Getting into CMA? a veteran's prospects

CMA folks,
I am in need of some guidance so here it goes. Right now I’m enlisted in the Navy and I am nearing the end of it. I want to stay out to sea but I am done being enlisted, I earned two Associates’ degrees while in, climbed up as high as I can go and I am ready to make the next step towards something better. I plan on applying to California Maritime because I want to stay out here. Depending if I get in, I’d like to strike into either the Strategic Sealift Officer Program or NROTC since the job market even for the maritime industry is a rocky place. Here are some of the questions that are bugging me. How hard is it to get into the California Maritime Academy? I’ve noticed a 69% acceptance rate since, but I’ve heard of many majors becoming impacted now. I have good grades but I am still worried since this would be my first time applying to any Academy. Is it hard to get into an officer program once in the academy? I’ve heard most grads end up taking the Merchant Marine route because the job market is in such a difficult state, how true is that and for that matter is it hard to get into the Merchant Marine? These are my questions and I would really appreciate your support. Thank you.
Very Respectfully,
Carlos Caro, USN

I’m a little confused by your post. You already stated the acceptance rate. That answers one question. Next you say you may want to do the sso or NROTC program because of the job market, then later state most grads end up taking the merchant marine rout because of the job market. That is two contradicting statements, or you do not know what a merchant marine is.

What do you want to do? Go commissioned in the navy? If so, check out the seaman to admiral program. Want to be a merchant mariner? Complete the license program. Want to play navy commissioned officer two weeks a year and be a merchant mariner, do the sso program… Think you need to do some more research.

[QUOTE=Lone_Star;113392]I’m a little confused by your post. You already stated the acceptance rate. That answers one question. Next you say you may want to do the sso or NROTC program because of the job market, then later state most grads end up taking the merchant marine rout because of the job market. That is two contradicting statements, or you do not know what a merchant marine is.

What do you want to do? Go commissioned in the navy? If so, check out the seaman to admiral program. Want to be a merchant mariner? Complete the license program. Want to play navy commissioned officer two weeks a year and be a merchant mariner, do the sso program… Think you need to do some more research.[/QUOTE]

Lone Star,
I guess I posted that up a bit too thoughlessly. I know what the Merchant Marine is, but apprently I am just confused about the SSO program. I’ve heard that most grads get out and can’t find jobs other than the Merchant Marine so they end up there. I just thought the SSO program facilitated that process while in the Academy? I know about the STA21 program but to do that I would have to extend my enlistment and thats just something I dont want to do right now. I would at this point rather go into the SSO program rather than NROTC or STA21. As for the acceptance rate, well honestly Lone Star, this would be my first time applying to college since HS and I dont know if 70% is really that great of an acceptance rate. Thank you for your support and guidance.
V/R,
islandtiger

I’ve heard that most grads get out and can’t find jobs other than the Merchant Marine so they end up there

I may be missing something here, but is that not the reason they went to the academy in the first place?!

Also, their acceptance rate is pretty high. If all your ducks are lined up, you should be ok.

They call it MMR at CMA and it is pretty basic to get into I think you just sign up unless things have changed. There are plenty of jobs when you graduate so I wouldn’t worry about that. You should get in just fine.

thank you for your optimism and support rshrew

[QUOTE=Lone_Star;113403]I may be missing something here, but is that not the reason they went to the academy in the first place?!

Also, their acceptance rate is pretty high. If all your ducks are lined up, you should be ok.[/QUOTE]

That’s good to hear, I’m going to be dropping my application here pretty soon so its good to have some insight from more knowledgeable members of the maritime community. As for the Merchant Marine thing, well out here in the Navy when we speak of the Merchant Marine we mean the Merchant Navy not the commercial side of the industry. So when I said that I heard most grads can’t find jobs other than in the Merchant Marine, I meant that I had heard that it was really difficult to nail a job in the commercial civilian maritime world. Excuse my wording, this would be my first time on a forum and I don’t know a damn thing of the maritime community outside the bulkheads of the Navy so your experience in this subject is greatly appreciated.
v/r islandtiger

[QUOTE=islandtiger;113408]That’s good to hear, I’m going to be dropping my application here pretty soon so its good to have some insight from more knowledgeable members of the maritime community. As for the Merchant Marine thing, well out here in the Navy when we speak of the Merchant Marine we mean the Merchant Navy not the commercial side of the industry. So when I said that I heard most grads can’t find jobs other than in the Merchant Marine, I meant that I had heard that it was really difficult to nail a job in the commercial civilian maritime world. Excuse my wording, this would be my first time on a forum and I don’t know a damn thing of the maritime community outside the bulkheads of the Navy so your experience in this subject is greatly appreciated.
v/r islandtiger[/QUOTE]

Ok, I see. The sso program can get you $4000 (SIP) per semester if you qualify. Some schools this payment is competitive and always subject to change. NROTC will only get you a direct active navy commission, not a license. To work on government vessels as a mate (what your calling “merchant marines”) you need a license. These are civilian vessels run by military sealift command. A commission won’t help you with that. Beside the money, the sso program will get you a reserve commission. As far as this helping you for job placement, it would be little, however of things are slow you could apply for the SELRES program and take some active duty stints.

Military vets face some hardships once they get out of the service, one of the greatest being just attempting to land a job. Unemployment is higher than normal for veterans, but the great news is that numerous employers are employing vets.