SSGoat

iTrader: (2)

Hello, its me again, well i decided to finally join the Marines..
went to the recruiting station where my cousin was recruited to speak to his recruiter..
well he ended up telling me they will not take me
reason being, when i finished high school to get my diploma i went through 3 schools, traditional, independent learning, and adult school..
apparently there are some changes in the rules from when my cousin was recruited that i now cannot join, my cousin joined 5 months ago same status as me, graduated after different schools, the recruiter told me if he tried to join today the Marines would not take him..
he said, unless i want to go to another branch, i have to get 6 months of college, but i want to join now, my question is: is there a way around it? i mean i have my diploma, and im pretty much qualified, the only thing stopping me is cause i didnt graduate from a traditional school
anyone have useful information i can use?

my friends dad is in the Army (14 years in service so far) and i had talked to him previously before making my decision to join the military, he said he can hook me up in the Army but idk im kinda biased cause of my families history and i want the Marines..

if there is no way around the college then i will either go to college, or see what the Army has to offer..

thanks in advance for any info..

waterbug1999

iTrader: (3)

go take a few classes for 6 moths.. big freakin deal.

1FASTBIRD

iTrader: (21)

If you want to be a Marine badly then suck up the 6 month classes and do it... The Marines are not going anywhere and will still be here... Like said if you want it that badly then prove it by going to college...

SSGoat

iTrader: (2)

i am
didnt mean to sound like i was bitching but i figured its odd that a few months ago i didnt need all of that, but yes im already looking at classes i can take for next semester, unless of course i like what the Army has to offer..

thanks for the input

1FASTBIRD

iTrader: (21)

They are changing a lot of the requirements for some reason... Maybe a someone that is a recruiter on here can put more info out there for you

hawk584

iTrader: (1)

do you have a high school diploma in hand?...

jmurray87

iTrader: (1)

^Because so many people were trying to join any branch for a while when the economy went down the drain...to help cut back the large amount they had to up the requirements as well so they didnt get way to many people.

Longshot LCMS

iTrader: (1)

My brother in law had to do the same thing... He did his 6 months and now he's a Marine. If you want it bad enough, you'll do it. Suck it up. Earned, never given means just that.

99FormulaM6

iTrader: (21)

What school did you get your diploma from? And how many signatures are on the bottom.. I will look it up and see what Tier rating it has..

I am a Navy recruiter, and if you have a GED, or a b.s. diploma, you need 15 college credits, or 675 clock hours of VOTECH to be eligible. If you have no diploma, you need 24 credits to qualify.

johnlv6

iTrader: (3)

I just can't get over the fact that high school guidance counselors and teachers are not advising students and parents that some of these diplomas can be useless, depending on what they're wanting to do.

99FormulaM6

iTrader: (21)

what gets me are when kids come into my office with a 'diploma' that they got, but at the bottom it is signed by the 'Florida GED Administrator'

The counselors at my high schools know the requirements for the Navy and will call me to talk to kids that they think could use some help

gnasty1521

iTrader: (7)

^^^ That's the problem now-a-days. The people that "need help" can't join because the requirements have gone up tremendously. I turn away walk-ins all day because it was their last resort. Kinda pisses me off because people wait until they have nowhere to turn to come into the military and get mad when you tell them they are disqualified. What happened to guys finishing school, and staying out of trouble? Either way, suck it up and continue your education, you will be a better person for it.

TransWS6Am

iTrader: (41)

lol you know whats sooooo funny, i joined the marine corps 6 years ago, without a diaploma or a GED. Still in in right now, just got my ged last year. No one can figure out how i got in without a diaploma or GED.

99FormulaM6

iTrader: (21)

Technically, you can join the Navy without a diploma and GED, you just don't see it happen often. Funny thing is, a female in Miami joined today without either. Right now, the Navy is looking for females, which is why that happened. But you don't see it often.

SSGoat

iTrader: (2)

sorry for the late reply, been kinda busy with work and stuff..
well yea i decided ima just continue to go to school, ima check out my friends dads army recruiter and see what they have to offer, but either way i am going to school whether i go army or marines.. i figured wether i join now or after college ima be PFC in both time periods so might as well..

and for the school questions, i went to traditional highschool till 10th grade, 11th and half of 12th i went to an independent learning school, did most of my credits there, and when i had 15 credits left to finish, i went to an adult school where i completed the classes missing and received all of my credits (accidentaly took an extra class and graduated with 2.5 extra credits, not that it matters but just saying..) and completed school, graduation is in june so im guessing im getting my diploma then, but im trying to find time to just go pick it up right now to have it and see if infact it was signed with "multiple" names

im not looking to just get by and get into the military, i know i have to earn everything myself, its just that that was pretty much my motivation that helped me finish, to finish so i could get into the military, and now i have to do more, but it will help even more by continuing into college so its all good..

erasedgod

Because you went to the independent learning school, it took you from "Tier-I" to "Tier-II". Completing the college requirements will take you back up to Tier-I. Because the Marine Corps has reached its 202,000 member goal, recruiting has slowed and standards have gone up. The Corps is taking very few (less than 5%) Tier-II applicants. Also, waivers are hard to come by for most things.

My advice to you would be: Get the required college credits (15 semester-hours of 100 level or higher at an accredited school; in-class only). While doing that, get yourself in peak physical shape and stay out of trouble. If you're otherwise qualified, it should be no problem. If you're not, don't expect them to make any exceptions because people are lining up around the metaphorical block to be Marines.

Good luck and if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

NoTractionLS1

Just do college and get a degree and if you still wanna join be a officer look into the ROTC program...that way you get paid more when your in and you can auclty use your skills when you do get out...my mos (0317) skills means nothing unless I went into swat or some sort or high speed government job,. And still I would have to do alot more schools. So think about that when picking your mos, but that was my choice...it all really comes down to what you wanna do its your life.

And dont let your recruiter screw you over ask questions alot of them and read everything you sign...you are giving your *** to them.

O and I get out in 3 weeks..haha!

ace68

iTrader: (15)

what school you went?

SSGoat

iTrader: (2)

i meant within the year, i would rank up to pfc or with the credits id join later and be pfc after bootcamp.. im saying both will take the same ammount of time to achieve.

but i decided to stay in school.. going to the army national guard, they have way more opportunities for school and i can get a job at the base, get payed double.
went to meps already and did everything and qualified for everything, failed the aims test cause i didnt know how to take it but im working on it for the retake.

thanks everyone for the info, i realized i was just biased about wanting to join so bad, i mean i still do but school wise, i will benefit more in the national guard.

education is really important, i realized that too late. but we all have to make the best of what we have right.

formulafast

iTrader: (1)

ahh dont worry we will be going to war with mexico cartel soon anyways (anyone else here about the drug cartel threating the border town in texas?) said they will kill everyone and burn their houses if they dont do what they say. Mexico here I come with a 1000lbs jdam!