Interview Length

Bigdog1987

10-Year Member
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Jan 25, 2010
Messages
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Searched the forum and didn't find an answer....

How long is the typical interview with a State Senator for SA nomination?
 
DD's senators scheduled interviews in 20 minute intervals.
 
It depends entirely on the MOC. Each determines the length of the interview. I would guess that 20-30 mins would be the norm. But I would ask your MOC's representative how long the interview will last.
 
Every prospective applicant should know what is in front of them in the application process. I believe that it is agreed that nothing is standardized as far as MOC nominations processes are concerned.

It should not matter where you live or who your MOC is to figure out how the interview will be conducted or what your chances for a nomination will be. However, this unfair, imbalanced, arbitrary and capricious system is what we have to deal with.

Should scrap this broken system sooner than later and let the Service Academies handle who should be offered an appointment.
This MOC nomination process is a laughable joke at this point, in my opinion. The sad thing is this no laughing matter for those seeking a nomination?
 
Every prospective applicant should know what is in front of them in the application process. I believe that it is agreed that nothing is standardized as far as MOC nominations processes are concerned.

It should not matter where you live or who your MOC is to figure out how the interview will be conducted or what your chances for a nomination will be. However, this unfair, imbalanced, arbitrary and capricious system is what we have to deal with.

Should scrap this broken system sooner than later and let the Service Academies handle who should be offered an appointment.
This MOC nomination process is a laughable joke at this point, in my opinion. The sad thing is this no laughing matter for those seeking a nomination?

I have asked. The MOC said that it would be 10 minutes and I thought that that might be a little amount time to decide if someone is capable of attending a SA.... That's why I posted on here, to see if they are all like that.
Thanks guys!
 
Every prospective applicant should know what is in front of them in the application process. I believe that it is agreed that nothing is standardized as far as MOC nominations processes are concerned.

It should not matter where you live or who your MOC is to figure out how the interview will be conducted or what your chances for a nomination will be. However, this unfair, imbalanced, arbitrary and capricious system is what we have to deal with.

Should scrap this broken system sooner than later and let the Service Academies handle who should be offered an appointment.
This MOC nomination process is a laughable joke at this point, in my opinion. The sad thing is this no laughing matter for those seeking a nomination?

Oh, christ, stow the soapbox. Stop crapping all over this thread because you've got some personal beef with the system. The system works exceptionally well and you have no grounds to say otherwise beyond your own opinion and your suppositions about the people involved in the process.

mtnman17, it honestly depends on each nominating source. You will likely face a panel of graduates and former military officers who will ask you pointed questions about your motivations and your background. Be honest and you'll do great. You can answer a lot of questions in 10 minutes!
 
Scout is correct, believe it or not ten minutes can get you peppered with a lot of questions.

Many times what the MOC is looking at is 1 of 2 things

1. Do you appear in person as good as you do on paper (not saying physically). You will be the nom that gets an apptmt is the face of that SA. It is hard to judge the depth and breadth of maturity on paper.

2. It is between you and someone else. They want to take a few minutes 1 on 1 to decide between the two of you.

This system has been in place for eons. It has always worked just fine. As others have stated before, me especially, the MOCs are briefed annually by each SA staff regarding the process. The MOC's are not idiots and they understand that the SA has its own criteria. They understand what goes into the WCS. Do not jump to an assumption that they don't know how the SA selection works and that they don't try to mimic that selection with their noms.

The assumption that they don't get it and it should be handed over to the SA will also create larger issues. MOC's are not going to select a candidate with a 1100 SAT and a 3.2 gpa over the 1500 SAT and a 3.8 gpa based purely on personal choice. If you look at most nom packets they are very sim. to the SA packet...transcripts, essays and recs. The only thing missing would be the CFA.

Every SA is our country's university representing all of us. By removing the MOCs from this increases the chances that not every area of the US are represented fairly at the SA. There are many Americans that already balk at the cost of the SA....try being an MOC explaining to your constituents that you have no cadets because that is the system, but sorry your tax dollars will continue to pay for them to go.
 
One's ability is easily ascertainable from a pile of papers. Ones desire, motivation, and character is not. It doesn't take a prolonged interview to determine these few traits.
 
