AFROTC Rated GPA Question

Emory4llstate

Emory4llstate

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Nov 4, 2015
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So I just graduated from Field Training this past summer, and am now looking towards the Rated Boards. I am a 5-year guy so my board won't be till my 400 year, but I need all the time I can get to help my GPA (I think). Here are my stats briefly, and then I'll get to my question:

Current Aerospace Engineering GPA: 2.85
PCSM: Unsure, 99 Pilot AFOQT, 100+ flight hours- PPL
SP FT Rank
Commander's Ranking: Top Third (just a guess)

So, from what I can tell, my GPA is all that is holding me back. I know it's impossible to really grade someone's chances for a pilot slot based of stats since it always varies, but does my GPA need serious work?

If yes, I am thinking about taking some easy classes this coming summer. Probably just 12 hours of classes maybe working towards an easy minor, but nothing Aerospace Engineering related. If I'm on scholarship, will the AF pay for these non-major classes, and will they contribute to my ROTC GPA? Without these classes, I realistically expect my GPA to be slightly above a 3.0 by Board-Time.

Anyone who reads all this, I appreciate your time...I know it's a lot. Just trying to see if it would be worth it to pay out of pocket for those summer classes if the AF won't.

Any and all feedback is appreciated!!!
 
To be honest I think that if you get your GPA up to a 3 and have a above 96ish PT score you should do fine. No guarantees as with anything in the AF though. GPA is only 10% of your package.
 
OP,

Like Sled said, your GPA is only 10% of your total Order of Merit(OM) score. This means that the difference between having a 4.0 and a 3.0 is 2.5 points on your OM. This is the difference of about 6 points on your PCSM. Basically, if you have two candidates for the rated board and they both have identical stats, except one has a 4.0 GPA and a 50 PCSM, while the other has a 3.0 GPA and a 56 PCSM, their OM scores are roughly equal. Given that you have 100+ hours and scored a 99 on your AFOQT, I'd be willing to bet that your PCSM will be in the 80+ range.

Your PCSM score (40%) and Commander's ranking (25%) have A LOT more influence on your OM than your GPA. However, many commanders take GPA into consideration when determining your ranking. Below is a link to an OM calculator I made using Google sheets. Feel free to use it and calculate your score.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1q9Hjlq2ymhJivS4VlN0amAcEBr55wVkrQa0yvNJoJ4U/edit?usp=sharing

From what I understand, your AF scholarship will not pay for summer classes. I believe you can apply for an exception if you're a 5-year major. However, I do not see them letting you take summer courses for non-major classes. You'd more than likely pay out of pocket for these classes. By the time you're a senior, 12 credits have little influence on your CGPA. We're talking maybe a boost of 0.2 at BEST. This literally equates to an added 0.5 pts to your OM. If you do take classes over the summer, regardless if they're towards your major, they will affect the CGPA the board looks at so long as your cadre updates your CGPA in WINGS before the board meets.
 
Very, very helpful response. Pretty much answered every question I asked. I appreciate it! I'm not sure I'll be able to swing paying for summer classes out of pocket, so I think I'll just have to make sure I get my grades right over the next three semesters. Very capable of doing so...just slowly making up for a rough freshman year. Hopefully I can nail the TBAS to max the PCSM, since that's a bigger part of the OM nowadays.
 
Emory4llstate said:
Very, very helpful response. Pretty much answered every question I asked. I appreciate it! I'm not sure I'll be able to swing paying for summer classes out of pocket, so I think I'll just have to make sure I get my grades right over the next three semesters. Very capable of doing so...just slowly making up for a rough freshman year. Hopefully I can nail the TBAS to max the PCSM, since that's a bigger part of the OM nowadays.
Click to expand...

Glad I could help! Be sure to visit the TBAS website for public info on the test. Most people think there is no info on the test but the Air Force has published some general information about it. It can be very helpful to know as it tells you exactly what the tests will be like.
 
@Joekenny just a heads up for your calculator, your FT score is dependent moreso on top, middle or bottom than it is the actual ranking. I believe you get 15/15 for DG, 13.5/15 for SP, 10.5/15 for the rest of top, 9/15 for middle, and 7.5/15 for bottom.
 
I was always told FT rank was 10/10, 9/10, 7/10, 5/10, 3/10 @noketchup

Could very well be wrong though. I don't know my exact ranking, I don't think anyone did. All we were told was DG, SP, or a third. As far as the point values go, I'm not sure
 
noketchup said:
@Joekenny just a heads up for your calculator, your FT score is dependent moreso on top, middle or bottom than it is the actual ranking. I believe you get 15/15 for DG, 13.5/15 for SP, 10.5/15 for the rest of top, 9/15 for middle, and 7.5/15 for bottom.
Click to expand...

