Hoping I could get some advice for my situation in the ROTC hunt, it's a little long, but just giving as much information as I can.
So I had opened a file for the Navy ROTC program, and our local recruiting office called me in before I had done much of the application. On Friday, I get a call from the head of the recruiting station to come in and "finish paperwork" on Monday afternoon. So I say sure, under the assumption that since they called me in, they know I haven't done much of the application quite yet (since, ya know, I wasn't going to do it all in 2 days). I go in and get some release papers signed, and get teacher recommendation forms, and interview with an officer (a surprise, no one told me that's what I would also be doing. Luckily I interviewed extremely well and got good marks from him). The head of the station told me I needed to go and get these recommendation forms done. I go and give them to my teachers/coach with no real time table for when I need them, since I was never given one. I simply asked them to complete them when they had the time, and I'll check back in in a few days.
So today (Thursday, 2 days after I get the papers) I get called to the guidance office to find my guidance counselor and one of the Navy recruiters. He said the Chief requested that my paperwork and application be submitted TODAY since today is the last day for this months application process. Now, I had forgotten that this is simply not feasible since my essays weren't complete, my fitness test wasn't done, and my recommendations were not in my possession. The recruiter asked if I could see if these teachers could do them today - I was able to get 2 of my more friendly teachers to do it, but my English teacher said he simply couldn't do it right that minute(I have to have one math, one English and one other recommendation). After I embarrass myself with the English teacher, I return to the recruiter and tell him, and also remind him I only got these things Monday afternoon, and no one informed me that I had less than a week to complete my entire application, since this is only the second month that the board is reviewing applications. (The last month is January 2013) Not to mention, the school year is almost done, and my main priority is finishing the year out strong.
I felt bad that I wasn't prepared, but I simply was not told that I was trying to complete the entire process in 3 days. I apologized to the recruiter sent to my school, but I told him I would have to do it the next month at the earliest. He was just as uninformed with the whole thing as I was, his only instructions were to be sent to my school and collect everything for submission today.
So sorry about the length, but can anyone tell me in their best guesses 1). Why would I only be given 3 days to get my recommendations, write essays, do a fitness test, etc. 2). Have I screwed up now, since the Chief at the recruiting office wanted it done today? 3). Will submitting the application next month instead of this month have that much impact on the decision? 4). I wasn't aware that the review process is a rolling month by month thing, so I was going to wait to do the fitness test until I'm in better shape after I play soccer over the summer, but does this have to be submitted right away with everything else?
So I had opened a file for the Navy ROTC program, and our local recruiting office called me in before I had done much of the application. On Friday, I get a call from the head of the recruiting station to come in and "finish paperwork" on Monday afternoon. So I say sure, under the assumption that since they called me in, they know I haven't done much of the application quite yet (since, ya know, I wasn't going to do it all in 2 days). I go in and get some release papers signed, and get teacher recommendation forms, and interview with an officer (a surprise, no one told me that's what I would also be doing. Luckily I interviewed extremely well and got good marks from him). The head of the station told me I needed to go and get these recommendation forms done. I go and give them to my teachers/coach with no real time table for when I need them, since I was never given one. I simply asked them to complete them when they had the time, and I'll check back in in a few days.
So today (Thursday, 2 days after I get the papers) I get called to the guidance office to find my guidance counselor and one of the Navy recruiters. He said the Chief requested that my paperwork and application be submitted TODAY since today is the last day for this months application process. Now, I had forgotten that this is simply not feasible since my essays weren't complete, my fitness test wasn't done, and my recommendations were not in my possession. The recruiter asked if I could see if these teachers could do them today - I was able to get 2 of my more friendly teachers to do it, but my English teacher said he simply couldn't do it right that minute(I have to have one math, one English and one other recommendation). After I embarrass myself with the English teacher, I return to the recruiter and tell him, and also remind him I only got these things Monday afternoon, and no one informed me that I had less than a week to complete my entire application, since this is only the second month that the board is reviewing applications. (The last month is January 2013) Not to mention, the school year is almost done, and my main priority is finishing the year out strong.
I felt bad that I wasn't prepared, but I simply was not told that I was trying to complete the entire process in 3 days. I apologized to the recruiter sent to my school, but I told him I would have to do it the next month at the earliest. He was just as uninformed with the whole thing as I was, his only instructions were to be sent to my school and collect everything for submission today.
So sorry about the length, but can anyone tell me in their best guesses 1). Why would I only be given 3 days to get my recommendations, write essays, do a fitness test, etc. 2). Have I screwed up now, since the Chief at the recruiting office wanted it done today? 3). Will submitting the application next month instead of this month have that much impact on the decision? 4). I wasn't aware that the review process is a rolling month by month thing, so I was going to wait to do the fitness test until I'm in better shape after I play soccer over the summer, but does this have to be submitted right away with everything else?
