What NRC considers competitive

[exNavyOffRec]

Hey,

I applied for the Intel Reserve and wasn't selected on the Jan board, so working with my recruiter to swap over my application to Active and taking my OAR this weekend. I've been lurking on here for a while and figured I'd see what you guys think about my chances.

Major: International Relations | Minor: Chinese
IT Background: IT Assistant, and courses in Digital Forensics, Network Security, Computer Info Systems
Occupation: Asia Operations - Sourcing/Production
Languages: Fluent Mandarin, Beginner Korean
GPA: 3.35
Age: 24
Communities: 1. Crypto (IW) 2. Intel
LORS: (2) O-5s from Navy cyber community; (1) O-4 Army MI, (1) former executive from DHS, (1) professor of Asian Studies
MISC: Network Defense Team, Officer Candidate in USMC (tore ACL at OCS and have waiver), 1-yr study abroad in China on full scholarship, extensive research on China's global initiatives and ethnic tensions within their boarders; studying Python on Codeacademy

I'm going on June board.

Thanks!

your recruiter should have been straight with you, the fact is you don't have experience for DCO and he wasted your time, DCO applicants in general have many years of experience in the field they are applying for and generally have a Masters.

You should really look at SWO, your GPA is below the average of those selected and you have a non-tech degree, combined those don't add up to much of a chance.

 

[ChuckMK23]

Thank god GPA’s were never an issue or even looked at it my time. The Navy never got a college transcript from me!

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Thank god GPA’s were never an issue or even looked at it my time. The Navy never got a college transcript from me!

That’s (almost) still the same for aviation...

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

borders*

For everyone one of your international relations/political science liberal arts majors there’s 10 of you with higher GPAs, masters degrees, etc. I’m not saying “zero chance” but the odds are against you.

I would highly recommend considering SWO if you don’t get picked up. If you only want IWC/Intel consider enlisted option too.

 

[mr18]

For everyone one of your international relations/political science liberal arts majors there’s 10 of you with higher GPAs, masters degrees, etc. I’m not saying “zero chance” but the odds are against you.

I would highly recommend considering SWO if you don’t get picked up. If you only want IWC/Intel consider enlisted option too.

I'll speak to my recruiter when I see him this weekend. I was picked up for Crypto Linguist in the USMC around the time I destroyed my ACL and had a DLAB 131. They were trying to recruit me for CTI at MEPS when I went for the DCO board.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

I'll speak to my recruiter when I see him this weekend. I was picked up for Crypto Linguist in the USMC around the time I destroyed my ACL and had a DLAB 131. They were trying to recruit me for CTI at MEPS when I went for the DCO board.

Foreign language doesn't matter for officers, the enlisted handle that aspect.

Maybe he was going to try to flip you enlisted when you didn't get DCO

 

[mr18]

Foreign language doesn't matter for officers, the enlisted handle that aspect.

Maybe he was going to try to flip you enlisted when you didn't get DCO

My recruiter wanted me to go active officer more than reserves and more than enlisting, so he wasn't trying to flip me - but I might consider dual-enlisting.

The OIC interviewer for DCO gave me a 70% confidence rating and said that I was an "obvious select" for active, but was understandably annoyed that I was trying for reserves at age 23 (at the time) - and he made note of it in my rec.

 

[AULANI]

My recruiter wanted me to go active officer more than reserves and more than enlisting, so he wasn't trying to flip me - but I might consider dual-enlisting.

The OIC interviewer for DCO gave me a 70% confidence rating and said that I was an "obvious select" for active, but was understandably annoyed that I was trying for reserves at age 23 (at the time) - and he made note of it in my rec.

I have a lot of friends that were CTI's. They all retired as LDO's or Warrant Officers. That's one path if you are dead set on being an officer.

 

[mr18]

I have a lot of friends that were CTI's. They all retired as LDO's or Warrant Officers. That's one path if you are dead set on being an officer.

I'm open to the options, so I will check them out with my recruiter after my OAR tomorrow.

 

[Deleted member 67144 scul]

studying Python on Codeacademy

If you're interested in programming, and in a broader sense an introduction to computer science topics, let me know and I can provide some resources. I feel programming is not very powerful without having some understanding of data structures and algorithms. Also Codecademy is nice but gives barebone basics. I wouldn't really recommend it for anything beyond that.

he OIC interviewer for DCO gave me a 70% confidence rating and said that I was an "obvious select" for active, but was understandably annoyed that I was trying for reserves at age 23 (at the time) - and he made note of it in my rec.

"Obvious select" for active duty INTEL is no small feat. Out of curiosity, are there reasons you'd be comfortable sharing as to why you'd prefer to go the Reserve route at 23?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

My recruiter wanted me to go active officer more than reserves and more than enlisting, so he wasn't trying to flip me - but I might consider dual-enlisting.

The OIC interviewer for DCO gave me a 70% confidence rating and said that I was an "obvious select" for active, but was understandably annoyed that I was trying for reserves at age 23 (at the time) - and he made note of it in my rec.

Unfortunately what reserves look for and what active look for is almost like night and day, and the profile of what active picks is not what it was 10 years ago, so many of those senior reserve IWC officers really don't know anymore, your profile fits more with SWO than anything else.

 

[mr18]

If you're interested in programming, and in a broader sense an introduction to computer science topics, let me know and I can provide some resources. I feel programming is not very powerful without having some understanding of data structures and algorithms. Also Codecademy is nice but gives barebone basics. I wouldn't really recommend it for anything beyond that.


"Obvious select" for active duty INTEL is no small feat. Out of curiosity, are there reasons you'd be comfortable sharing as to why you'd prefer to go the Reserve route at 23?

Hey! Thanks a lot, I really appreciate any help. I'm interested in cybersecurity and I didn't go into it in undergrad because I psyched myself out... not because of that stupid libby feminazi trash either haha - if anything, people were more open arms about having a chick in the crew.

The rec was better than I thought it would be. Also, I wanted to serve my country and attend the NYU Cyber MS full-time to ultimately pursue a career in the federal government. I'd rather serve in the military than not serve in it though.

 

[kingcreator1]

Just took my OAR today and I scored 50 point. I know it is low so i plan to retake.
I just want to see my chance are with my current score.

Major: Computer science
Languages: Vietnamese
GPA: 3.289
Age: 30
Communities: 1.CWE 2. Crypto (IW)
MISC: QA lead for senior project. Robotic club members.
LoRs: maybe 2 from university professor, E5 Army Veteran.

 

[Foxtrot-Lima_Gator]

I heard NRC is now considering the GPA from Masters degrees as part of the cumulative. This barred me from competing last year for OCS as my undergraduate degree only made it to a 2.78 and I needed a 2.8 to even be considered for SUPPO or SWO.

Fun fact to throw out there for those with graduate degrees.

 

[Sean Bishop]

I heard NRC is now considering the GPA from Masters degrees as part of the cumulative. This barred me from competing last year for OCS as my undergraduate degree only made it to a 2.78 and I needed a 2.8 to even be considered for SUPPO or SWO.

Fun fact to throw out there for those with graduate degrees.

This isn't new...I've been applying for a couple of years and they have factored in my GPA from my Master's every time since 2016.