Where did you get that information?

There is a formula given by AFROTCI 36-2011 (July 2015) to calculate RSS and FT rank. I've attached a picture from the instruction where it specifically says FT rank will be calculated with the formula.

upload_2016-10-4_17-39-33.png
 
Joekenny said:
Where did you get that information?

There is a formula given by AFROTCI 36-2011 (July 2015) to calculate RSS and FT rank. I've attached a picture from the instruction where it specifically says FT rank will be calculated with the formula.

View attachment 713
Click to expand...


According to BaseOps (https://www.baseops.net/militarypilot/pilot-slot.html), DG earns 10/10, and it decreases by 1 point for each designation. I also believe it said in the FT Manual this past summer that was the case.
 
The brief given to us before FT was 10/10 for DG, 9/10 SP, then goes down to 7/10 for top, 6/10 for middle, 5/10 for bottom. I just multiplied those values by 1.5 to make it easier to calculate OML since FT is worth 15%.
 
Emory4llstate said:
According to BaseOps (https://www.baseops.net/militarypilot/pilot-slot.html), DG earns 10/10, and it decreases by 1 point for each designation. I also believe it said in the FT Manual this past summer that was the case.
Click to expand...

The information on that website is outdated. It states that RSS is worth 50% and PCSM is worth 15%. That has not been the case for several years now. The formula I use is directly out of the AFROTCI where it states it will be used for FT score.
 
We need Pima! I know BaseOps is outdated, but that's the only way I've ever been taught, which is odd considering you're directly quoting an AFI.
 
BaseOps refers to AFROTCI 36-2013 which was rescinded many years ago. The information that was contained within that instruction was disbursed in AFROTCI 36-2010 and 36-2011. AFROTCI 36-2011 was last updated in July 2015. In that version, the weights for a lot of the merits are labeled "TBD". Before the FY16 board met earlier this year, our cadre sent us the attachment below as information on how the board would weigh each merit category. I assure you what BaseOps currently has is incorrect. An updated instruction is always the official answer.

upload_2016-10-4_18-5-21.png upload_2016-10-4_19-38-11.png
 
Referring the BaseOps was a mistake, I apologize. That was just in reference to the point system noketchup referenced.

Again, I agree that that information seems valid, but when I look at my FTPR, all it says is Superior Performer. How do I know if I was 3 or 4 out of my flight? No one in my detachment was given a specific number, just a third, SP or DG. And I agree with noketchup, my Det fed me the 10 point system directly.
 
Emory4llstate said:
Referring the BaseOps was a mistake, I apologize. That was just in reference to the point system noketchup referenced.

Again, I agree that that information seems valid, but when I look at my FTPR, all it says is Superior Performer. How do I know if I was 3 or 4 out of my flight? No one in my detachment was given a specific number, just a third, SP or DG. And I agree with noketchup, my Det fed me the 10 point system directly.
Click to expand...

I don't have my FTPR readily available but in the report, there should be 3 ranks: in garrison ranking, AEF ranking, and overall ranking. If I can find my report, I'll let you know exactly where it's located on there. Either way, you can ask your cadre to tell you your FT ranking since the information is in WINGs.

As far as your cadre telling you about the point system, I would ask them again and reference the information in the AFROTCI 36-2011. As long as your tactful and respectful, they should not have a problem with you questioning the point system information. If anything, they should applaud you for looking into the instruction yourself. As a prior e guy, I can attest to the value of knowing what the instruction says as opposed to what you're told. There have been many instances in my career where everyone was under the wrong impression until the instruction was actually read. They might not realize that the information changed, especially if they're going off old continuity books from the previous cadre. WINGs does not tell you your order of merit score. Cadre simply inputs your information into WINGs and your OM score is calculated by the board. From what my cadre has told me, they don't ever officially see your OM score, only the board does.
 
Forgot to mention this earlier, but the cadre had shown us a big spreadsheet showing what the AF was looking for from cadets getting EAs for FY16. It said that there were 390 pilot slots allocated to our year. Could always change, as it was likely written up last spring.
 
noketchup said:
Forgot to mention this earlier, but the cadre had shown us a big spreadsheet showing what the AF was looking for from cadets getting EAs for FY16. It said that there were 390 pilot slots allocated to our year. Could always change, as it was likely written up last spring.
Click to expand...

Did it look something like this:

upload_2016-10-5_10-47-23.png
 
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