When to graduate / commission?

[ce1990]

I have a theoretical question regarding graduation timing and I'm hoping someone is able to give me an informed opinion.

I am currently a 2C but as of the end of this semester I have Senior academic standing. I can take a normal course load Spring 2011 and Fall 2011 and graduate Dec 2011. I am basically a semester ahead. All of my NAV courses will be complete Spring 2011 and I have completed my 1 year Calc and 1 year Calc based Physics.

So I can either graduate in Dec 2011 or take 12 credits for the next 3 semesters and graduate May 2012. I am working towards the goal of an Aviation billet (#1 SNA, #2 SNFO, #3 SWO).

My question is this: does graduating in Dec vs May have any impact on receiving an Aviation billet. My thought is that there might be less competition for Dec grads but I'm not sure if that is true. Does anyone have any insight? BTW, I am a liberal arts major so I'm looking for an edge.

In addition to the theoretical "edge" for Aviation I'm thinking that IRR will still be an issue next year and if I get IRRd in Dec I might go active in June 2012 vs around Dec 2012 for May grads. Not sure if a Dec grad might be less likely to be IRRd either.

Thank you in advance!

 

[SynixMan]

Technical answer: Graduating a semester earlier (December vice May) puts you in the same YG, so you're filling the same billets for the same year group. Also, the time you report to pcola has zero bearing on how academically difficult it will be, so again no difference. Not sure about the IRR stuff, but it's not something you can control. Attempts to game the system usually fail.

Short answer: Not only no, but hell no should you consider graduating early. Enjoy two light semesters of drinking, chasing skirt, and going to football/basketball/whatever games. Uncle Sam owns your ass after you graduate and it ain't all beaches, blondes, beer, shirtless volleyball, and flying here.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I was a March grad, basically took normal course loads most of my terms as a tech major, and it took another half year. No big deal, you do your service selection a couple months ahead of the spring grads, though I doubt it makes much of a difference. When I went through, we had folks get SNA that didn't even have it on their dream sheet, so I think your package and FY timing probably matters a lot more than what term you finish. If you have a solid GPA, decent ASTB, and haven't raised the angry eyebrows of your staff, then I wouldn't overthink it too much. The main advantage you may see as being a non-spring grad, is that you could potentially class up more quickly once you get to pcola, as the pool generally isn't nearly as large other times of the year. I checked into Pcola, and was classed up for API 2 weeks later, and that was only because I needed to make an appt for a long form physical (had just turned 25) which had to wait for the following week. Not sure how things are flowing now, but if you want to hang out somewhere else and wait a while to start, then I'd lean towards being a spring grad. If you want to get started quickly, getting there some other time earlier in the year is probably a better bet. The whole IRR thing could have completely changed all this, so again, take my advice for what it is....several years old.

 

[NozeMan]

Dude, stay and get a full senior year out of it. Life just gets harder after college, believe it. If you can space out your classes and potentially do better academically, that's never a bad thing. Maybe you don't go to school in a fun place, in that case graduate early. I went to school with a mid who finished a semester early and went SWO on purpose.....yeah, didn't make any sense to me.

 

[ac2NASTY]

Does your date of commission have any effect on making rank (not O1-O3)? I only ask this because we were told to graduate as close to October (or after) as possible since that's the new FY because when it comes time for O-4 selection we would have more time in rank than the Academy swarm in the usual May ceremony. Not sure if being prior enlisted has any play in this or if this was total BS. Do they not just use your YG or does the actual date of commissioning have ANY advantage at all?

 

[SynixMan]

Does your date of commission have any effect on making rank (not O1-O3)? I only ask this because we were told to graduate as close to October (or after) as possible since that's the new FY because when it comes time for O-4 selection we would have more time in rank than the Academy swarm in the usual May ceremony. Not sure if being prior enlisted has any play in this or if this was total BS. Do they not just use your YG or does the actual date of commissioning have ANY advantage at all?

Dude, seriously? You're already trying to game the O-4 boards as a mid? It will be 10 years until you have to worry about that shit, and by then the answers will have changed 10 times. As a prior you should have an idea how crazy the process can be. Enjoy college now and work hard through flight school and the fleet.

 

[ac2NASTY]

Dude, seriously? You're already trying to game the O-4 boards as a mid? It will be 10 years until you have to worry about that shit, and by then the answers will have changed 10 times. As a prior you should have an idea how crazy the process can be. Enjoy college now and work hard through flight school and the fleet.

I'm not trying to game anything. The OP mentioned any benefits in graduating early and I was only curious about any possible long-term benefits. Also, like I said, our instructors were the ones telling us about the advantage of an earlier commissioning date. By no means am I worried about making O-4 or trying to game anything at all. The topic came up and I was curious if there was any truth to what we were told. I am graduating early (Dec 2011) because it is impossible for me to drag my school out anymore than what I have already unless I fail 3 or 4 classes. I have been, am now, and will enjoy the school I have left.

I do know and understand the promotion process on the enlisted side of the house but it is different for officers. I know that over O-3 it goes on performance and that's about it. Just thought I'd ask, didn't mean for my question to sound as if I'm worried and losing sleep over it.

 

[SynixMan]

Sorry to jump on that. I know of no benefits to being earlier in the year group as opposed to later. BUPERS makes the cutoff decisions as far as I know, and it's variable. I am, however, not an expert on the screening process. Ask an LT with with MPs.

 

[ce1990]

Thank you everyone for your input and suggestions. I have a lot to consider. I have some personal decisions to make in addition to this one but they impact my grad date. Any other thoughts?

 

[Creature]

I just graduated and commissioned this past December. IRR is unavoidable, so you should just accept that. I go one active duty late April but still have not received my orders yet.

 

[Creature]

Forgot to add that I'm also a SNA designation.

 

[ChunksJR]

Yeah, I'm going to pipe in here.

It doesn't matter.

After finishing College in 5 years, I had no idea what would await me. My last year looks like this:

-Congrats! You made O-4. You'll promote in April if the last 9 years of your career is any indication. Sorry we can't get you an EP from your Disassocaited tour...that REALLY would have helped your career progression (since you made it through flight school so quickly and joined a helo community amidst transition and the super JOs that really needed the EPs from your first tour), but it just isn't going to work.
-Hey, listen, the government decided they needed to save money...you'll promote now in September.
-Congrats! Because of the delay in making O-4, you'll get that EP that you REALLY deserved and needed now from your Disassoc. Tour!!! Screw the $5,938.73 that you won't make in your career due to the stated delay...you'll make that up when you pick up O-5!

So...needless to say: Things happen when they happen...nothing you can do to stop it. Enjoy the college and get out when you want. Don't perceive ANY pressure otherwise. Thank God I enjoyed that 5th year.

~d