one that matches my credentials better. Any advice helps, thank you!!

Intel is incredibly competitive for a number of reasons; first the age cutoff is much later than other communites (42 vs 29), second it is much more open to a wide variety of majors, unlike CW or something which really just wants a STEM or another specificity. Like Rufio mentioned for every criminal justice/poli sci/IR major there are a dozen other applicants with higher tangibles. With that being said if it is what you want, go for it 100%.

 

[Deleted member 67144 scul]

I've been on OHARP for almost 2 months now and almost everyone that comes through the door (about 2-3 people a day) wants to be Intel for some reason (maybe because it's the DC area). When I ask them why they want to be Intel almost every single one of them tells me what they majored in at college.

I'll tell you what I tell them, if you really want to go for Intel do it. But if you really want to be an officer in the Navy and you're picking Intel because you have a degree in International Relations or something like that, you're better off picking something where statistically speaking, your chances of getting selected are much higher.

Did you tell them the job revolves around Microsoft PowerPoint? I'm sure there's very clear misconceptions about what the job is. Too many people think you get to be James Bond or Ethan Hunt.

Intel is incredibly competitive for a number of reasons; first the age cutoff is much later than other communites (42 vs 29), second it is much more open to a wide variety of majors, unlike CW or something which really just wants a STEM or another specificity. Like Rufio mentioned for every criminal justice/poli sci/IR major there are a dozen other applicants with higher tangibles. With that being said if it is what you want, go for it 100%.

Exactly. Most officer designators require or strongly prefer very specific (and usually challenging) education and fields of study. Those poli sci / econ / IR people basically have SWO (nuke is most likely out of the question), INTEL, aviation, and a couple other things. If you don't want to go SWO and you're PDQ from aviation, INTEL is the only realistic choice.

Those people should also consider commissioning with other branches, and by other branches I mean Army/Marines because the Air Force is extremely STEM-heavy.

 

[LindseyJordan]

Did you tell them the job revolves around Microsoft PowerPoint? I'm sure there's very clear misconceptions about what the job is. Too many people think you get to be James Bond or Ethan Hunt.



Exactly. Most officer designators require or strongly prefer very specific (and usually challenging) education and fields of study. Those poli sci / econ / IR people basically have SWO (nuke is most likely out of the question), INTEL, aviation, and a couple other things. If you don't want to go SWO and you're PDQ from aviation, INTEL is the only realistic choice.

Those people should also consider commissioning with other branches, and by other branches I mean Army/Marines because the Air Force is extremely STEM-heavy.

Thank you guys all so much for the advice I appreciate it. If I decide on SWO which seems probably more up my alley, would you guys recommend retaking the OAR?

 

[Bocian]

Did you tell them the job revolves around Microsoft PowerPoint? I'm sure there's very clear misconceptions about what the job is. Too many people think you get to be James Bond or Ethan Hunt.



Exactly. Most officer designators require or strongly prefer very specific (and usually challenging) education and fields of study. Those poli sci / econ / IR people basically have SWO (nuke is most likely out of the question), INTEL, aviation, and a couple other things. If you don't want to go SWO and you're PDQ from aviation, INTEL is the only realistic choice.

Those people should also consider commissioning with other branches, and by other branches I mean Army/Marines because the Air Force is extremely STEM-heavy.

The Air Force is extremely competitive if you are going for non-rated (None flying job). The board for that last time around only had a 9 percent acceptance rate and unless you high scores good luck trying to even submitting a package. Also all the non rated boards are closed until 2020 since they already have so much people.

 

[SirDataDetective]

Exactly. Most officer designators require or strongly prefer very specific (and usually challenging) education and fields of study. Those poli sci / econ / IR people basically have SWO (nuke is most likely out of the question), INTEL, aviation, and a couple other things. If you don't want to go SWO and you're PDQ from aviation, INTEL is the only realistic choice.

Those people should also consider commissioning with other branches, and by other branches I mean Army/Marines because the Air Force is extremely STEM-heavy.

Economics is awkward. It's a soft science with a lot of quantitative parts to it. I had to take a bunch of high-level math and stats classes, which included work in SAS. BUT, it's not a STEM degree, and so I don't believe - but i'm not totally sure - that the degree gives off any particular advantage over Poli Sci/IR/History/etc in your application.

Which is lame, and probably a reason not to do Econ if you're set on trying to get the highest possible GPA for the Navy.

 

[peppergunner]

Economics is awkward. It's a soft science with a lot of quantitative parts to it. I had to take a bunch of high-level math and stats classes, which included work in SAS. BUT, it's not a STEM degree, and so I don't believe - but i'm not totally sure - that the degree gives off any particular advantage over Poli Sci/IR/History/etc in your application.

Which is lame, and probably a reason not to do Econ if you're set on trying to get the highest possible GPA for the Navy.

Secondary note, econ is an easy minor if you study math. My college required 3 econ and 4 maths for the econ minor.

 

[Deleted member 67144 scul]

The Air Force is extremely competitive if you are going for non-rated (None flying job). The board for that last time around only had a 9 percent acceptance rate and unless you high scores good luck trying to even submitting a package. Also all the non rated boards are closed until 2020 since they already have so much people.

Yeah, 18OT03 was restricted to Rated and CAD, and 04 got cancelled. FY17 boards had substantially higher selection rates. One of them was over 67%, and it was a strictly non-rated board (before they changed it to civilian vs AD). Seems like the safest option for a commission is AFROTC or the academy.

 

[tstudly21]

The Air Force is extremely competitive if you are going for non-rated (None flying job). The board for that last time around only had a 9 percent acceptance rate and unless you high scores good luck trying to even submitting a package. Also all the non rated boards are closed until 2020 since they already have so much people.

The non rated boards have been opened back up, there is a board this December for the Air Force, but you should expect low percentages of acceptance if you are applying for non-rated (non pilot) positions.

 

[Freddie Ansley]

Is anyone familiar with more current standards for CW package selection? I have a 47 OAR and BS Information Technology w/ Networking focus with a 3.4GPA(3.9 major focus) with 5 years unrelated enlisted experience reserve and active. I'm studying to retake my OAR now and should do far better since I took it previously on the spot. Any tips, pointers or dream shattering revelations?