Non Engineering Applicant

[gdavis]

Hello, I currently hold a BS in Mathematics with a 3.67 GPA. I have the year of physics that is required and of course the math requirement. All of my math courses are As and a few Bs and nothing but As in Physics. I don't see many non-engineering degree holders come through here so I was wondering about a few things:

Am I a competitive applicant for NUPOC even though my degree isn't in engineering?

Also, I have already been invited on the NVIP trip and scheduled a phone interview, should those be signs pointing to my competitiveness or are these steps that every applicant gets to?

Thanks for the information.

[Contract SRO]

Hello, I currently hold a BS in Mathematics with a 3.67 GPA. I have the year of physics that is required and of course the math requirement. All of my math courses are As and a few Bs and nothing but As in Physics. I don't see many non-engineering degree holders come through here so I was wondering about a few things:

Am I a competitive applicant even though my degree isn't in engineering?

Also, I have already been invited on the NVIP trip and scheduled a phone interview, should those be signs pointing to my competitiveness or are these steps that every applicant gets to?

Thanks for the information.

One question for you.  What are you applying for, commercial or military?  I am assuming military but just wanted to make sure.

[gdavis]

Applying for NUPOC. Sorry, didn't notice that I left that out.

[cheme09]

If you've getting VIP trip, then that's a good indication that you have enough of a background for them to spend some time on you.  The scholastic requirements are the calculus, calc-based physics and GPA.  If you've checked the boxes on those three items, I'd start working on the paperwork and studying the study guide and reviewing your calculus and physics.

[gdavis]

Ok. The only reason I ask is because most of the people I see on here are ME or Nuc. E and I looked at the study guide with a blank stare once I got past the Calculus and Physics sections.

[spekkio]

Non-technical major here.

They will only ask you questions from sections that you have studied formally in school. I had to integrate like 1/2x^2 or something silly like that. You're a math major so your questions could be quite a bit more involved than that, but you won't have to solve a circuit diagram or do a complex thermodynamics problem if you haven't taken any EE or ME courses.

[GLW]

Non-technical major here.

They will only ask you questions from sections that you have studied formally in school. I had to integrate like 1/2x^2 or something silly like that. You're a math major so your questions could be quite a bit more involved than that, but you won't have to solve a circuit diagram or do a complex thermodynamics problem if you haven't taken any EE or ME courses.

SIR BEDEVERE:  And that, my liege, is how we know the earth to be banana-shaped.
ARTHUR:  This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere.  Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes.
BEDEVERE:  Oh, certainly, sir.

[klj3827]

Non-technical major here.

They will only ask you questions from sections that you have studied formally in school. I had to integrate like 1/2x^2 or something silly like that. You're a math major so your questions could be quite a bit more involved than that, but you won't have to solve a circuit diagram or do a complex thermodynamics problem if you haven't taken any EE or ME courses.

I was a math major and got asked to solve a circuit diagram and reason out the answer to a thermo problem. I took neither class in college. Most of the interviewers aren't familiar with higher-level mathematics.

That being said, don't waste time trying to learn every topic in all engineering disciplines. I informed the interviewers I was not familiar with either topic and they wanted to see if I could reason my way through the answer. It's about demonstrating your ability to solve problems and think under pressure vice a regurgitation of every problem/fact you learned in college.

[gdavis]

Ok, so essentially just be ready to think on my feet and attempt to solve problems even if I'm winging it?

[spekkio]

SIR BEDEVERE:  And that, my liege, is how we know the earth to be banana-shaped.
ARTHUR:  This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere.  Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes.
BEDEVERE:  Oh, certainly, sir.

[dpt620]

Not to hijack this thread, but my question is just an add on to this so I figured this would be easier than making a new thread..

Is it possible for Non-engineering applicants (Math major, 3.83 GPA) to be selected Naval Reactors (from ROTC)?

[spekkio]

Not to hijack this thread, but my question is just an add on to this so I figured this would be easier than making a new thread..

Is it possible for Non-engineering applicants (Math major, 3.83 GPA) to be selected Naval Reactors (from ROTC)?

NROTC commissions URL officers so no. Only way of not going URL is to be physically DQ.

[dpt620]

everything I've heard is that 10-15 top candidates are commissioned through NR as an exception (both anecdotal and through NROTC officers at different units, similar policy to medical corps)

[Gamecock]

They will only ask you questions from sections that you have studied formally in school.

Again.... you are wrong.....

When I did these interviews, I asked every candidate the same questions.... regardless of what their transcript said.

The interviewer is free to ask whatever he/she feels like!

[Gamecock]

NROTC commissions URL officers so no. Only way of not going URL is to be physically DQ.

Incorrect.

[spekkio]

Again.... you are wrong.....

When I did these interviews, I asked every candidate the same questions.... regardless of what their transcript said.

The interviewer is free to ask whatever he/she feels like!

There is a disconnect between your office and recruiters then. I was specifically instructed not to study anything beyond the basic calc and physics problems in the gouge packet because that is all I had studied. I also remember seeing the technical course condensed transcript to check for errors before we started the interviews. The questions I got asked in my interviews were directly out of those sections. A couple guys got what they thought were curveballs but they were engineering majors.

I know you can't say but I'm curious what you asked that would equally challenge all majors.

Also I should clarify that when I was talking circuits in my head I was picturing something more complex than applying Ohms law, kirchoffs law, and Lorenz's laws that you cover in physics 2.

[klj3827]

Not to hijack this thread, but my question is just an add on to this so I figured this would be easier than making a new thread..

Is it possible for Non-engineering applicants (Math major, 3.83 GPA) to be selected Naval Reactors (from ROTC)?

They took a math major out of ROTC 5 years ago.