Army and Royal Marines Officer Entry Question

[jabcrosshook]

Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

I'll only post this here, to save room.
Today I visited the British Army website with the aim of getting an answer to a question that has been niggling at me for a while.
If I don’t hold A-Levels or equivalent, but I do hold higher qualifications, would I still be eligible for Officer entry?
I was given an answer by a recruitment advisor, which was that I would be required to obtain A-Levels or equivalent, but to be honest they didn’t seem to be a hundred percent sure and couldn’t give me a definitive answer, which still leaves me slightly curious.
So, here I am again hoping that someone “in the know” could answer the question for me, so do I need to go acquire A-Levels or equivalent even though I am already heading towards university level qualifications?

Thank you for your time again, it will be greatly appreciated.

P.S. How is everyone?

[dwarfy]

Hi mate,

I am not sure of the answer for you on this one, however I was in a similar'ish' postition with my qualiifcations. From my experience they are quite rigid with their requirements and don't do much to shift from them. I have 9 GCSE's, 7 at C and above, 3 A-levels and a History Degree (2:1) but was unable to attempt AOSB due my having gained only a D in GSCE maths.....over TEN years ago. Since then I have been required, through various employments to use maths in everday work and have passed a number of graduate scheme maths tests that are at a higher level than GCSE grade C standard.

As you can imagine, it really did p*** me off to be told that I was not academically qualified to attempt officer selection, and whilst I am aware that there is far more to it than academic ability, that only serves to p*** me off even more as I believed my best chances of passing AOSB lay in my other qualities and abilities. Anyway, to cut a long story short after exhausting all possibilities such as taking NVQ equivalents or sitting a test in the AFCO to prove my ability in maths, it ended up that it was simply a no go and that was that. So with that in mind mate, I would start the ball rolling on gaining the A-levels and then if and when you get the news that they are or are not required then you can adjust your plans as you need to.

Good luck,

Dwarfy

[jabcrosshook]

Cheers Dwarfy. It's going to be a right ballache.

[dwarfy]

It is indeed. I',m in 'think' mode at the moment, and very unsure of what to do about it all. As it stands, I cant see things working out for me in the RMR as after being made redundant my new job simply does not work with it.

So i'm on the brink of joining full time as I really dont like my civvy job and only do it because financially I have no choice. Over the last few years I really feel like I have gained some valuable experience and felt really confident in attempting Officer selection. In the past, I'll be honest, I didnt have it so I am gutted. My other consideration was attempting for general entry in the Int Corps but I have now found out that I am eligable to join the Australian Army (I have Dual Nationality) as an Officer as my grades are good enough. Its a real shame as I also noticed that the Aussie forces give those without the correct grades an opportunity to prove themsleves as 'up to the standard' for Officer selection with a different selection route, shame they dont do that here.

So im on the brink of heading to Oz.

[tom163]

I am only 19 and just finished college. I was tried to get in as a Officer in the Mercian Regiment but lacked the grades. While at the recruiting office they rang Sandhurst and said they need a minimum of 3 GCSE's at C or above and 2 A Levels. They like people with A's & B's though .

[sterion66]

It's all kind of strange selection they ask you to a TST for certain jobs and the reason stated is that they don't trust GCSE / school education. Yet on the other hand you get told you need 3 A levels or equivalent.

Those sort of levels of qualifications do prove your ability to learn skills although a nation wide test known as your 11+ also does the same thing allowing you to enter into an education which i was told puts you in the top 10% when it comes to intellect at that level. 12 GCSE's A-C and IQ tested at 140 but i also wouldn't be eligible for officer.

Long and short of it is stick at college or uni if you want to be an officer. The guidelines are very stiff and unfortunately mean common sense by the sounds of isn't exercised.

In answer to your question Jab 3 A levels or equivalent, well if you have higher education just work out the UCAS points. For a C grade at A level i believe you awarded 60 points. A minimum of 180 points would therefore be required for what they are asking. So if you have any arguments just point out your qualifications are equivalent.

http://www.tcea.org.uk/Documents/ucas_points_system.htm
http://www.ucas.com/students/ucas_tarif ... bles/#adip

Those links may help. No disrespect is intended by any of my comments for those who are officers i just disagree with the vetting procedures.

Mike

[dwarfy]

Long and short of it is stick at college or uni if you want to be an officer. The guidelines are very stiff and unfortunately mean common sense by the sounds of isn't exercised.

No disrespect is intended by any of my comments for those who are officers i just disagree with the vetting procedures.

Mike

Well I did and got both A-levels and a degree yet that is not enough for me to attempt officer selection. I must say I believe its a fairly narrow minded approach from the AFCO's to reject potentially good officers based purely on their 'percieved' (ie the grades or lack of them, that they have gained) academic ability. As I have mentioned above, the Aussies counter this by offering a route where by those who dont have the academic 'proof' of their intelligence can prove themselves through tests before being allowed to attempt officer selection. I find it a real shame that this fairly simple procedure is not conducted here, and I say that not just because the current format bars myself but because I dont believe that grades and exams are the only indicator of either intelligence or ability.

Of course an officer MUST have the academic ability, but after that has been proved, it is more about his other qualities, and I truely believe there may be many who have those qualities who will be sifted out before being giving a chance to prove it. In the same context, I know friends from my past who have gained excellent grades throughout their academic life, but who couldn't lead or inspire an other human being in any given context.

No disrespect to any young people attemtping Officer selection, but to me it seems ludicrous that, in theory, an 18 year old(who has 3 A-levels) with very little life experience, who has never dealt with hard situations or people in a work situation or managed or supervised people and who in all fairness has NOT completed academic work at a high level is percieved to be more of a worthy candidate for officer selection than myself, purely because at the age of 16, over ten years ago I got a grade D in maths GCSE.

Anyway, that is how it is so I can rant and rant and that wont change.