hockeygirl
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2015
- Messages
- 130
It has been a minute since I have posted to this forum (almost 4 years I think). During that time I have almost completed a BS in Nuclear Engineering and have been an active in the NROTC program at my school. This was the best decision I have ever made for myself and I am glad that my BGO suggested for me to submit an application. Now that I am looking at post-commissioning options I have run into another crossroads of decisions.
I will be entering in to my 1/C year at this university with a 3.0 GPA (filled with C's in calculus in physics, along with some major specific C's). I have worked hard to get to this point and I am proud of my academic progress since there has never been a point where I wasn't doing everything I could, just that Nuclear Engineering is hard. To add a little more amplifying information; I have also been a Physics TA and will be assisting with research in the fall. I have also been an active member of the school community and have held several different leadership roles as well as participated in many different activities (Nuclear Society, newspaper, Greek life, etc.) in addition to the billets I held in NROTC (treasurer, MWR). I think that my extracurricular activities help to demonstrate that I am capable and involved - since my grades paint a picture of slacking off.
For service assignment I am feeling very indecisive about what I will be putting down. I do not want to fly and am leaning towards not wanting to go Subs. My reasoning for subs is that most of the women I have interacted with in this community (junior and senior LTs) have all stated that getting your masters before going to NPS is the best method to balancing the whole wanting to have kids and also helping to increase the longevity of their careers. I do not want to close a door on myself and know that if I went submarines that the likelihood of lateral transferring from the community would be very narrow and I would probably be looking to get out of the Navy to have kids.
I will not be able to get to grad school before NPS as my GPA is not very competitive and since NROTC only allows very few to access these benefits I have already been told "no" by my CoC. Maybe some else has more of an opinion or depth on this, and if so please provide your 2cents as it will be greatly appreciated.
Otherwise I am debating SWO- Nuke and SWO ED as my top choices. Again the Nuke option is going to limit when I can have kids and I worry that I can't do both a graduate degree and kids (maybe this is just a fear I am creating?). SWO ED is very selective but is the reason I wanted to get into the Navy - especially with the whole graduate degree time set aside for you. Following these 2 choices I am going to put down SWO CW/Intel/IP/Oceanography; although I know that I will have to opportunity to transfer into these communities it would provide the peace of mind knowing that (again) there is time set aside in the career progression for a masters degree AND shore time that will allow me to start a family if I wanted.
I guess I am just looking for guidance on the whole graduate school thing, I have read the ROD (4-40 to be specific) on what my options are but maybe someone with a little more life experience could help to guide me. My advising LT has been very realistic with me regarding my GPA but I would like to hear another opinion if there is one. Thank you for your help, as always.
I will be entering in to my 1/C year at this university with a 3.0 GPA (filled with C's in calculus in physics, along with some major specific C's). I have worked hard to get to this point and I am proud of my academic progress since there has never been a point where I wasn't doing everything I could, just that Nuclear Engineering is hard. To add a little more amplifying information; I have also been a Physics TA and will be assisting with research in the fall. I have also been an active member of the school community and have held several different leadership roles as well as participated in many different activities (Nuclear Society, newspaper, Greek life, etc.) in addition to the billets I held in NROTC (treasurer, MWR). I think that my extracurricular activities help to demonstrate that I am capable and involved - since my grades paint a picture of slacking off.
For service assignment I am feeling very indecisive about what I will be putting down. I do not want to fly and am leaning towards not wanting to go Subs. My reasoning for subs is that most of the women I have interacted with in this community (junior and senior LTs) have all stated that getting your masters before going to NPS is the best method to balancing the whole wanting to have kids and also helping to increase the longevity of their careers. I do not want to close a door on myself and know that if I went submarines that the likelihood of lateral transferring from the community would be very narrow and I would probably be looking to get out of the Navy to have kids.
I will not be able to get to grad school before NPS as my GPA is not very competitive and since NROTC only allows very few to access these benefits I have already been told "no" by my CoC. Maybe some else has more of an opinion or depth on this, and if so please provide your 2cents as it will be greatly appreciated.
Otherwise I am debating SWO- Nuke and SWO ED as my top choices. Again the Nuke option is going to limit when I can have kids and I worry that I can't do both a graduate degree and kids (maybe this is just a fear I am creating?). SWO ED is very selective but is the reason I wanted to get into the Navy - especially with the whole graduate degree time set aside for you. Following these 2 choices I am going to put down SWO CW/Intel/IP/Oceanography; although I know that I will have to opportunity to transfer into these communities it would provide the peace of mind knowing that (again) there is time set aside in the career progression for a masters degree AND shore time that will allow me to start a family if I wanted.
I guess I am just looking for guidance on the whole graduate school thing, I have read the ROD (4-40 to be specific) on what my options are but maybe someone with a little more life experience could help to guide me. My advising LT has been very realistic with me regarding my GPA but I would like to hear another opinion if there is one. Thank you for your help, as always.