ALT for SWO/ED twice, chances are you will get it this year. You must be doing something right, can you post your stats. This is my second year applying for SWO/ED, 4th time applying for STA-21 in general. I was trying to go nuke but I got too old.
I generally don't like posting stats because I don't think it gives a clear picture of the "Total Person" and can sometimes be misleading, but since you asked I'll lay out the basics. I think that being an alternate twice gives me a better than average chance, but I'm worried about the quotas this year. My biggest detractor the past 2 years was that I had no EDO support as far as interviews or LOR's go. I was at a small/isolated command, so my in-command board was with LT's and I didn't have an out of command board. This year I had all O-5's in command (1 EDO), and an all EDO out of command board (O-7, two O-6's, and an O-5). I couldn't have asked for better CO Rec/interviews/NRB Chair Rec's, but who knows.
SWO/ED (3rd time, Alternate twice)
MMC(SW) Nuke
AGE: 30
TIS: 11 yrs
EVALS: Always MP or higher, not worth breaking down
AWARDS: COM-1, NAM-3, GCM-3, MOVSM
QUALS/CERTS: A metric assload of nuke/ship quals. MTS.
ACT-29 math, 32 english
LORs: EDO O-6 (my old rx officer), O-6 (rx officer), and the Chief at the Fire Dept. I volunteered at.
Actual college: A.A. degree plus Calc I/II (4.0) and a few other classes
SMART: 162 credits, mostly worthless. The Citadel actually gave me credit for math/science classes from the Nuke Pipeline though.
CLEP/Dantes: passed 30, 111 credits
All PFAs Good High
EXTRAS: I sent in my FD certifications (everything thru IFS Fire Fighter I)
First Choice Universitiy: University of Oklahoma (Mechanical Engineering)