Any tips or advice for someone starting out?

[Mocephus5396]

Hi all, I am slowly working towards, hopefully, securing a pilot slot. I just turned 22 and aim to build up my resume and experiences over the next three years. This is where I stand currently as far as scores, education, and experience:

AFOQT: P:99/CSO:91/ABM:97/AA:44/V:37/Q:53

TBAS/PCSM: (Taking it at the end of this month) 

Education: Double major in Mathematics & Education w/ a 3.52 GPA

Leadership: None

Flight hours: 0

My goal is to have a PPL by the age of 25 or 26 (financial reasons) and start rushing/applying by this age too.

I know the last three scores on my AFOQT are a bit lackluster, should I plan on retaking? What can I start doing now to make myself more competitive over the next three years? What leadership/volunteering experiences should I look to? Where should my LORs come from (i.e. military personnel or civilian)? 

Any tips or advice regarding this would be a tremendous help, thank you!

[ryleypav]

Tons of good tips, advice, and answers to all your questions on here. Just gotta start digging. I'd start applying as soon as you have all the scores and application packet materials. No need to wait. The PPL will definitely help, but you may as well start slinging applications. Why take away 3 years of getting your name out there.

[wikz]

like ryley said, lots of good answers to your questions all over this forum; but I have no problem taking a swing at your questions.

Your AFOQT scores are great. you could definitely get picked up by a fighter sq. (assuming that's what your interested in?) but expect them to ask a question like "your rated scores are outstanding, but why are your other sections low?" in an interview.

 I would advise against retaking the AFOQT and mitigating your stress. keep those scores because if you retook the test they take the most recent rated scores, not the highest. if you feel like you are competent enough to get the same or higher rated scores, go of it. the last three sections will take the highest scores of either tests.

I wouldn't say leadership experiences weigh too heavy on the application side, but it is an all around beneficial characteristic. any kind of leadership will boost your application.

In regards to your LOR's, I suggest getting it from college professors, your boss, or if you have any high ranked military personnel connections. (mentors)

if you're interested in it, bogidope.com has a good deal. they scrutinize applications and help you prepare for interviews.

2 on what ryley said, the younger you are, the more appealing you are to units. start shooting your application.

best of luck!

 

[O Face]

On 6/24/2023 at 4:41 AM, wikz said:

like ryley said, lots of good answers to your questions all over this forum; but I have no problem taking a swing at your questions.

Your AFOQT scores are great. you could definitely get picked up by a fighter sq. (assuming that's what your interested in?) but expect them to ask a question like "your rated scores are outstanding, but why are your other sections low?" in an interview.

 I would advise against retaking the AFOQT and mitigating your stress. keep those scores because if you retook the test they take the most recent rated scores, not the highest. if you feel like you are competent enough to get the same or higher rated scores, go of it. the last three sections will take the highest scores of either tests.

I wouldn't say leadership experiences weigh too heavy on the application side, but it is an all around beneficial characteristic. any kind of leadership will boost your application.

In regards to your LOR's, I suggest getting it from college professors, your boss, or if you have any high ranked military personnel connections. (mentors)

if you're interested in it, bogidope.com has a good deal. they scrutinize applications and help you prepare for interviews.

2 on what ryley said, the younger you are, the more appealing you are to units. start shooting your application.

best of luck!

 

Appreciate your enthusiasm, but remember the other day when you asked me how to not be annoying?  Well,  I guess I overestimated you when I said “you know what annoying looks like.”
 

It’s  time for lesson one…

Don’t be a poser and jump into a conversation, acting like you know what you’re talking about, and giving someone advice on something you know nothing about. In fact, you’re a lot further behind mocephus in this process, as you have not even taken the AFOQT or began college yet. Most importantly, you have absolutely no clue if he could “definitely get picked up by a fighter sq” or any squadron for that matter, or what a squadron will ask on an interview.  There’s a whole lot more to getting selected for pilot than AFOQT scores. Also, on a personal note unless an applicant was a teacher’s aid or worked for them in some capacity, I give letters of recommendation from a college professor about the same level of credence as if from the guy taking my order at the Taco Bell drive thru. 

The folks answering these questions are dudes who have gone through the process, succeeded, and now have the experience to give aspiring pilots some advice.  I realize that the internet is a cesspool of horseshit and people pretending to be experts, and yes these forums are full of threads where pilots think we’re lawyers, financial planners, and politicians.  However, when it comes to AF pilot questions, it’s best if you left the answers to those who are.  Let’s try to maintain a degree of validity here. 

