Interviewing for NUPOC on Monday

[TV4Fun]

Hi, first time poster here. I'm a junior at UNR majoring in physics and math. I'm flying to Washington on Monday to interview at Naval Reactors for entry into the NUPOC program. I've been going over the study guide, and it seems to include a lot of calculus based questions, so I have been brushing up on my calculus. I could do any of them if I had sufficient references available, but I'm worried a question is going to come up that needs a formula I won't have memorized. Is it necessary to have all this calculus memorized for the interview? Are the questions on the study guide a fairly accurate representations of the questions that are asked at the interview? Does anyone have any advice for making sure I get in?

[mlslstephens]

Hi, first time poster here. I'm a junior at UNR majoring in physics and math. I'm flying to Washington on Monday to interview at Naval Reactors for entry into the NUPOC program. I've been going over the study guide, and it seems to include a lot of calculus based questions, so I have been brushing up on my calculus. I could do any of them if I had sufficient references available, but I'm worried a question is going to come up that needs a formula I won't have memorized. Is it necessary to have all this calculus memorized for the interview? Are the questions on the study guide a fairly accurate representations of the questions that are asked at the interview? Does anyone have any advice for making sure I get in?

What will Naval Reactors ask you???  Anything they want to.

When I went up for my interview, the guy asked me to solve a 2nd order linear homogeneous differential equation.  Sounds like fun, eh?  I hated diff-E Q when I was going through college, so I wasn't thrilled at the notion of trying to solve this equation without any notes.  So, I did what any good nuke would do...  I racked my brain for any semblance of an answer and after I found none, I started tap dancing.  I started talking about sets of solutions and that there was a "particular" solution but I couldn't remember how to solve for the particular solution.  I even said stuff like, if you raise the base of the natural log to the power of the particular solutions...blah, blah, blah.  Finally, I said that's about all I remember (with sweat running down my brow)  Then I will never forget the guys comment to me.  He looked at me and said, "I don't know how to solve that question, I just wanted to see what you would say."  He then asked me the old question of which hits the ground first, a bowling ball or bullet fired horizontally (both starting at the same height)...boring!

Moral of the story.  Don't worry about memorizing theorems and rules.  They are looking to see how you think.  They really could care less if you know the integral of the natural log of x or that the derivative of x raised to the n is n times x raised to the n minus 1 power.    

[alphacookie]

What will Naval Reactors ask you???  Anything they want to.

Moral of the story.  Don't worry about memorizing theorems and rules.  They are looking to see how you think.  They really could care less if you know the integral of the natural log of x or that the derivative of x raised to the n is n times x raised to the n minus 1 power.    

Yup!  Good info here.

They definitely want to see you thought process.  Write down the question asked, all assumptions, equations, solution steps and your final answer.  Make it absolutely clear, on paper,  how you processed the problem from point A to point B to point  C and etc.  Someone, completely removed from the interview, should be able to walk into the room and know at a glance what was asked and how you came to your conclusion.  Hell, the interviewer may not even be listening to you.  How frustrating would it be, if after a 100% technically correct dissertation on why a heat engine can never be 100% efficient, the interviewer looks up at you and starts asking you more questions about info you already divulged.  So, it is very important to write everything down.  For the most part, the interviewer could really care less what the actual answer is or if it is not 100% correct.  It is the process!

DO NOT, under any circumstance, give up and say, " I don't know".

Do not argue with the interviewer.  Listen to the interviewer.  If during the interview, he/she interrupts you, tries to correct you or tries to guide you to the correct response, then shut-up, take their advice and move on.

If you have received any poor grades, i.e. C or below, you better have a darn good reason why.  Those reasons had better not lay blame to anyone else but yourself.  Good examples are:

1)  I underestimated the class and did not focus as hard as I should have.
2)  I did not realize I was having trouble in the class until it was too late and I did not seek help in time to recover.

Have a plan to address shortcomings, ensure success and prevent future piss poor performance. 

Hope this helps and good luck.

[JustinHEMI05]

This is seriously their interview process? Huh... never woulda believed it if it wasn't you guys telling it.

Good luck on your interview!

Justin

[bbksv]

I really wouldn't sweat it too much. I just had mine a couple months ago...and out of 22ish people that went up..I don't think any of them were rejected. Unless you make yourself look like a complete idiot to the Admiral by saying "whats up dude" or something stupid like that...you will be fine.

As for the questions...even if you knew every question int he study guide..they probably would pull one out from somewhere else..so don't sweat the small stuff..a.nd just don't give up..tell them what you know..and they will guide you through the problem.

[TV4Fun]

Hey, just to let everyone know, I got in. The interview was a lot easier than I thought. Thank you all for your help.

[LDO4CNO]

Welcome aboard, shipmate!