Major choice for Spec War

NAVYgreg36

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Sep 3, 2010
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Hi everybody. I am a candidate for the class of 2015. My application is complete except for the personal statement and my major choice. I want to become an EOD technician. I know what is required of me concerning being in excellent physical shape and having outstanding grades. I passed my CFA "with flying colors" and I finished my first year of college with a 3.92. I also an (Navy Option) NROTC Midshipman. What I am wondering is what would be the most appropriate major for people wanting to go into special warfare? I am currently Undeclared at my college.
 
EOD is Special Operations, not Special Warfare. If you want to be certain about SpecWar check sealswcc.com for their officer pipeline info. The answer to your question may be very different for SpecWar and SpecOps.
 
I would recommend a "technical" major (engineering/math/science) simply b/c the USN is becoming increasingly technical and having that solid background can only help. That said, you can be a humanities major and still go into and succeed in spec ops or SEALs.
 
usna1985 is right, but one thing they keep preaching to us here is that no matter what major you select (with a few exceptions) it will not affect your service selection at all, the biggest thing is that no matter what major you do choose is to do EXTREMELY well in it and to stay out of trouble no honor or especially conduct offenses, and to pass the EOD screener with flying colors.
 
It does not matter AT ALL! The EOD from my class (2010) were from all divisions. Do well on the screener and the interview - even class standing as long as it is top half will not hurt you. One of the top in our class, top 10 and a Div 1 major (Engineering), did not get their first choice of EOD. Do not pick a major just because you think it will "help" you get your service selection - it does not work that way. Screener's and interviews are actually more important.
 
It does not matter AT ALL! The EOD from my class (2010) were from all divisions. Do well on the screener and the interview - even class standing as long as it is top half will not hurt you. One of the top in our class, top 10 and a Div 1 major (Engineering), did not get their first choice of EOD. Do not pick a major just because you think it will "help" you get your service selection - it does not work that way. Screener's and interviews are actually more important.

True, your major does not matter unless you want to go into the Medical Corps - because, unless you take the courses that are emphasized on the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test), you will not do well enough to even be admitted into medical school - in which case, the Naval Academy will have little choice but to DENY your Medical Corps selection - regardless of QPR, class standing, or any other standard.

If all the medical schools to which you applied do not think you're good enough (because of unimpressive MCAT scores), it is very likely that the Naval Academy will agree.

Generally, this involves majoring in Chemistry. However, if you have validated many courses, you may have the latitude to major in something other than Chemistry, as long as you have room for the Organic Chemistry and Biology courses in your schedule. There are those who have gone into the Medical Corps without having majored in Chemistry - but it is somewhat rare. There are really just a handful of courses that are needed to properly prepare for the MCAT, some which are required at the academy even if you're a non-technical major (i.e Calculus, Physics, and Chemistry) Plus, there are parts of the MCAT that involve reading and non-technical interpretation.

So, I guess, even in the most extreme case (wanting to go into the Medical Corps), your major does not really matter all that much. I do not think there is any service selection that is as selective.

In a past admission catalog it was stated that there was room for up to 25 slots for the Medical Corps. That has not been repeated in subsequent catalogs. And, the number going into the Medical Corps have been far below that.

Which is odd, because one of the academy's recruiting videos, in the "Fulfill your Destiny" series, is 100% dedicated to promote the notion that a candidate can go to the academy and become a doctor. Complete propaganda - and borderline false advertising.

Less than 1% of the midshipmen went into the Medical Corps from the Class of 2010 - hardly worthy of a video.

http://www.usna.edu/fyd/index.php?video=ramchandar
 
Less than 1% of the midshipmen went into the Medical Corps from the Class of 2010 - hardly worthy of a video.
Do we know whether these few Mids went into the Medical Corps by their own choice or because of limits placed on them by the Navy?
 
Limited to 10 slots as I recall.

Of the Ten:
(3) graduated in the top 100 of the class
Of those 3 the highest OOM was an English major, the other two were Chem
8 graduated in Chemistry, 1 in English, and 1 in Math.

