Officer Packet

[HonuDiver]

Hello there! 
I am AD E6 Navy with 12 years in service. I am wanting to get a degree to be able to put in an officer packet. Has anyone ever done this with a CLEP strategy using any the big 3 and then be accepted? 
Would love to hear any stories from anyone AD using this to switch over to the gold side. 

Thanks so much!

[rachel83az]

You can certainly utilize CLEPs if you want to do so. Both TESU and UMPI are good schools for military, depending on whether you're likely to be sent on a training mission or if you've currently got a desk job and will have steady internet access for the next 6-12 months.

[bradonomics]

The big 3 are all regionally accredited so they'll check the box you're looking to check.

I found a few threads on Reddit that might be interesting to you:

• WGU and Commissioning from Someone who Graduated from WGU
  
• WGU bachelors degree to commission as an officer in the US Navy?
  
• Question/s about OCS
  
• Thomas Edison State University or Other university?
  
• Thomas Edison State University
  
• Officer chances? (Excelsior)
  
• commission with a degree from WGU?
  

...seems like military types hang out on Reddit more than this board.

[bjcheung77]

Excelsior, TESU, UMPI, WGU, are all great examples for military students... Here's a comparison for Excelsior/TESU I wrote about recently, you can take the minimum at Excelsior or TESU (6/7 credits) and use alternative credit for the remainder of the credits, it's affordable for military as they have specific tuition discounts. Link: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid396226

[Not_a_robot_101]

Hono,

I see a lot of folks chiming in, but none of them are actually military, so I figured I would add my two cents. I’m AD, and I did a CLEP/DSST + Sophia, Straighterline, Study.com, Instacert plus military credits route through TESU for my BSBA. Had everything done in less than a year and used it to apply for CWO. Funny enough, I was offered a commission, but elected to turn it down because I wanted to make a run at Master Chief. Long story short, it works with JST and if you do it right, should show up as a 4.0 final GPA if you get A’s in your two mandatory TESU classes. Also, I was accepted into an MPA program from Jacksonville State with this degree, so don’t worry about how it might be viewed.

-Robot

[GameSlinger]

The military commissioning route is a perfect example of a check box requirement. As long as the final degree meets the requirements, you can work on the other requirements of the package and forget about it. Until you get to be senior commissioned and politics become a bigger factor than skills, any "applicable" degree will suit your needs.

[sarahmac]

The military commissioning route is a perfect example of a check box requirement. As long as the final degree meets the requirements, you can work on the other requirements of the package and forget about it. Until you get to be senior commissioned and politics become a bigger factor than skills, any "applicable" degree will suit your needs.

YMMV. This may be true for Navy, but not AF. Not only do specific degrees qualify you for specific jobs according to the AFOCD CIP Education Matrices (you get a file code depending on the specific degree and type), but often they only take certain jobs on certain boards. So someone who goes and gets a checkbox degree is going to have a really hard time getting past a board.

It's super important for AF folks to first know which officer jobs they're going for and to select a major on the feeder list for that job. It's not like other services where that's only true for engineering, law, chaplaincy etc., most jobs are affected.

[Charles Fout]

Hono,

I see a lot of folks chiming in, but none of them are actually military, so I figured I would add my two cents. I’m AD, and I did a CLEP/DSST + Sophia, Straighterline, Study.com, Instacert plus military credits route through TESU for my BSBA. Had everything done in less than a year and used it to apply for CWO. Funny enough, I was offered a commission, but elected to turn it down because I wanted to make a run at Master Chief. Long story short, it works with JST and if you do it right, should show up as a 4.0 final GPA if you get A’s in your two mandatory TESU classes. Also, I was accepted into an MPA program from Jacksonville State with this degree, so don’t worry about how it might be viewed.

-Robot

Good discussion. Not_a_robot_101's input leads me to ask - To which officer ascension program do you intend to apply?

Sustained superior performance is essential regardless of the path you chose to take.

Should you intend on applying for Chief Warrant Officer (after you become a Chief) or Limited Duty officer, your  off-duty educational achievements may of little to no significance. 

My basic advice is especially relevant here. Utilize your network! 

As an enlisted person in the world's greatest navy, you probably already have many mechanisms in place to help you discover your potential. 

Have you discussed your goals with your Chief and or Career Counselor? 

Consider requesting a discussion with the Professional Development Board, should your organization have one.