April 15 Selection Board

[PigzFly]

Congrats Navy-or-Bust. JT, sorry to hear the news. The next board is less than a month away. Keep working. Sooner, I know how it is to fight a low GPA. I started with a 1.88 my first semester. Keep working. You both will get there. Feel free to wait until the June board though - Im up in May. Ha ha. Finish the semester strong, enjoy the summer. It will work out for all of us.

Again, congrats to those selected. To those who werent, keep fighting. It wouldnt be worth it if it was easy.

 

[jt71582]

Goob83, my recruiter told me that they don't provide any feedback, and the best thing to do would be to change something on the application. Since my grades won't raise my GPA this semester, the only thing I can do is take the ASTB again, but I'm worried I'll get a lower score. I am scheduled to take it 1000hrs tomorrow. I feel like I would be undermining my recruiter if I called and asked him to call and check for reasons. If my package didn't make it to the board, that would be another story. Is there a way to make sure it went to the board?

 

[DBDubbs]

I went up for this board as well.

Guess we won't be finding out until Monday.

I applied for SNA:

Age 22
ASTB 8/8/9 63
PRT Excellent Low
GPA 3.61 Aerospace Engineering (NC State University)
~95 Flight Hours PPL

Good luck to everyone!

Dan

I got pro-rec'd today. I forgot to add that I also had a PRK waiver. Good luck to everyone.

jt: Definately try reapplying. You could always boost your app by getting a PPL or maxing out the PRT or something else. Good luck!

Dan

 

[jt71582]

BTW, congrats to everyone pro-rec'd!

 

[OUSOONER]

congrats guys on the pro-rec's ...i wouldnt waste my money on a PPL though, it really doesn't have much weight on getting selected. I think many SNA's and winged guys can back me up on that.

JT i do know that the recruiter can call and ask why its been denied. How else can they instruct the applicant or give advice to better the package?!? It's just how hard he wants to work for you, and how hard you want it. My recruiter went and asked..and he got word that really my GPA was what was holding me back...fortunately in 3 weeks that wont be the case any longer... with respect to getting to the boards. Keep tracking man I want it, and I'm sure you want it, that's going to hopefully be the difference in the end.

Again, congrats to everyone who got selected....see you guys soon!

 

[jt71582]

I just (30 secs. ago) called my recruiter and asked if there was any wayhe could possibly find out a specific reason why I wasn't pro-rec'd and he said there's no way to know.

 

[Spence]

I was up for SNA this month and was not selected. I guess I have to wait 6 months before applying again. It's a tough pill to swallow, especially when you're done with college and you have to wait 6 months.

 

[OUSOONER]

Why do you have to wait six months? Can you secure some interviews or anything...have you completed your ASTB retakes? Surely there is something to get the ball rolling faster for you.

 

[Spence]

Well, my recruiter said that since I'm out of school I can't improve my GPA, and I actually took the ASTB a second time and scored 8/8/8 58. I can re-apply sooner if I want to risk using my last test chance, but I already have a pretty decent score and don't want it to go down. Those are the only two things my recruiter talked about. He didn't say anything about interviews. Maybe somebody on here with some experience about this can shoot me some advice.

Why do you have to wait six months? Can you secure some interviews or anything...have you completed your ASTB retakes? Surely there is something to get the ball rolling faster for you.

 

[OUSOONER]

Well I know you have to show an "improvement" each time...now what constitutes an "improvement" I am not sure... Goob83 is an Officer Recruiter, while he can't directly influence your package he can give up to date real world advice on that question. I would look into that.

 

[jt71582]

I'm going in to take the ASTB again tomorrow. I have to, because at the end of the semester my GPA is going to take a hit (22 credit hours = Bs and Cs). Something doesn't seem right though about my recruiter not being able to find specifics about my package. I wish I could see the "at board" list to make sure I actually went.

 

[OUSOONER]

jt...are you ready for the test again? if you feel you can nail it without clearing your head and just letting the stress level (do a little WOO-SAAAA) go down...then good on ya.

If it were me? I would wave-off the ASTB and study a bit instead of just hopping right out and taking it again. I still have an ASTB "re-take" in my pocket if the GPA thing doesnt work out, its good to save that for an improvement later on.
I would wait a bit finish these few weeks of school out...PT like a mofo now and while there is no stress after school, and then study my balls off for the ASTB for a couple weeks...THEN go take it. We are in the same boat, albeit different situations and just trying to help.

 

[jt71582]

I really appreciate the advice. Here's my situation:

I actually took the ASTB my freshman year at VT, 2003-2004. I took it knowing that I had the rest of my NROTC career to retake it to get higher scores so I really just flew through it. It could help or hurt, because I have since been in "softer" classes. I have 2 re-takes left so I'm going to use one now, and re-submit (hopefully) before my gpa falls next month. If I still don't get selected, it's time to sell the motorcycle, use the money to take PPL classes, ace the ASTB for my final time, and re-submit with some pilot time under my belt, better (hopefully) astb scores, and slightly lower GPA.

My recruiter said the PRT can not be used as grounds for 'improvement' on the application, "it's simply pass-fail."

 

[OUSOONER]

I see..the thing about PPL is I have over 100 hours PIC time with my PPL and I've searched the boards and talked to people and the consensus is that PPL does not really help or hurt your package...it could get expensive for a whole lot of nothing as far as package enhancement... My major is a bachelors of science in Aviation Management which comes with a PPL, 2 calc engineering courses and 2 engineering calc based physics courses...i dorked off 3 or 4 years ago and I am paying for it now...There are pilots out there who have history degrees, you may just have to KILL the ASTB. Either way, I'm pulling for you.

 

[Tyler]

Well, my recruiter said that since I'm out of school I can't improve my GPA, and I actually took the ASTB a second time and scored 8/8/8 58. I can re-apply sooner if I want to risk using my last test chance, but I already have a pretty decent score and don't want it to go down. Those are the only two things my recruiter talked about. He didn't say anything about interviews. Maybe somebody on here with some experience about this can shoot me some advice.

Wow, this is very discouraging. You had an awesome score. What did the rest of your app look like?