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In the 30 seconds it took me to cross the lobby where candidates were waiting for their interview slots to open, I saw a candidate being escorted to their interview room. Well dressed in their prep school blazer and looking a little nervous, they met the escort. In that 5 seconds when our lives crossed I witnessed the beginning of the end of the interview.
Said the escort to the candidate, "where are you from?", in reply the nervous candidate said "New Jersey". Now if you're paying any attention, the fact that your being interviewed in New Jersey would suggest your from New Jersey if you have the slightest concept of the process. The escort wanted to know where in New Jersey you're from so as to eliminate any conflict of interest from interviewers from that same town.

I later saw the candidate walking through the parking lot, eyes welling up, voice cracking, and mother asking "why would they ask you such a question?"
(don't what that questions was but apparently they asked it). They asked what ever questions they needed to find out if the candidate could be successful at the service academy. It seems that it didn't take long to find the answer.

Job interviews don't get any easier later in life. Your resume gets the interview, the interview get the job. It doesn't take long and you don't often get a second chance to make a first impression. It's just the way it is.
 
Mine were between 10 and 30 minutes long. Ironically I got nominations from the shorter interviews and denied on the longest one. So if you are in and out in 8-10 minutes don't fret too much. Hope this helps and Best of luck!
 
I later saw the candidate walking through the parking lot, eyes welling up, voice cracking, and mother asking "why would they ask you such a question?"
(don't what that questions was but apparently they asked it). They asked what ever questions they needed to find out if the candidate could be successful at the service academy. It seems that it didn't take long to find the answer.

Job interviews don't get any easier later in life. Your resume gets the interview, the interview get the job. It doesn't take long and you don't often get a second chance to make a first impression. It's just the way it is.

Yes!!!!!

Buy that man a beer.

NYBEAR, read that twice.
 
Yes!!!!!

Buy that man a beer.

NYBEAR, read that twice.

I have read it twice....... Why should anyone need to interview with someone who is not their future employer?

In this instance, why should a kid interested in attending any of the five service academies need to "interview" for the privilege of having an application go forward? Makes zero sense IMHO

The MOC nomination process is duplication at best and full of cronyism, mistake, apathy and unfairness at worst. Let every prospective candidate apply to any or all SA that they may desire to attend and let the admissions officers cull the applications and decide the "best" incoming class. Of course the admissions officers WILL consider geographic diversity, ethnic, gender and racial diversity and give special consideration to individuals who overcome huge disadvantage.

Why have anyone other than the service academies themselves decide who can be illegible for appointment?

Can anyone explain how the US Merchant Marine Academy does it. With over 500 potential principal MOC nominees and only 300 or so plebe candidates admitted each year? I thought that if you are a principal nominee and minimally qualified an appointment was mandatory. Or is that also something that is not very consistent with respect to the MOC nomination process nationwide?
 
Can anyone explain how the US Merchant Marine Academy does it. With over 500 potential principal MOC nominees and only 300 or so plebe candidates admitted each year? I thought that if you are a principal nominee and minimally qualified an appointment was mandatory. Or is that also something that is not very consistent with respect to the MOC nomination process nationwide?

Title 46 U.S. Code Chapter 513.

Happy reading. :biggrin:
 
My MoC is a panel of seven interviewers with an interview time of 30 minutes. I'm going to take a stab that those full 30 minutes won't be used I'm thinking 20 minutes max.

Either someone has officer potential or they don't. It doesn't take hours to find out.
 
Been through this interview process six times with number seven coming up. Longest was fifteen and shortest was ten minutes. Mongo #8 was right on.:thumb: I am their future employer and the system seems to work pretty well from what I have seen of the quality of graduates and current attendees.
 
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I have read it twice....... Why should anyone need to interview with someone who is not their future employer?

In this instance, why should a kid interested in attending any of the five service academies need to "interview" for the privilege of having an application go forward? Makes zero sense IMHO

The MOC nomination process is duplication at best and full of cronyism, mistake, apathy and unfairness at worst. Let every prospective candidate apply to any or all SA that they may desire to attend and let the admissions officers cull the applications and decide the "best" incoming class. Of course the admissions officers WILL consider geographic diversity, ethnic, gender and racial diversity and give special consideration to individuals who overcome huge disadvantage.

Why have anyone other than the service academies themselves decide who can be illegible for appointment?

