So after I found out that I was an ALT last year I started working towards my next package. I started looking up officers for my boards because every officer at my command was under the impresssion that if I really wanted to become an officer I should be the one setting up my boards. It so happens that one of the officers I contacted was one of the STA-21 board members for FY-11. I was able to get an appointment with him and pick his brain a bit. He told me 2 things that kinda surprised me. He said "as board members we are in a room all day looking at hundreds of packages, black and white page after black and white page, submitting color copies not only stands out to us but is a nice change." the second thing was about submitting acceptance letters from a college. "we are looking for sailors that we want to send to college, with that in mind if you submit a letter of acceptance from a college you are telling the board I am ready to go". This was the advice of ONE board member so I tried not read into too much. I submitted color copies but did not submit a college letter. besides it was just his 2 cents. I have know people who got selected without color copies or college letters. so please no one freak out!