Early Select for Subs

MIHOSER

5-Year Member
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Dec 23, 2009
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My S told me that he has applied for early select for submarines. What does that mean? What is the process?
 
It means that he will be considered, prepped and interviewed for submarines in the spring of his 2/C year instead of fall 1/C year. Each mid gets assigned a sub officer as a mentor to guide them through the process and does a bunch of review/practice problems for the interview. At some point they all trundle over to wherever it is the do the nuke interviews and get them done. USNA mids generally have a VERY high success rate for getting nuke.

There are a couple benefits to doing this:
-Knowing his service selection way ahead of everyone else
-Nuke bonus! (not more if you're early, but just getting it earlier)
-If his schedule 1/C fall is particularly difficult (capstone, honors project, etc.) or he thinks he's going to have a billet with significant responsibilities/be in season for a sport, then it may be good to get the interview process out of the way now rather than trying to cram it all in during the fall.
-If the interview doesn't go well/he's not accepted he has time to figure out his plan B
 
MIHOSER, what is your son's major?
My DS's navy dream is nuke subs and, although there is no doubt in his mind that he wants to pursue this dream along with the USNA dream, we are wondering how these guys compare against those with an NROTC education with nuclear engineering as a major...
 
I'm curious about this too and am interested to read any input. My son is NROTC (current sophomore at MIT) and also wants to go subs (as do the bulk of students from that battalion in any given year). He also wants to commit early because (from what he's told me) it also kind of guarantees that he can get an additional sub cruise his firstie summer. I guess I feel like he'd be better waiting just in case his cruise that summer (on whatever kind of ship) changes his mind (either that he doesn't like subs or likes something else more). Incidentally, he's a Chem Engr major and I don't think any of his (NROTC) classmates are Nuclear Engineering, even those who want subs.
 
I'm curious about this too and am interested to read any input. My son is NROTC (current sophomore at MIT) and also wants to go subs (as do the bulk of students from that battalion in any given year). He also wants to commit early because (from what he's told me) it also kind of guarantees that he can get an additional sub cruise his firstie summer. I guess I feel like he'd be better waiting just in case his cruise that summer (on whatever kind of ship) changes his mind (either that he doesn't like subs or likes something else more). Incidentally, he's a Chem Engr major and I don't think any of his (NROTC) classmates are Nuclear Engineering, even those who want subs.

Obviously I can't speak for NROTC, but early select subs was actually a guarantee to not get a sub cruise for 1/C cruise my year at USNA...they figured since they already had those guys trapped (I mean, uh, selected) they didn't need to spend extra money on them so they all got SWO cruises.

People from all majors at USNA get selected for nuke and succeed in nuke school, from Mech E to English. It seems that from anecdotal experience (i.e., the guys I know down there now) people from STEM backgrounds have it SLIGHTLY easier but it sucks and is hard for everyone.
I can't speak to USNA v. NROTC aside from that my USNA nuke friends seem to think they are more "used" to that sort of environment. Obviously guys from all commissioning sources succeed (or, you know don't).
 
To confirm Hurricane12 - My S is anticipating an SWO cruise for 1st Block this summer. He was told that if he gets early sub select he will NOT get a sub cruise this summer.
 
Thanks to both of you - I'll make sure he's understanding correctly (or that I understood him correctly) before he makes any commitments! And he still has to go through this summer (and hopefully he can get a sub cruise this time) and see how he feels then!
 
Thank you both for the great info!

So, if he gets the early selection, then he doesn't get a sub cruise this summer...has he already been on a sub cruise so he knows for sure that's what he really wants...other than thinking that's what he really wants? My son is a junior in high school and KNOWS that what he wants...but I would think being submerged would be a good idea first :rolleyes:
 
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