OCS GPA with a double major...

[iwrru]

Hi guys, been reading for a few weeks, this is my 2nd post and my 1st thread.

Searched the forums but couldn't find a great answer, so here goes:

I am applying to Navy OCS as a pilot (SNA). I am a licensed private pilot with an instrument rating.

A bit worried before submitting my application, as it relates to college grades.

Double-majored at a top-rate University of California campus.

• One is a very "technical," "flight-y" degree: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
• The other was a B.A. in German.

Overall GPA was a 2.848. Let's just put it this way: I graduated with high honors (magna cum laude) in German, and Engineering dragged it down.

My officer recruiter assured me not to worry about it. He said that the board just cares about the combined GPA.

Reading this forum and doing some research, I guess aviators need a minimum 2.5 overall GPA. I am "well above" that, in the sense that a ~2.85 GPA is not a nail-biter, but I am just worried about my engineering grades ruining the impression of my grades overall.

I plan to get in on the back of a very strong ASTB score and my background as a licensed pilot with >200 hours.

I just hope that all of this won't be for nothing because of very unremarkable engineering grades...

Thoughts?

 

[TF7325]

Do well on the ASTB and you’ll be fine. Search around the forum for gouge on the test. Best of luck!

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Hi guys, been reading for a few weeks, this is my 2nd post and my 1st thread.

Searched the forums but couldn't find a great answer, so here goes:

I am applying to Navy OCS as a pilot (SNA). I am a licensed private pilot with an instrument rating.

A bit worried before submitting my application, as it relates to college grades.

Double-majored at a top-rate University of California campus.

• One is a very "technical," "flight-y" degree: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
• The other was a B.A. in German.

Overall GPA was a 2.848. Let's just put it this way: I graduated with high honors (magna cum laude) in German, and Engineering dragged it down.

My officer recruiter assured me not to worry about it. He said that the board just cares about the combined GPA.

Reading this forum and doing some research, I guess aviators need a minimum 2.5 overall GPA. I am "well above" that, in the sense that a ~2.85 GPA is not a nail-biter, but I am just worried about my engineering grades ruining the impression of my grades overall.

I plan to get in on the back of a very strong ASTB score and my background as a licensed pilot with >200 hours.

I just hope that all of this won't be for nothing because of very unremarkable engineering grades...

Thoughts?

Not really sure where you have or have not been searching here, but people have been accepted into pilot with GPAs lower than yours.

Similarly, people have not been selected with higher GPAs.

As what someone else has said here, you need to take the ASTB to truly pulse where you stand. Once you do, bounce that off applicants on here. Luckily you can easily find spreadsheets and stats of applicants and how they ended up.

 

[AllAmerican75]

Hi guys, been reading for a few weeks, this is my 2nd post and my 1st thread.

Searched the forums but couldn't find a great answer, so here goes:

I am applying to Navy OCS as a pilot (SNA). I am a licensed private pilot with an instrument rating.

A bit worried before submitting my application, as it relates to college grades.

Double-majored at a top-rate University of California campus.

• One is a very "technical," "flight-y" degree: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
• The other was a B.A. in German.

Overall GPA was a 2.848. Let's just put it this way: I graduated with high honors (magna cum laude) in German, and Engineering dragged it down.

My officer recruiter assured me not to worry about it. He said that the board just cares about the combined GPA.

Reading this forum and doing some research, I guess aviators need a minimum 2.5 overall GPA. I am "well above" that, in the sense that a ~2.85 GPA is not a nail-biter, but I am just worried about my engineering grades ruining the impression of my grades overall.

I plan to get in on the back of a very strong ASTB score and my background as a licensed pilot with >200 hours.

I just hope that all of this won't be for nothing because of very unremarkable engineering grades...

Thoughts?

I had a 2.6 GPA with a BS in Mechanical Engineering but had pretty good scores on the ASTB and got picked up in 2011 during a time when there were few slots available and many people were applying because the economy was still in the toilet from the 2008 recession. You'll be fine.

 

[iwrru]

Not really sure where you have or have not been searching here, but people have been accepted into pilot with GPAs lower than yours.

Similarly, people have not been selected with higher GPAs.

As what someone else has said here, you need to take the ASTB to truly pulse where you stand. Once you do, bounce that off applicants on here. Luckily you can easily find spreadsheets and stats of applicants and how they ended up.

I have seen that yes, people have gotten in with worse GPAs than a 2.85; it's that my Engineering GPA (the "more important" of my two majors for being a pilot) is lower than that, and is dragged up by the German GPA. So I wasn't sure how that would affect me. Was afraid that maybe they'd look at the "worst possible" scenario. But I guess not, sounds like they care about overall GPA more than anything else.

And yep, seen the Google spreadsheets for SNA/SNFO applicants per OCS class and have it bookmarked.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I have seen that yes, people have gotten in with worse GPAs than a 2.85; it's that my Engineering GPA (the "more important" of my two majors for being a pilot) is lower than that, and is dragged up by the German GPA. So I wasn't sure how that would affect me. Was afraid that maybe they'd look at the "worst possible" scenario. But I guess not, sounds like they care about overall GPA more than anything else.

And yep, seen the Google spreadsheets for SNA/SNFO applicants per OCS class and have it bookmarked.

You are way overthinking / over-calculating the GPA thing… just use cumulative GPA, not major / engineering GPA here.

 

[MIDNJAC]

This is a longer duration, somewhat anecdotally based response, rather than a ”this is what you need right now”…..but I think you’re gonna be fine. You demonstrated hard work, double majored, and Mech E isn’t a cakewalk by any means. There’s a little well-roundedness there too. I’d hire you if it were up to me