candidate2014
5-Year Member
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Does how we perform during Beast count towards our first semester grade? I have heard that the second APFT conducted towards the end of Beast counts, but what about the rest of Beast?
Performance During Beast
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another13mom
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You will receive to "military grades" (one for each half of beast), that will go into your overall military grade for the year. Your military grade is a component of your overall rank, which is made up of academic grades, military grades, and pt/fitness grades (APFT and classes in boxing, combatives, etc).
candidate2014
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How is the grade calculated? Is it based on our physical achievements/performance during Beast?
I was told by a current cadet that beast only counts for about 2% of your overall military grade so if you don't do great it's not a big deal. The grading works so that each platoon's average is a 3.0 (out of 4.0) So you could get a 3.2 while another person would get a 2.8. But again it's not a big deal.
Yes
The reality is that you are graded or ranked in some way on everything, from the very beginning. Even if you aren't receiving a "score" for each element, the cadre and other leadership are watching how you handle yourself and how you interact with your peers. No one is on their A-game all the time, but it's important for everyone to do their best whenever you can, and that includes the times when you need to help your classmates. There will be things that come more naturally to you, and I promise the cadre will find your weaknesses, too. Do your best and be a team player without trying to keep score, and you'll be fine. Best of luck!
The reality is that you are graded or ranked in some way on everything, from the very beginning. Even if you aren't receiving a "score" for each element, the cadre and other leadership are watching how you handle yourself and how you interact with your peers. No one is on their A-game all the time, but it's important for everyone to do their best whenever you can, and that includes the times when you need to help your classmates. There will be things that come more naturally to you, and I promise the cadre will find your weaknesses, too. Do your best and be a team player without trying to keep score, and you'll be fine. Best of luck!
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It counts for your overall military ranking amongst your classmates.
It's not so much a calculation as it is a determination. Your squad leader will constantly be watching the members of your squad and assessing where you fit into the pecking order.
The grade you get from your squad leader is a combination of quantitative information (shooting, performance on knowledge tests, etc) and qualitative (are you a team player, do you have a good attitude, etc).
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You have received quite a bit of input on this, but no one has mentioned the one big impact your CBT grades will have:
Your CBT mil grade and initial APFT both have a very big impact on your chances to get the more desirable MIAD's (Airborne, Air Assault, etc).
Without getting into all the math, it's due to the inordinate short term impact they have on your Cadet Performance Score (CPS) after Fall semester. Which is one of the main factors influencing who get's which MIAD opportunity. (The MIAD's get allocated early spring semester)
Mil & Physical is 45% of CPS. And many will have a mediocre DPE grade from plebe beating, etc weighing down their physical side. While a single academic class may only have few percent weighting impact to CPS. (15% * 55%)
You can't game your mil grade, and it's not a competition against your teammates. It's not what you know, it's how you handle CBT.
All you can do is what you need to do anyway: Strive to be the best USMA cadet you can be. Simple stuff like: Listen, work hard, square away your stuff, don't try to be the boss, don't screw your teammates.
That's the path to the higher mil grade in CBT. And to a certain extent, for any of the performance reviews (PDR's, etc) by superiors while at USMA, though job performance starts to factor in more.
Some of the old advice like "be the gray man", run under the radar, don't stand out, etc can actually work against you now. And since it can also work against your chain of command it's even more important.
Typically, you'll be measured by a series of criteria that are largely soft skills. Examples: Teamwork, Empathy, Mission Accomplishment, Mental Agility, resilience, Confidence, Bearing, Discipline, Physical Fitness, Tact, Judgement, Influence, can-do attitude. These are the types of attributes your squad & platoon leader will have to score you on and use to recommend your grade.
It gets more complicated in the Academic year as company level performance can also impact ratings. Example from past years: individual recommendation for an A may be overridden to an A- or B+. Depending on the Comm/BTO, there may be no A's in a low performing/ranked company.
