Current level of NUPOC competitiveness

[vinimack720]

I was wondering if anyone here would have insight into the current level of NUPOC competitiveness.  I was strongly considering pursuing this but was curious as to how many other applicants are competing for spots before I end up wasting mine and everyone else's time.  I am currently a JR.  MAE student at the University of Missouri and have a friend who was recently accepted into the program, which is what has sparked my interest lately. 

Also, if one is declined at some point during the application process (due to not being one of the top in the pack, not medical or other reasons) can they reapply at some other point?

[cheme09]

If you have around a 3.2 or better, it's worth a shot.  From what I understand, you can keep applying until you get an interview.  The catch is that there has to be "significant change" in your application from one submission to the next - improved transcripts fulfill this requirement.  If you make it to the interview and get denied by the admiral, that's pretty much the final word.

[greenbean]

Do you know which of the 4 positions you would be applying for?
Normal GPA requirements:
Subs/SWO(N) is 3.2+
Nuclear Power School Instructor is 3.5+
Naval Reactors Engineer 3.8+

That being said, I've seen situations where someone got accepted with a 3.0 because their last 50-60 hrs were above the 3.2 mark.

The best bet is to talk to a recruiter and start the process of the appplication. There are ~10 pages to fill out and the recruiter should be able to tell you how you stack up with just that information. If it looks good, the recruiter will submit that paperwork and you will go on a VIP tour.  It is a 2-3 day trip visiting a sub/aircraft carrier or visiting Power school (instructor applicants). The Navy will pay for your trip so you just need to go in with your mind open and armed with lots of questions. This will be your best chance to decide if pursuing a Naval career is what you want to do.

Once you finish the trip you will then fill out the rest of the application, apply for a security clearance, and head to MEPS to get a physical screening. Then they submit your package and you wait until you get called to interview. The whole process seems to take at least a few months and as long as a year for others. The longer time is normally due to Naval reactors requesting that you complete the next semester with a certain (3.3 or better) GPA.

I'm glad to hear you are considering serving your country. Good Luck.

[ChemicalEngineer24]

Hi guys new member here. I just finished my BS in Chemical Engineering and have been thinking about joining the navy for some time now. I originally thought of enlisting but then decided to get my college education first and then I heard about the NUPOC program. My final graduating GPA was 2.93 which I know is not as high as I wanted however I had to pay for my schooling which required me to work 40 hours a week as well as attend college full time and that is not even including my volunteer hours and the hours I spent working at my local chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. My question is would I even be considered for the NUPOC program as a SWO(N) or a sub program or am I wasting my time. My father was also a enlisted member on a nuclear sub for 9 years and now a reactor operator at a nuclear power plant. Any insight would be very helpful especially if they consider the degree when they look at the GPA knowing some technical degrees are harder to obtain then others. Thanks in advance to all the reply and glad to be here.

[JustinHEMI05]

Hi guys new member here. I just finished my BS in Chemical Engineering and have been thinking about joining the navy for some time now. I originally thought of enlisting but then decided to get my college education first and then I heard about the NUPOC program. My final graduating GPA was 2.93 which I know is not as high as I wanted however I had to pay for my schooling which required me to work 40 hours a week as well as attend college full time and that is not even including my volunteer hours and the hours I spent working at my local chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. My question is would I even be considered for the NUPOC program as a SWO(N) or a sub program or am I wasting my time. My father was also a enlisted member on a nuclear sub for 9 years and now a reactor operator at a nuclear power plant. Any insight would be very helpful especially if they consider the degree when they look at the GPA knowing some technical degrees are harder to obtain then others. Thanks in advance to all the reply and glad to be here.

Since you missed the post above yours, I quoted it for you below (with bolded parts);

Do you know which of the 4 positions you would be applying for?
Normal GPA requirements:
Subs/SWO(N) is 3.2+
Nuclear Power School Instructor is 3.5+
Naval Reactors Engineer 3.8+

That being said, I've seen situations where someone got accepted with a 3.0 because their last 50-60 hrs were above the 3.2 mark.

The best bet is to talk to a recruiter and start the process of the appplication. There are ~10 pages to fill out and the recruiter should be able to tell you how you stack up with just that information. If it looks good, the recruiter will submit that paperwork and you will go on a VIP tour.  It is a 2-3 day trip visiting a sub/aircraft carrier or visiting Power school (instructor applicants). The Navy will pay for your trip so you just need to go in with your mind open and armed with lots of questions. This will be your best chance to decide if pursuing a Naval career is what you want to do.

