Some General Inquiries regarding BDCP

[OccamsRazor]

Hello all, and thanks for reading...

I'm a sophomore at Columbia University double majoring in political science and history, with a focus on international relations and security studies and especially keen on naval history and intelligence. I learned about the BDCP program and have been in contact with a recruiter here in the city who has been extremely helpful; I'm planning to submit my application for Intel in May. I have a 3.7 GPA and a lot of extracurriculars (though not all strictly relevant to Naval Intelligence) but I'm concerned about recommendations; my family is not very military and I don't know any naval officers personally, let alone intelligence officers.

How concerned should I be about the ASTB? I generally score well on standardized tests, but I'm slightly worried by the more technical (weather/aviation/nautical) content and by the more math-oriented focus.

Are there any pitfalls that I should watch out for? I don't see any obvious problems with my application, but is there any gouge someone in a situation similar to mine thinks I would find critical or useful?

Again, thanks for reading and responding.

Ian

 

[BACONATOR]

I have NO military in my family. No worries. Get recommendations from people who KNOW you, not some high-ranking officer who will write a form letter.

ASTB isn't hard. Study the gouge on this site and get a prep book and you'll be golden.

As for pitfalls, your recruiter should keep you well informed and there are many threads with many peoples' problems, so if you have a specific question, then search for it and ask if it's a new situation.

Best of luck.

 

[BackOrdered]

I'm concerned about recommendations; my family is not very military and I don't know any naval officers personally, let alone intelligence officers.

To echo what's been said, that's not an issue. If you choose to, speak to your recruiter and see if he can't set you up an interview with an intel officer. It will enhance your package but isn't required.

How concerned should I be about the ASTB? I generally score well on standardized tests, but I'm slightly worried by the more technical (weather/aviation/nautical) content and by the more math-oriented focus.

In my case I studied for it almost like it was the bar exam as I'm crappy with standardized tests. If you are already good with standardized tests, you would have been a step ahead of me. Don't sweat it.

Are there any pitfalls that I should watch out for? I don't see any obvious problems with my application, but is there any gouge someone in a situation similar to mine thinks I would find critical or useful?

Again, thanks for reading and responding.

As long as you are a straight shooter about your past history, you have nothing to worry about except making your package as best you can. Good luck!

Off topic: Happy 500th post to me :thumbup_1

 

[eddie]

Off topic: Happy 500th post to me :thumbup_1

We all need a purpose. (Says I on a rainy Friday night...)

 

[joshmf]

If you want to apply to Intel there is an 0-5 Navy Intel officer in New York who interviewed me and provided a recomendation, and according to my recruiter he oftens does this for applicants.

I'm not sure which recruiter you are working with, but see if they can set you up for an interview. I won't post any contact information on here, but PM me if you'd like more details, etc.

 

[bsubdevils]

Your GPA looks pretty solid for that. As far as ASTB since you're going Intel if I remember correctly you don't have to take any other tests outside the normal OAR so there's no perception/aviation/nautical type information you need to know...(am I right on that last one?) Study hard especially the engineering part! READ THE GOUGES! Helps a huge amount.

Oh and don't rush. Just relax you get three tries.

The LoR's are nice but not extremely important I didn't have any big names on mine. So get what you can and just make it clear you're a good candidate and you'd do anything to get into the program, that this is what you want in life.

You've got a clean background right?

 

[OccamsRazor]

No drugs, no criminal stuff, no skeletons if that's what you mean - hell, no parking tickets or school disciplinary stuff. Thanks everyone for the replies - is bsubdevils right about the ASTB? Thanks.

 

[HH-60H]

@OP - Interesting choice for a screen name, any particular reason you chose it?

 

[BackOrdered]

No drugs, no criminal stuff, no skeletons if that's what you mean - hell, no parking tickets or school disciplinary stuff. Thanks everyone for the replies - is bsubdevils right about the ASTB? Thanks.

A year and a half ago when I took the ASTB, I had to take the aviation section with those darn planes and horizons for intel as a 2nd choice. I bombed it hard. Yup, chop all the way.

 

[OccamsRazor]

HH-60H: I've been using it (or variations of it) since I was in ~8th Grade. The principle of parsimony is extremely useful...mostly for reminding myself to KISS. Figure out what people need to know, write the most concise explanation of it I can - it's much more difficult to write a short paper on most topics than to write a long one.

It's just a useful analytical tool - to ask, what's the simplest explanation for this pattern of events? It's not always correct - usually because you aren't including all of the relevant facts - but it's a good rule of thumb.

 

[Goob83]

you must take then entire test for INTEL so study

 

[bsubdevils]

Really. Hm, well, sorry for the bad Gouge my bad! And hey if you got a clean record and those grades and do well on the ASTB hey I'd bet you've got a good shot so study your butt off (echoing Goob)

 

[SWCS242]

Intel is hard to get into.

Just so you know, you and I have pretty much the same background. I am a double major in Pol Sci and History with the same GPA. I scored pretty high on my ASTB, am a D1 swimmer with hundreds of hours of volunteering and some good letters and did not get into Intel, as a matter of fact no one who applied to intel for my selection board got in. My point is that it is really hard to get intel, my recruiter said the last person he knew to get in had a 3.9 GPA from Harvard and was like a triple major. Have any other choices for jobs?

 

[OccamsRazor]

Has anyone else gotten into BDCP for 163X? This guy SWCS242 seems discouraging....is this good gouge?

 

[Goob83]

Has anyone else gotten into BDCP for 163X? This guy SWCS242 seems discouraging....is this good gouge?

it is discouraging but true how ever I have 3 BDCP 163X folks at my NRD. IT all came down to interviews I cannot stess this enough.