Curveball Interview Questions

When my mid was asked at the end of his interview with MOC if he had any questions he turned to one of the females who was actually a West Point grad and said, "with all due respect ma'am, GO NAVY!"and the Navy people in the interview responded "BEAT ARMY!" and the room erupted in laughter and applause. He got the principal nomination. He said it felt right at the moment and realized he took a chance but it did work. I am not saying anyone should try this but he had a good vibe during the interview.
 
^^ Efforts to be funny or witty, can really back-fire so I don't recommend this as the norm. Something you THOUGHT sounded funny may be offensive to some interviewers or could reflect negativity on you.

I would also be careful of asking questions that make you sound aloof. Someone mentioned a candidate who asked the committee 'why would you NOT give me a NOM' (don't recall the exact words.)
 
Son had one guy on his MOC panel of 5 play the "bad cop" role, whether that was his personality or not, who knows. Everyone else was relaxed in their chairs and this guy leaned forward with his arms on the table and gave him the hard stare the entire time. His questions were about politics and policy and even at one point told son straight up that he was wrong. This guy went first, with the others to follow after. Son sat through the rest of the interview thinking all was lost and over. He said he just thought about the YouTube videos of Iday and tried to keep composure and take one question and one person at a time. He got the nomination.

As others have said, you can practice a bunch of random questions, but it all boils down to how you handle yourself, that can't be practiced or faked, you are who you are.
 
My DD had a MOC interview this week. A few challenging questions such as: What is truth? and another about a situation involving following unlawful orders.
 
S was asked if he had ever seen Crimson Tide? He said no and the panel proceeded to discuss the movie amongst themselves for 10 minutes.
 
Dial the gate said:
As others have said, you can practice a bunch of random questions, but it all boils down to how you handle yourself, that can't be practiced or faked, you are who you are.
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I like to add also having the right reasons to attend a SA.

I am probably in a minority to think that some typical answers given by candidates for reasons to attend a SA is not good enough and ask follow up questions. For example, I want to attend a SA because of my family's military tradition. But if the military tradition is in a different branch or the candidate does not have some basic knowledge about the military, I start wondering . . .
 
I don't think you are in the minority. I think those posters that have been around long enough, see that as a "PAT" answer.

It says nothing about them.

I would put this akin to reading an essay that starts of with ...since I was, 6,8,10, etc. I have dreamed of attending.
~ FWIW to candidates, the minute I read an essay starting with this statement, I give about 1 minute more to grab my attention before I start thinking about my personal TO DO list.

Just saying that is how common to read/hear this.

You have a limited amount of time to separate yourself from the rest of the pack. Don't waste it!
~ My DS was asked the question of why USAFA? His answer was not, top tier education, not leadership training.
~~ Remember that is a double edge sword. Many will not get an appointment, but will commission via ROTC or OCS. Colin Powell was a ROTC grad, would you really want to say/imply to him that ROTC was subpar to USMA?
~~~ DS stated that as a military brat he felt that the SA would be closer to that brethren aspect (team) his father enjoys as an officer than ROTC, and he wanted to have that in his life while earning his undergrad degree. It was more about what USAFA offered to him as a cadet that in his eyes ROTC didn't offer. He didn't ding other commissioning routes from the leadership training aspect or better career opportunities. It was I feel they get it more that I have your 6 from day one at an SA than any other commissioning source.

OBTW, for him that must have worked...he got all 3 MOC nominations.
 
And then there's this... VelveteenKid's interviews were all about why he wanted to be a Marine. He's at West Point. Never talked about Army once in his interviews.
 
Wait until your Mids interview with the head of USN Nuclear when they are firsties, if they go submarine. Talk about off the wall questions...
 
I am a panel member for our congressional district. For God's sake please do not refer to the panel members by their first names (from the name card in front of them) when introducing yourself.

This happened twice during our panels last week! My mother would have slapped me square in the jaw had I done that as a teenager.
 
grevar said:
I am a panel member for our congressional district. For God's sake please do not refer to the panel members by their first names (from the name card in front of them) when introducing yourself.

This happened twice during our panels last week! My mother would have slapped me square in the jaw had I done that as a teenager.
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Yo must not live in the south it would have at least been MR. first name. (eg. Mister Sam) :D
 
Yo must not live in the south it would have at least been MR. first name. (eg. Mister Sam) :D[/QUOTE]

Yep, right in the buckle of the Bible Belt! Go figure.
 
You can never go wrong with a Ma'am or Sir, especially if you don't have name cards, etc.
 
grevar said:
I am a panel member for our congressional district. For God's sake please do not refer to the panel members by their first names (from the name card in front of them) when introducing yourself.

This happened twice during our panels last week! My mother would have slapped me square in the jaw had I done that as a teenager.
Click to expand...

We get that from time to time (I serve on my college's scholarship committee for incoming freshmen, and all candidates must undergo an interview). I can only conclude that young people are becoming more casual about courtesies like this. Usually a simple "Dr. LongAgoPlebe, please. And can you tell us...?" does the trick, but last spring we had one "dude" who just did NOT get the cues from "Call me Dr. OldCurmudgeon, please..." and "It's Dr. YoungEarnest, please...". He did not get the scholarship, but - true story - he enrolled in my fall intro bio course. One day, after class, he approached me and we had approximately the following conversation.

Him: Hi, Jane, I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Stu Dent, I interviewed for a scholarship but didn't get it, hey, how are you?
Me: It's Dr. LAP.
Him: What?
Me: You need to address your college instructors as Dr. So-and-so, or if they don't have a PhD, Mr. or Ms. So-and-so. I'm Dr. LAP.
Him <bewildered>: Um, okay, Dr. Jane...
Me: Excuse me? <maintaining cheer and smiling but edgy> What did I just get done telling you?
Him: Dr. LAP! Got it! So can I ask you about <blah blah blah>
...

We finish the conversation and WHAT do you suppose he called me on the way out?? I, and undoubtedly his other instructors, have disabused Stu of the habit of calling adults he does not know well by their first names, but WOW, what a case.
 
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