Once you finish the trip you will then fill out the rest of the application, apply for a security clearance, and head to MEPS to get a physical screening. Then they submit your package and you wait until you get called to interview. The whole process seems to take at least a few months and as long as a year for others. The longer time is normally due to Naval reactors requesting that you complete the next semester with a certain (3.3 or better) GPA.

I'm glad to hear you are considering serving your country. Good Luck.

Hope that helps.

[ChemicalEngineer24]

First off Justin your snotty comment is not well received or needed i did notice the above comment however i also know that the navy website states they accept applications with a minimum GPA of a 2.0 for sub and SWO officers. My comment was to address whether or not the navy takes into consideration they type of degree and its difficulty as not all degrees are as easy to obtain therefore a 4.0 degree in chemistry would not necessarily mean they are smarter then a 3.0 in chemical engineering. I know that chemical engineering is considered one of the hardest 4 year accredited degrees to obtain however I was hoping someone with experience or a fellow naval officer could help answer my question about whether my 2.93 would be worth applying or not. Any constructive comments are appreciated thank you

[JustinHEMI05]

I'd say no, since you clearly have some growing up to do (based on your response to help). I sure hope my Navy has better standards than 2.93.

[HydroDave63]

First off Justin your snotty comment is not well received or needed i did notice the above comment however i also know that the navy website states they accept applications with a minimum GPA of a 2.0 for sub and SWO officers.

Wrong. Drop and gimme 20 !

NUCLEAR TRAINED OFFICER (NUPOC SUB) (01/11751) 
AGE
- At least 19 and less than 29 at time of commission.
- Waiverable to 31.
EDUCATION

- BA/BS/MS in preferred majors: Math, Physics, Engineering, and Chemistry.
- Within 2 ½ years of graduation (1yr - MS), with a minimum of:
-1 yr Calculus
-1 yr Calculus-based Physics11
- Competitive 3.3+ GPA

http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/sanfrancisco/opo/general-information.htm

[JustinHEMI05]

Same for swo.

NUCLEAR TRAINED OFFICER (NUPOC SURFACE)

- BA/BS/MS in preferred majors: Math, Physics, Engineering, and Chemistry.
- Within 2 ½ years of graduation (1yr - MS), with a minimum of:
-1 yr Calculus
-1 yr Calculus-based Physics11
- Competitive 3.3+ GPA

http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/sanfrancisco/opo/general-information.htm#16

[ChemicalEngineer24]

First off Justin the way you presented your response was neither helpful nor needed so I called you on it and second unless you hold a BS in Chemical engineering please do not act like a 2.93 is bad we have one of the strictest and hardest curriculum in any major which is why we are the highest paid of all majors out there. Now to the other two who presented the good info thank you so it says competitive not minimum. The minimum is stated on the navy's website under the NUPOC program. Would you think I should still apply or would it be a waist of my time. I would really like to try to get into this program as I have always loved studying everything nuclear right down to my dads Plant manuals that teach all of the concepts and technical aspects of BWR and PWR. If your intention was based on helping Justin I retract my first comment however please try to be more helpful instead of discouraging obviously I saw the response above me and you know you were being rude so dont negative karma me when you were the one acting rude. Thank you for all the responses especially those without rude comments before them.

[JustinHEMI05]

First off Justin the way you presented your response was neither helpful nor needed so I called you on it and second unless you hold a BS in Chemical engineering please do not act like a 2.93 is bad we have one of the strictest and hardest curriculum in any major which is why we are the highest paid of all majors out there. Now to the other two who presented the good info thank you so it says competitive not minimum. The minimum is stated on the navy's website under the NUPOC program. Would you think I should still apply or would it be a waist of my time. I would really like to try to get into this program as I have always loved studying everything nuclear right down to my dads Plant manuals that teach all of the concepts and technical aspects of BWR and PWR. If your intention was based on helping Justin I retract my first comment however please try to be more helpful instead of discouraging obviously I saw the response above me and you know you were being rude so dont negative karma me when you were the one acting rude. Thank you for all the responses especially those without rude comments before them.

Don't tell me what to do. You have no idea my intentions, but I assure you, it was helpful. It isn't my problem that you are overly sensitive to straight to the point help. Grow up, kid, no one here is going to coddle you and tell you that it is ok to carry a 2.93 gpa and be competitive.

Second, I know plenty of chem E's with 3.9 GPAs. Stop making excuses for yours because if by some slim chance you get invited for an interview, they won't accept "I had to work to pay for my degree," I'd wager.

[Gamecock]

Stop making excuses for yours because if by some slim chance you get invited for an interview, they won't accept "I had to work to pay for my degree," I'd wager.

You're right......

