OCS 02Nov20 SNA/SNFO (Pilot/NFO) Board

[Ghost SWO]

I would agree, mine was more along the lines of why I wanted to be an officer and how I will use my enlisted experience to lead. I also hit on my age and humbling ASTB scores. A 4.0 and 9/9/9... good grief, I'd say that persons study habits are pretty solid.

It's such a huge difference for people like myself going through the process having not done a mathematical or engineering degree to then test 7 years later. Compare that to younger people with math-heavy degrees and it's a different story.

I think that's why we don't see a hard cut-off for GPA and OAR is barely looked at, it doesn't really tell you more than how much did they study in college. GPA ultimately comes down to a measure of applying ones self for a period of time, not intelligence or aptitude for military service, fortunately.

 

[Tracker95]

You just click on the link and add them in. I set the permissions on the google document so that anyone who has the link can make edits.

Thanks I figured it out yesterday, Tracker95 is me

 

[exNavyOffRec]

This.

After skimming through the motivational statements thread, I came to the conclusion there’s about 1,000 different ways to write these. Now granted, that thread is for all designators and spans multiple years, but there doesn’t seem to be a general consensus.

I’m sure that has something to do with how they aren’t looked at most of the time, at least not for SNA and NFO, apparently. A guy with a 4.0 and 9/9/9 could write just one sentence and still get in - I think I saw somewhere that @exNavyOffRec said he actually had an applicant do that.

I had a few that did that, and GPA's varied, most had 8's and 9's I talked to a processor friend of mine who still sees aviation candidates come through with a one paragraph statement getting picked.

 

[TheCoon]

Maybe a little late but I just thought of this analogy: It’s like when you were in high school and “worked together” on some short answer assignment with a buddy, and just so happened to have the exact same answers, word for word. But you get grades back and one of you gets a 100 and the other gets an 80.

 

[jkeikot]

Should we be notifying our current employer about applying? My thought was only tell them if I am selected but my recruiter said my security clearance is scheduled so I wasn’t sure if they would be contacted. Thoughts on this?

 

[Triumph_MAC]

I had a few that did that, and GPA's varied, most had 8's and 9's I talked to a processor friend of mine who still sees aviation candidates come through with a one paragraph statement getting picked.

Do you think they just seen the 250 word max and went with that?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Should we be notifying our current employer about applying? My thought was only tell them if I am selected but my recruiter said my security clearance is scheduled so I wasn’t sure if they would be contacted. Thoughts on this?

If you worked at company A would you tell company A you applied at company B right after filling out the online application or after you receive the offer letter which in this case would be the FINSEL or at least a confirmed OCS date.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Do you think they just seen the 250 word max and went with that?

LOL it was less that 250 words

 

[Ghost SWO]

Should we be notifying our current employer about applying? My thought was only tell them if I am selected but my recruiter said my security clearance is scheduled so I wasn’t sure if they would be contacted. Thoughts on this?

If you worked at company A would you tell company A you applied at company B right after filling out the online application or after you receive the offer letter which in this case would be the FINSEL or at least a confirmed OCS date.

Agreed. Wait for your OCS date. That will give them plenty of time and reason to find a replacement.

 

[jkeikot]

If you worked at company A would you tell company A you applied at company B right after filling out the online application or after you receive the offer letter which in this case would be the FINSEL or at least a confirmed OCS date.

Ok that’s makes sense to me but my recruiter keeps telling me to notify my employer so I just had to ask!

 

[Ghost SWO]

Ok that’s makes sense to me but my recruiter keeps telling me to notify my employer so I just had to ask!

Sounds like your recruiter is pretty confident with your application but I think that is jumping the gun. I'd love to tell an employer I'm joining the Navy as a leap of faith but anything can happen, they could move the OCS date around on you too. The fewer variables I have to juggle the better.

 

[TheCoon]

GPA ultimately comes down to a measure of applying ones self for a period of time, not intelligence or aptitude for military service, fortunately.

Bingo. GPA has its place but is far from a solid indicator of intelligence. In general, I wish more people would realize this.

I filled up the space though, I think I had 5 character spaces left out of the 4,500 limit.

Goodness dude. Were we filling out the same application? My OR told me 1,000 at first, sent him a draft with 850, and then he told me to cut it to 500.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

GPA has its place but is far from a solid indicator of intelligence.

correct, but what it can indicate is time management, prioritization, goal setting, etc.......

I know a few people that didn't do well in college who are very successful now, but back in the day you wondered what the hell they were going to do, live in their parents basement?

 

[Ghost SWO]

Bingo. GPA has its place but is far from a solid indicator of intelligence. In general, I wish more people would realize this.

Goodness dude. Were we filling out the same application? My OR told me 1,000 at first, sent him a draft with 850, and then he told me to cut it to 500.

Elon Musk has the same opinion, hiring based on merit.

Yeah... I came across three separate sources that all said the same thing which was to fill ALL available space, and make every sentence sell yourself. Once I heard it from three sources on different platforms and locations saying the same thing I thought that was pretty solid advice and it matched my father's advice who was a 28 year USAF vet who sat on many selection boards.

Came out to 766 words. And that was a cut from the original 1023 words from the 6,000 character limit from the May board.

Interesting that he gave that advice, I'm curious what the thought process was. I had a similar thought for my first submission to have it be shorter as a disruptive kind of vibe, but got passed over; I think mainly for a lack of relatable content in the motivational statement. I saw the motivational statement form that I had to sign for this board, it was a big block and my statement filled all of it. I wanted to use it all. Every space that I wouldn't use would be a waste of opportunity to let them know why I am ready for the Navy.

 

[TheCoon]

correct, but what it can indicate is time management, prioritization, goal setting, etc.......

Agreed, to an extent, and that’s why I don’t think it’s completely useless. My issue is when people start to drool over the 4.0 who didn’t leave their dorm room, but turn their nose up to the 2.5 who also worked while going to school, who was a student athlete, who learned how to fail, or who experienced any other type of adversity.

Numbers don’t lie, but sometimes they don’t tell the whole story.