ConductingOfficer Interviews for NROTC Scholarship

Candidates

LCDR Jeff JuergensCNRC Director Nuclear Programs/NROTC

Things to think about before you get to this page…

Prepping the CandidatesHow do YOU do it?

• Recommened bring:– Paper copy of application– Unofficial transcript– ACT/SAT scores– Letters of Recommendation– Resume

• Recommened attire?– Coming straight from school?– JROTC uniform?

Ratings

5 4 3 2 1

NROTC Interest and Motivation

Leadership Potential

Responsibilities

Organization of Tasks & ActivitiesCommunication

Overall Evaluation

High Average Low

Participation• Describe the applicant’s participating

in activities involving math, science and computers, Include in-school and out-of-school activities.) – Describe the applicant’s general level

of interest in math and science.

• STEM major or Liberal Arts?– 85% of scholarships to tier 1 or 2– Remaining 15%

• Predominantly LREC (Language/Regional Expertise/Culture)

• Ability to pass college calculus and calculus based physics?– IB? AP? Honors? (Only care about Math/Sci)– 4 years math

• Alg, Geom, Trig, Pre-calc, Calc• Special engineering classes?

– 4 years science• Chemistry? Physics? >/= year of each?• Nurses – biology?

– Awards & Merit?• Governors school, elite award?• Science Fair, Math Team?• Tutors classmates?

• Computers– HS classes? Programming experience?– Changes hard drive, RAM, maintenance, etc– Proficient with Microsoft Office software

• Other– HS Grading scale (Fairfax 93 vs 90 for “A”)

4 years from now, will this candidate have the university academic resume to be considered for Nuclear Power?

Special Circumstances• Describe any special circumstances

the NROTC Selection Board should be aware of that influenced school performance or participation in Extra-curricular activities – e.g, having long commute to and from

school;– needing to work to support self and/or

family, – working on family farm or business, – needing to care for family member in

poor health).

• Military Dependant of Active Duty or Retired from Active Duty? (not discharged)

• Military Reservist parents? Recalled? Deployed?• Parents Divorced? Deployed?• Disabled family member?• Tragic occurrence

– (family death, injury illness, suicide)• Illness

– Mononucleosis? – Fractures,

• Changed school during high school• Financial hardship

– Employment– Babysits younger siblings so parents can

work• Low performing school district• Home-schooled?

– Usually fewer activities than traditional student

• Noticeable change in grades– Explain anomolies

• JROTC– Usually precludes sports or other activities

99% of the time, the student will not volunteer this information……but it can be critical to selection because it may demonstrate CHARACTER.

Make your own checklist and ask!

Physical Activity• Describe physical activities the

applicant is engaged in that are not included on the application form, such as strenuous work or home activities or non-organized recreational activities.

• Describe the bearing, personal appearance, and apparent physical fitness of the applicant, with particular emphasis on identifying potential for overweight condition

• Before you penalize a kid for the way they are dressed or how they acted in the interview…consider

– How much heads up did they have?

– Were they told how to dress?– Not every kid already has

“military bearing” • If you don’t like their posture

or respectfulness – let them know and give them a chance to correct during the interview

– Is this a bad day, or indicative of who this kid really is…

– Are they dressed in the only clothes they own/can afford.

Overall Evaluation/Comments• Provide amplifying information

regarding the ratings given on page three.

• Comment on the applicant’s suitability for an office accession program and provide your recommendation as to the selection for an NROTC scholarship .

• Tell the board something– What ISN’T in the transcript?

• Treat like a FITREP– You already have a good or bad

reputation with selection boards!• Spell check and grammar check

your write up in MS Word and then cut & paste online.

– Grades require supporting comments.

• Use this to explain the ratings you gave…high or low!

– 5.0 with few words=bad– 3.0 with great words=?

– Closing statement should leave no doubt to Selection Board whether or not we want this candidate…and why.

• Use truthful comparisons– “..best of 12 candidates I’ve seen

this year”– Your first interview? Don’t be

afraid to say that in your write up– If we don’t want ‘em, SAY SO!

Kids have $180,000 in tuition riding on this…and the Navy is competing for their talent!

Sample Write-up:Math & Science

Completing 4-year curriculum of math and science; including Honors Alg 1&2, Honors Geom, AP Pre-Calc, Chemistry, and Honors Physics. Has taken year of Computer Science and Computer Applications in H.S., to include computer graphics.• Awarded scholarship to attend summer seminar at Johns

Hopkins Applied Physics Lab for select students with exceptional math/science acumen.

• Selected tier 3 major on application, but willing to commit to tier 2 major for scholarship.

• Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and tutors school children in Chinese at community church.

Sample Write-up:Special Circumstances

Mother is Bolivian, Step-Father is Moroccan (both are US Citizens). Birth parents divorced when he was a baby. Attended 3 different high schools in 4 years: Islamic Saudi Academy (9), South County HS (10, 11) and Albert Einstein (11). Saudi Academy did not have any extra-curricular programs or athletics, which precluded participation freshman year. Elected to leave private Saudi Academy for public H.S. after freshman year because he was only Hispanic in school and wanted exposure to greater diversity. Moved between junior and senior year. Candidate speaks Spanish, French ,and Arabic fluently and has traveled to both Morroco and Bolivia several times. (Application only allowed him to list Spanish). Was not aware of LREC program during interview, but was very interested after program was explained.

Sample Write-up:Special Circumstances

Mother is Bolivian, Step-Father is Moroccan (both are US Citizens). Birth parents divorced when he was a baby. Attended 3 different high schools in 4 years: Islamic Saudi Academy (9), South County HS (10, 11) and Albert Einstein (11). Saudi Academy did not have any extra-curricular programs or athletics, which precluded participation freshman year. Elected to leave private Saudi Academy for public H.S. after freshman year because he was only Hispanic in school and wanted exposure to greater diversity. Moved between junior and senior year. Candidate speaks Spanish, French ,and Arabic fluently and has traveled to both Morroco and Bolivia several times. (Application only allowed him to list Spanish). Was not aware of LREC program during interview, but was very interested after program was explained.

Sample Write-up:Physical Activity

5-years of Shotokan Karate; holds black-belt and assists as instructor. Currently on varsity wrestling team, wrestled JV last year. Trains with wrestling team off-season year round. Runs 1-2 miles prior to each practice. Athletic appearance – within body standards and does not appear in any danger of over-weight condition. Participates and performs with hip-hop dance club. Respectful and polite during interview; neat appearance -showed up in suit and tie.

Sample Write-up: Physical Activity

5-years of Shotokan Karate; holds black-belt and assists as instructor. Currently on varsity wrestling team, wrestled JV last year. Trains with wrestling team off-season year round. Runs 1-2 miles prior to each practice. Athletic appearance – within body standards and does not appear in any danger of over-weight condition. Participates and performs with hip-hop dance club. Respectful and polite during interview; neat appearance -showed up in suit and tie.

Other concepts/comments….

• “Life Scout…working towards Eagle”• Special awards, schools, experiences• Specific examples of character/leadership

– Tutoring, handicapped, underprivileged– Positions/responsibilities not listed elsewhere

on application– JROTC/Sea Cadets/Civil Air Patrol

Leadership more important than membership