Point being, team performance counts. You have a vested interest in helping your squadmates succeed. Both due to how you are measured as an individual and the ranking dynamics.
All that said: You can't worry about the analytics. Do your best, stay positive, be the teammate you'd want to have!
Your CBT mil grade and initial APFT both have a very big impact on your chances to get the more desirable MIAD's (Airborne, Air Assault, etc).
Without getting into all the math, it's due to the inordinate short term impact they have on your Cadet Performance Score (CPS) after Fall semester. Which is one of the main factors influencing who get's which MIAD opportunity. (The MIAD's get allocated early spring semester)
Mil & Physical is 45% of CPS. And many will have a mediocre DPE grade from plebe beating, etc weighing down their physical side. While a single academic class may only have few percent weighting impact to CPS. (15% * 55%)
You can't game your mil grade, and it's not a competition against your teammates. It's not what you know, it's how you handle CBT.
All you can do is what you need to do anyway: Strive to be the best USMA cadet you can be. Simple stuff like: Listen, work hard, square away your stuff, don't try to be the boss, don't screw your teammates.
That's the path to the higher mil grade in CBT. And to a certain extent, for any of the performance reviews (PDR's, etc) by superiors while at USMA, though job performance starts to factor in more.
Some of the old advice like "be the gray man", run under the radar, don't stand out, etc can actually work against you now. And since it can also work against your chain of command it's even more important.
Typically, you'll be measured by a series of criteria that are largely soft skills. Examples: Teamwork, Empathy, Mission Accomplishment, Mental Agility, resilience, Confidence, Bearing, Discipline, Physical Fitness, Tact, Judgement, Influence, can-do attitude. These are the types of attributes your squad & platoon leader will have to score you on and use to recommend your grade.
It gets more complicated in the Academic year as company level performance can also impact ratings. Example from past years: individual recommendation for an A may be overridden to an A- or B+. Depending on the Comm/BTO, there may be no A's in a low performing/ranked company.
Point being, team performance counts. You have a vested interest in helping your squadmates succeed. Both due to how you are measured as an individual and the ranking dynamics.
All that said: You can't worry about the analytics. Do your best, stay positive, be the teammate you'd want to have!
candidate2014
5-Year Member
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- Apr 14, 2013
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What I was really worried about is physical performance. I am a team player and I have been studying Bugle Notes, so that should not be too big of a deal for me. But as a female, I am worried that I might fall out of runs or struggle through PT sessions. Of course, I know my gender is not an excuse. However, I am worried that how I perform physically will affect my grade. Is that a legitimate fear?
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Theoretically your physical performance shouldn't affect you military grade as there is already a separate grade for physical performance. However, how you respond to that performance (whether its superb or subpar) would be. If you're good at PT do you help your peers improve? If you're not good at it are you humble about it and giving a full effort at improving in that area? How well you do initially matters less than how much effort you're putting into it. If you are terrible at PT but are giving it your all in every PT event chances are your military grade will reflect your positive attitude when it comes to PT. If you're terrible at it and give up, don't try, and bring your squad down then that will also be reflected.
Ultimately, you shouldn't be too concerned with your grade. Focus on staying motivated and doing the right thing and the grade will follow.
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You will be physically challenged, but the physical side grade will be the apft which is gender specific.
Worry is not productive at this point. Don't sweat bugle notes, most do not recommend that prep.
Just get some rest, maybe move toward a CBT schedule.
But do not worry!
Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app
Worry is not productive at this point. Don't sweat bugle notes, most do not recommend that prep.
Just get some rest, maybe move toward a CBT schedule.
But do not worry!
Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app
Dixieland
10-Year Member
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- Mar 10, 2010
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- 1,281
I would definitely put the Bugle notes aside and concentrate on your physical preparation. Being a little too memorized with the Bugle Notes may garner you some unwanted attention from cadre.
So it is Pass/Fail this year? Or is that in the future?