[ChemicalEngineer24]

wow first off I never said I would use that as a response and my question was was it worth applying and all you had to originally do was say yes or no you didnt need to add in your smart ass remarks.

[Gamecock]

wow first off I never said I would use that as a response and my question was was it worth applying and all you had to originally do was say yes or no you didnt need to add in your smart ass remarks.

If you meet the minimum standards, then apply.  However, I would recommend that Nuke Officer not be plan "A", as I have never heard of someone being interviewed for NUPOC with a sub 3.0 GPA .

Cheers,
GC

[ChemicalEngineer24]

But the negative karma crap is childish in and of itself buddy come on you are a adult act like it. I am not sensitive to my GPA I honestly wish I would have done better and work isnt a excuse and I know it. If my chances are less then slim I am wondering is there any chance of getting into the NUPOC program from the enlisted side after completing nuke school training or would I be better off going back to school for a second BS in Physics since most of my core classes are already concurrent with that major and work on bumping my GPA up to the 3.2 or better that I would need?

[Gamecock]

But the negative karma crap is childish in and of itself buddy come on you are a adult act like it. I am not sensitive to my GPA I honestly wish I would have done better and work isnt a excuse and I know it. If my chances are less then slim I am wondering is there any chance of getting into the NUPOC program from the enlisted side after completing nuke school training or would I be better off going back to school for a second BS in Physics since most of my core classes are already concurrent with that major and work on bumping my GPA up to the 3.2 or better that I would need?

Go get a masters.....not another BS.

Cheers,
GC

[ChemicalEngineer24]

a masters will do nothing for my Chemical engineering degree in terms of opening more job opportunities other than NUPOC however a double major in Physics I think would unless I am being ignorant. What about enlistment side how hard would it be to get into the NUPOC if I went that route?

[Gamecock]

a masters will do nothing for my Chemical engineering degree in terms of opening more job opportunities other than NUPOC however a double major in Physics I think would unless I am being ignorant. What about enlistment side how hard would it be to get into the NUPOC if I went that route?

Nobody can tell you that.  Once you enlist, your performance in the training pipeline is what counts.

[ChemicalEngineer24]

I am sorry let me rephrase that. If I decided to enlist how would I be able to get into the NUPOC program later pending good performance reviews and doing well in my nuke school training since I already have a BS.

[ChemicalEngineer24]

The thing is while I enjoy all that I have done while learning Chemical Engineering I have always been drawn to nuclear power mainly because my father is a operator at Columbia Generating Station in Washington. What would be a more realistic way to get into nuclear power then if NUPOC is not a option

[JustinHEMI05]

The thing is while I enjoy all that I have done while learning Chemical Engineering I have always been drawn to nuclear power mainly because my father is a operator at Columbia Generating Station in Washington. What would be a more realistic way to get into nuclear power then if NUPOC is not a option

Apply for an NLO position at a plant. You would be a competitive candidate for that.

Before responding, I sureyed my current class. Several mech Es, an EE, a chem E, physics and math. You would fit right in.

[ChemicalEngineer24]

Thanks Justin I really am sorry for my jumping attitude its a culmination of lack of sleep due to constant wisdom teeth pain. Ill be so relieved when I get them pulled tomorrow. What is the current pay for a NLO? Ill also ask my father since he is a instructor at the plant.

[JustinHEMI05]

Thanks Justin I really am sorry for my jumping attitude its a culmination of lack of sleep due to constant wisdom teeth pain. Ill be so relieved when I get them pulled tomorrow. What is the current pay for a NLO? Ill also ask my father since he is a instructor at the plant.

Yeah it varies wildly utility to utility, and plant to plant. It ranges anywhere from 20ish to 30ish/hr. USUALLY, you start in the 20s for training, and end up in the 30s once fully qualified.

On average though, a fully qualified NLO makes 100k+/ year.

[ChemicalEngineer24]

Im guessing once I transferred into the nuke world the experience I received wouldn't really go towards anything chemical engineer like per say am I correct? Just wondering people that go out and receive a nuclear engineering degree are they more then likely ending up working for nuclear power plants or what other options do they have other than navy? Obviously we are still a ways away from fusion however it would be nice to see a actual working reactor during my life time. What type of advancement opportunities are there at nuclear power plants with a BS? Would it be worth it to eventually go back for a MBA since I am assuming many management positions further up would require or at least desire such a degree

[ChemicalEngineer24]

I was talking with my father and he was telling me that they normally hire navy guys for NLO positions and while they do sometimes hire Chem E's they usually don't due to their lack of knowledge in the nuclear field to start with. If this is the case what could I do to help make myself more competitive without going through enlistment