Engineering is probably the only major where trying to go Med crops is extremely difficult. A div III major has an easier time if they validate all 4 semesters of language.
 
Do we know whether these few Mids went into the Medical Corps by their own choice or because of limits placed on them by the Navy?

Nobody is forced to go into the Medical Corps. In fact, I'm sure all 10 who went into the Medical Corps worked very hard to compete for those few slots.

In fact, if nobody in a class was interested in the Medical Corps I'm sure the Naval Academy would be perfectly happy to commission ZERO into that field.

Medical Corps is a restricted line assignment. All midshipmen are required to serve as an unrestricted line officer unless they are not physically qualified for one reason or another. The only exception to that rule is Medical Corps. Graduates can by physically qualified to serve as an unrestricted line officer and still be permitted to enter the Medical Corps. The same is not true for the Supply Corps, for instance.
 
In fact, if nobody in a class was interested in the Medical Corps I'm sure the Naval Academy would be perfectly happy to commission ZERO into that field.
For BGOs, the policy has always been to discourage candidates from attending USNA with the primary goal of entering the Medical Corps. There are better avenues.
 
Nobody is forced to go into the Medical Corps.
You misunderstood my question. I wanted to know why there were so few entering the Med Corps. Thanks anyway, but CurrentMid already answered my question.
 
For BGOs, the policy has always been to discourage candidates from attending USNA with the primary goal of entering the Medical Corps. There are better avenues.

I wouldn't consider the other avenues as "better" -rather- easier.

If that's what you meant - then I'd agree.

Obligation-wise, an NROTC student accrues the same additional service obligation than his academy peer for his military-paid-for medical education.

I guess you can say it's easier to get the higher grades needed to get accepted into medical school from the University of Michigan's NROTC program than the Naval Academy's program. Probably so.

The only other "avenue" that I can think of is to apply for one of the military scholarship programs without having come from either the Naval Academy or an ROTC program. In which case, you probably had to pay for you undergraduate education.

I'm not so sure there is such a thing as an easier avenue.

Some might argue that there are "better avenues" to becoming a military officer than by attending one of the service academies. I have heard that argument made many times. Even some of the midshipmen lament, "I should've taken that NROTC scholarship."
 
For BGOs, the policy has always been to discourage candidates from attending USNA with the primary goal of entering the Medical Corps. There are better avenues.

... which is odd in light of the Naval Academy's "Fulfill Your Destiny" doctor promotional video - wouldn't you agree? I can't help to chuckle every time I see that.

I thought I recall some of the other BGOs in this forum saying that there has been a recent reversal in this philosophy of discouraging candidates of having this as their primary interest.
 
... which is odd in light of the Naval Academy's "Fulfill Your Destiny" doctor promotional video - wouldn't you agree? I can't help to chuckle every time I see that.

I thought I recall some of the other BGOs in this forum saying that there has been a recent reversal in this philosophy of discouraging candidates of having this as their primary interest.

As of 2009, BGOs were told that we should no longer discourage candidates from indicating they wanted to be MDs. We should still counsel that it is not guaranteed, that they need to be prepared to be unrestricted line officers, etc. However, USNA no longer will look with disfavor on those who want to be MDs.
 
Clarification

Coming from a Medical Corps Officer:

1)We are staff corps, not line officers (restricted/unrestricted). Easy way to tell is by looking at either collar devices or sleeve insignia. If it's a star you're a line officer, if it's some other form (leaf w/ one nut for MC) you're a staff corps officer.

2)The majority of the time the limiting factor for USNA grads going into medical corps is not the Academy....it is by the time one gets to that stage most don't have the grades/class standing/EC's/etc to get into med school and either don't make it past the board or figure it out on their own. The Academy likes to keep their "brand" well recognized and is not going to let a subpar applicant out into the med school competition.

I wouldn't call their video false information..you can absolutely pursue medical school out of USNA. If you're a strong candidate for admission you will very, very likely be one of those taking a MC slot. If you've got a 2.4 and an MCAT of 20 you don't have a chance of getting into medical school anyway and will end up somewhere else.
 
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