Lesson two: Humility.
Mocephus scored a 99 on his pilot, that’s as high as you can get. He knows it’s a good score. You should’ve answered his post by saying something like “Damn!  Great pilot score. Do you have any pointers for me so that I can score that high too?” instead of acting like you’ve been sitting on hiring boards for years.  You seem like a bright and eager kid, that’s good and I’m definitely not trying to crush your spirit here. I’m certain you’ve spent hours combing these threads and picking up whatever morsels of intel you can digest.  However, don’t confuse regurgitating the words of others as personal experience.  Make sense?

 

[wikz]

 @O FaceAhhh, I am sorry. Always kinda felt like I was putting too much feet forward trying to answer questions based off of everything I've read and what I learned. I definitely wasn't trying to pose, I just enjoy this thread and helping people out. no indignation; I understand my mistake and thank you for the mental and characteristic check. 

[O Face]

No problem. You’re learning and showing some humility. Keep up the good work. 

[O Face]

On 6/7/2023 at 9:54 AM, Mocephus5396 said:

Hi all, I am slowly working towards, hopefully, securing a pilot slot. I just turned 22 and aim to build up my resume and experiences over the next three years. This is where I stand currently as far as scores, education, and experience:

AFOQT: P:99/CSO:91/ABM:97/AA:44/V:37/Q:53

TBAS/PCSM: (Taking it at the end of this month) 

Education: Double major in Mathematics & Education w/ a 3.52 GPA

Leadership: None

Flight hours: 0

My goal is to have a PPL by the age of 25 or 26 (financial reasons) and start rushing/applying by this age too.

I know the last three scores on my AFOQT are a bit lackluster, should I plan on retaking? What can I start doing now to make myself more competitive over the next three years? What leadership/volunteering experiences should I look to? Where should my LORs come from (i.e. military personnel or civilian)? 

Any tips or advice regarding this would be a tremendous help, thank you!

Are you planning on going Active Duty or applying to Guard and Reserve units?  

[Mocephus5396]

Thank you all for the replies! My apologies for getting back to y'all a little late, it's been a busy summer. 

*Update* 

Took the TBAS yesterday and got my scores back today. Got a PCSM score of 61 without any flight hours (I'm not sure if this is good, bad, or if I should retake)

I haven't made a complete decision on AD or reserves but I am leaning more toward reserves since it is a bit more subjective.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Mocephus5396

[dumpster flyer]

36 minutes ago, Mocephus5396 said:

Thank you all for the replies! My apologies for getting back to y'all a little late, it's been a busy summer. 

*Update* 

Took the TBAS yesterday and got my scores back today. Got a PCSM score of 61 without any flight hours (I'm not sure if this is good, bad, or if I should retake)

I haven't made a complete decision on AD or reserves but I am leaning more toward reserves since it is a bit more subjective.

Awesome AFOQT pilot score.

Retake the TBAS and get as many flight hours as you can. Aim for a 90+ PCSM. If going reserves or guard, some squadrons won’t bother with you at 0 flight hours and that PCSM score. 
 

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by atomatoflames
Words/phrasing

[Mocephus5396]

@atomatoflames Thank you for the advice! I'll definitely retake ASAP! I am hopeful I can start building some hours in the spring after graduation. 

[FourFans]

On 6/7/2023 at 10:54 AM, Mocephus5396 said:

Hi all, I am slowly working towards, hopefully, securing a pilot slot. I just turned 22 and aim to build up my resume and experiences over the next three years. This is where I stand currently as far as scores, education, and experience:

AFOQT: P:99/CSO:91/ABM:97/AA:44/V:37/Q:53

TBAS/PCSM: (Taking it at the end of this month) 

Education: Double major in Mathematics & Education w/ a 3.52 GPA

Leadership: None

Flight hours: 0

My goal is to have a PPL by the age of 25 or 26 (financial reasons) and start rushing/applying by this age too.

I know the last three scores on my AFOQT are a bit lackluster, should I plan on retaking? What can I start doing now to make myself more competitive over the next three years? What leadership/volunteering experiences should I look to? Where should my LORs come from (i.e. military personnel or civilian)? 

Any tips or advice regarding this would be a tremendous help, thank you!

What are your long term goals?  Screw the 5/10/15 year plan crap, what do you want to do in life?  Do you want to be the best fighter pilot that's ever lived?  Do you want to be a pilot that makes a difference in peoples lives?  Does it not matter at all what you fly?  This is important: don't hold back or logic eliminate something.  What's your dream?  You want to fly Marine One someday?  You want to be the first man to step on Mars?  What is it?  All the numbers and all the rest need to be secondary to the driving force.  When a measure becomes a target (such as the AFOQT), it's no longer an effective measure.  What's your real target?