For all those matheneticians out there here is the new equation received from a student packet given out up at Whiting:
They first calculate a PAS and then convert that number to an NSS
SNA_PAS= 50+10*[ 0.9*(S-M1)/(S1)+0.1*(M2-NMU)/(S2)]
S-SNA Score
NMU-SNA # of Marginals and Unsats
M1-Squadron Average
M2-Squadron Average Marg and Unsats
S1-Standard Dev of Squadron Score
S2-Standard Dev of Squadron NMU
NSS Calculation
NSS= 50 +10*[(PAS -MPAS)/SDPAS]
PAS-NFS PAS
MPAS-Squadron Average
SDPAS- Standard Dev of Squadron PAS
Supposedly the updated NSS equation will allow them to give an NSS for each stage. Basically the claim is to be able to give the student a NSS at any stage with the only thing that could change it is the performance of other student.
On the rumor side of things, I was told that under the new system your new NSS will be fluid and changing based on other students until the day the selection board takes a snapshot and makes a decision. So example I complete on day 1 with a 58 and on day 2 another rock star finishes with a 67. My score could then fall because the eq is updated with every student that finishes. Or it could rise if people that finish between me and selection have really low scores.
What this means is that you will be given a baseline score of 50 just for showing up. Your PAS will go up if your score is better than average or your number of unsats / marginals is lower than average, and vice versa if opposite.
How much better / worse your PAS or NSS is than 50 depends on the ratio to how much better you were than your squadron average and the standard deviation of your squadron's average. I was told today that they went to 60 to try and increase the standard deviation of the samples a bit / broaden the bell curve.
NSS is the same deal: 50 for showing up, and then if your PAS is better than average it'll go up depending on how much better and the standard deviation.
It is not clear from the email I received how your final NSS is calculated, but the above should hold true for your PAS and block NSS.
Bottom line: All you can affect is your performance. Your PAS and NSS rely heavily on squadron average and standard deviations, which depend on the sample they are using. Study hard, and pray to the grade gods.
EDIT: BTW if anyone cares, your PAS is weighted so that 90% of your "adjustment" to the standard 50 comes from your scores in the phase and 10% comes from your number of marginals/unsats (also a marginal is worth half an unsat in terms of NMU). Marginal means marginal flight, not that you got below MIF. i.e. if your instructor is concerned you will not be MIF by the end of block, he will give you a marginal which will affect your PAS since it will change your NMU.
What this means is if you didn't get any marginals or unsat your NSS should go up from what it would have been under the old system, and if you got a lot of them, your NSS should go down.
ALSO, your NSS is calculated only by a sample group of people FROM YOUR SQUADRON. So, even though you may be selecting against people in Corpus, their NSS was calculated based on samples from their squadron, and your NSS was calculated based on samples from your squadron. So, as long as you are doing above average for your squadron, you should have an NSS higher than 50. Study hard.