Can anyone explain how the US Merchant Marine Academy does it. With over 500 potential principal MOC nominees and only 300 or so plebe candidates admitted each year? I thought that if you are a principal nominee and minimally qualified an appointment was mandatory. Or is that also something that is not very consistent with respect to the MOC nomination process nationwide?

You already KNOW the answer to this. Well, you would if you weren't so p*ssed at the system.

How about THIS to help explain it. You asked: "Why should anyone need to interview with someone who is not their future employer? " You are 100% correct. But guess what??? The MOC, via the citizens of their state, by proxy of being "TAX PAYERS", ARE THE EMPLOYER!!! So the applicant is indeed interviewing with their future potential employer. Then again; if you don't believe that the American people are ultimately the congressmen and president's EMPLOYER, and that THEY work for US, then it's hard to explain any of this to you. The academies are "The Company". The congress is "The Board of Directors". The President is "The CEO of the company". And the American Tax Payers are "The Stock Holders". The academies, congress, and president WORK FOR US.

Also, FWIW, even the coast guard has been looking into requiring nominations. The academies aren't a "Private Company" that can arbitrarily choose who they employ. They are to be accountable to who pays for their existence. And those who pay for their existence; all 310 Million Citizens; expect to be as equally REPRESENTED at the academies as possible. Thus, the nomination process. GET OVER IT!!!
 
FWIW, even the coast guard has been looking into requiring nominations.
I thought Congress was looking into requiring nominations for the USCGA. I didn't realize that the USCGA thought it was a good idea or that they initiated a change to the current system.
 
I thought Congress was looking into requiring nominations for the USCGA. I didn't realize that the USCGA thought it was a good idea or that they initiated a change to the current system.

Correct.. Congress is looking into it. (what does that tell you?)...... USCGA does not want to be subject to having disinterested, unknowledgeable MOCS having anything to to do with who they can accept into their Academy....For the record, USCGA does NOT want any congressional input.

Here in my district in NY, nominations are given out completely independent of the SA admissions office. Nominations are given by Christmas to candidates who never even started or ever intend to complete an application to the SA they received a nomination to. Fact!

If the system is not fair to one, it is unfair to all..........Sorry to inform all that hundreds if not thousands are screwed ever year across this nation because of this flawed system of requiring a nomination to make an application.
 
Correct.. Congress is looking into it. (what does that tell you?)...... USCGA does not want to be subject to having disinterested, unknowledgeable MOCS having anything to to do with who they can accept into their Academy....For the record, USCGA does NOT want any congressional input.

Here in my district in NY, nominations are given out completely independent of the SA admissions office. Nominations are given by Christmas to candidates who never even started or ever intend to complete an application to the SA they received a nomination to. Fact!

If the system is not fair to one, it is unfair to all..........Sorry to inform all that hundreds if not thousands are screwed ever year across this nation because of this flawed system of requiring a nomination to make an application.

So you're telling me that individuals are APPLYING for a nomination from your representative; and they haven't even applied to the academy? Ummmm: cough cough.... Yea, right. And when the academy get's this fictitious nomination, who are they assigning it to? A nomination can't be used on a person who isn't qualified; and you can't be qualified if you don't have an application. So, instead of the MOC submitting a slate of 10 names, you're saying they are basically submitting a slate of 9 names (applicants). Correct. .... Cough Cough. Or, the other option is, you're saying that your representative is submitting names on their slate of people who didn't even request a nomination and haven't even thought of the academy.

Sorry, but your attitude and stories are making it very difficult to take you seriously. You obviously think you know better how applications should be handled. And, you're using analogies, that are questionable, but if true are so isolated; as your "Solid Evidence" that the nomination process is wrong. If your stories are true, then I'm sorry you live in a really place with a really crappy representative. That's your problem. But that doesn't mean that the other 452 representatives or 100 senators are crappy. Why are you mad at the nomination process, instead of your 1 sorry a$$ representative??? Your one example, which is suspicious, is still only 1 in 453 representative. That means while nothing is perfect; including your suggestions; the nomination process has done pretty well for quite a number of years.

Oh, and it doesn't help your argument, when you exaggerate. THOUSANDS can't be getting screwed, if the academy doesn't accept more than 1300-1400 appointee a year. At the MOST: You are saying that of ALL 1300-1400 appointees, that there's 1300-1400 Non-Selectees that are MORE QUALIFIED and MORE DESERVING of an appointment. Obviously not THOUSANDS.
 
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