I was cleared on my AROTC portal to interview with a PMS! I'll be scheduling it in a few days, but does anyone have any advice for the interview?
How formal do I dress? Do they tend to really grill you, or are they fairly relaxed on the questions? Is there any paperwork or extra material I need to bring? What are some good questions to ask him/her?
I know these sound dumb, but keep in mind this is literally the first interview of my life. So bear with me haha.
Every PMS will be different so it's hard to determine just how the interview will go.
Dress in business casual, kahki's nice shirt, maybe a tie. No need for a suit.
Usually the interviews are relaxed but again it all depends.
Bring with you a resume listing everything you can think of, this way you won't miss anything. This is a good time to expand on things you included in your application. There is often not much room in the application to really expand, this is your chance.
Part of the interview is basically a check list of Academics/Leadership/Athletics, make sure you have all your information that you included on your application so you get the most points possible.
You can google the AROTC Interview Form so you can have a chance ahead of time to see what the sections include.
If you are having your interview at the school you want to attend then here are some things you might want to ask during the interview:
How many cadets in the Battalion
What type of EC's are available
What percentage of cadets get Active Duty
What percentage of cadets get one of their top 3 branch choices
Do MS1's participate in all FTX's and training
Do the MS classes count toward college credit and which ones count.
Are there many summer training opportunities available
Try and be relaxed, sit up straight, answer with a "Yes Sir" and "No Sir" and leave your phone in your car, you don't want it ringing or buzzing when your in your interview.
Don't be afraid to sell yourself, this is basically a job interview, don't be cocky but don't be shy either. This is your chance to let them know all about you and why you want to be an officer in the Army.
This is also an opportunity for you to get answers to any questions you have regarding ROTC, don't be afraid to ask.
Above all don't be nervous, be confident, be polite, keep the aah's and um's to a minimum, speak clearly and make eye contact. The PMS is not trying to slip you up, they are trying to learn more about you.
Best of luck.