Is this a good sign?

[chrisburden21]

Back when I went through OASC the scoring was out of 4.

As TJD says, you should be looking to achieve 4's on the interview and fitness, two of the areas that are potential easy points.

Good Luck to those of you who are going this month.

CB.

[GemmaLS]

Thats weird, I could've sworn that Gemma posted a messae earlier today thats now missing?!?!

Yep, I did post but wasn't sure of the information and decided to retract it.

[Anna]

You are also scored for your performance on the fitness test - the fitter you are the morepoints you get - basically its easy points and can make all the difference in your overall grading.

Also, I am sure that I posted the details of the scoring system some time ago (close to a year ago now) why not have a click on my profile and trawl through some of the posts as I am sure it is in there somewhere.

Having just had my scores back from OASC I can tell you that they no longer use your fitness test as part of the matrix - it doesn't count towards your final boarding grade. Instead you are now given a comment on each of the 3 parts of the fitness test (good, very good, creditable etc). I am sure they will still be using this in comparing various candidates for selection however, it no longer gets graded by a number.

Hope that helps

[mathilda]

Scores are out of a total of 9 for each section:

Appearance and bearing: Build, bearing, dress, grooming.

Manner: Confidence, composure, poise, polish, alertness, sense of occasion, humour, courtesy.

Speech and Powers of Expression: Vocabulary, fluency, diction,lucidity,logic, conviction,persuasiveness,projection,animation,effectiveness.

Academic level/potential: how well qualified for IOT/desired branch, determination,further potential, ease of obtaining qualification, attitude to studies.

Activities/interests: Range/type, sense of purpose, adventure, responsibility, involvement, tenacity, dedication, determination,initiative, independence,enterprise,social awareness,commitment,cultural balance,compatability.

Physical level/potential: How well preapred physically for IOT, sporting prowess, ruggedness, Adventure, endurance, determination, frequency of exercise, attitude to fitness.

Motivation: Motives for RAF and chosen branch, how well substantiated, sincerity, preparation, conviction, enthusiasm.

Awareness: Interests in/ awareness of military/ current affairs, maturity of views, ability to reason, originality of views, relate to age.

Overall impact: Force of personality, Presence, assertiveness, strength of impact, reaction to pressure.

Recommendation for part 2 is either: Strongly recommended, recommended, borderline, not recommended or unsuitable.

Hope this may be of some assistance to you going through the interview at OASC. Max score is 81.

[GemmaLS]

Just thought I'd let you know that I have just had a letter from OASC telling me that I have been put in the October competition too. The letters states that the meeting will be held in late october, so I figure we have a few weeks to go yet.

I've been told (by someone who's rang cranwell) that the board meeting is next week, rumour has it the whole thing starts on the 25th. The date's not from an official source though. But it's definitely next week.

The wait begins...

[rogue0809]

just wanted to wish everyone luck as i havent been on for a wee while and i know that the review must be approaching v soon so fingers crossed for everyone! has anyone heard any def dates when they will start releasing answers. anyone even heard anything yet.

take care guys

rogue

[GemmaLS]

has anyone heard any def dates when they will start releasing answers.

Haven't heard yet. I've found that it seems to be easier for a CO of a serving member to get info from OASC then it is for a civilian candidate. The last meeting was on 1st/2nd of August. I rang up on the 1st and they said they couldn't tell me. However, someone's CO rang up Cranwell earlier this month and was told it was this week - go figure. The letters will probably start arriving tommorrow morning (if it's true that the meeting starts today).

Good luck Rogue and Anna - and anyone else waiting

[wannabe_rock]

Scores are out of a total of 9 for each section:

Appearance and bearing: Build, bearing, dress, grooming.

Forgive me for being totally naive about this, but how does your build come into anything? I can understand that at OASC somebody may be considered too small to carry out the job of a regiment officer, but isn't one of the points of officer training and JROC to increase your strength and stamina.

Also am I to assume that if you are built big this can go aginst you?

Surely if somebody is good enough you can't hold there build against them.

[GemmaLS]

Forgive me for being totally naive about this, but how does your build come into anything?

It appears that this score reflects how you present and take care of yourself - is your hair tidy, have you dressed smartly? Maybe the build part is to do with weight. If someone comes in overweight, it might (health problems aside) show they don't care too much about their health/fitness and are generally lazy.

If you're built like a brick s**thouse and are solid muscle, then it probably wouldn't go against you. Unless of course you're over the weight limit for your branch.

Apart from that - no clue!

[Biggles1211]

When I joined I was actually over the height/weight for joining, but I had a bodyfat analysis and it was 13%. I played a lot of rugby at the time and was actually supposed to be obese. Your height/weight is a medical issue and doesn't form a past of the interview consideration.

However, the term 'build' in the interview scoring is more likely to be the interviewers overall impression of your physical shape and appearance. Remember, at the time of the interview you haven't yet taken part in the fitness assessment, so they had to gauge your probable fitness through your appearance (or at least balance that with the claims you would make in interview). It's probably a bit of a legacy from when the fitness test took place in Part 2 of selection...and they had to decide whether to send you forwards to that. Also, interviewers don't HAVE to comment on every issue within a certain field...only those aspects that are significantly above or below average. If they mention someone's build being poor...it's probably because they've just interviewed a bloater who was claiming to run 5 minute miles (this does happen...when unfit blaggers have no comprehension of a realisitic running pace!)

[Big Cheese]

Evening all,

Good luck for everyone still in the sift!!

In regards to the fitness tests, am I right that they're no longer assessed? If so how comes it's still in the battery of tasks on OASC?

At a guess is it an indicator for successful applicants of how their fitness needs to improve when at IOT?

Cheers all

BC

[GemmaLS]

The fitness test is not only used to filter out the terribly unfit who won't last 2 seconds on IOT, it's also used as a bit of a decider. If there's only one Pilot place left and they have 2 candidates with identical scores and reviews, the one who got the higher on the fitness test will get the place.

Thanks for the good luck

[Biggles1211]

It is ALSO a test of your motivation. Candidates are told at their presentations that they will take the test and that they need to do lots of fitness training in order to perform well on the test.

If you don't score well on the test - it can only mean that you didn't bother to make an effort to prepare for it. Having been advised to train, you didn't have the motivation to do so.

Would it be unfair for the OASC selection staff to then make the assumption that you would possess the same level of motivation in all other aspects of your preparation for selection? Would it be unfair for them to assume that you would have that same lack of motivation on IOT or in your duties as an RAF Officer? Would it be fair for them to assume that you weren't really THAT bothered about becoming a commissioned officer in the RAF?

Personally, I REALLY REALLY wanted to become an RAF Officer. So, in preparation for OASC, I trained my arse off. I passed selection. Go figure.....

[spaceballz]

Hi Guys and gals,

I know I'm bringing up a question from the past but is the individual planning exercise marked out of 4 like the rest?

Just asking as when I went through they'd taken it out and we were assessed on our fitness - of which the two have now been reversed.

Thanks in advance everyone and glad to hear that people are getting the 'big' letter!!!

[rogue0809]

hey spaceballz, yea the problem solving like all sections of part 2 are scored out of 4. not sure why they took out the scoring part of the fitness test tho, doesnt make any sense to me as showing a v high level of fitness also shows commitment and potential to be trained thru iot. however, im sure they have their reasons and im also sure they are good ones.

regards
rogue