I can't believe it. How did this happen?

[T-Bone]

EDIT: It's a bit long, but definitely a perspective worth looking into for those in a similar situation.

Over the past few weeks I've been getting all the acceptances from the civy uni's I applied to.  I've gotten into all of them, most with scholarships that i never asked for.  After passing ACS, I figured that my chances of getting offered RMC for pilot were pretty good.  Because I have to make admission decisions in 2 weeks or so, I still had not heard officially yet whether I got in, so i called my CFRC to ask, and they directed me to the guy who interviewed me... he says he doesn't know, then calls me back a second later saying he just spoke with their RMC guy....and "there aren't any slots left, and that I probably won't get RMC or ROTP civy since they are most likely not holding a 3rd round board for admissions this year."

It's 5:43 in the morning the "night" I found out.  I cant sleep.  I had an 88 and this semester a 92%avg with all U courses, all maths including calc and physics.  I played provincial level football and still play competitive hockey, have about 150 volunteer hours, have played guitar for 6 years and am in groundschool to get my PPL. 

SO WTF???

While at ACS I noted the generally high quality of applicant I was up against.  9 out of 12 of us passed (despite a 40% failure rate confirmed by the cpl who works there-I asked her).  Most already had offers to RMC before ACS, and all of them either were in air cadets with their PPL, had military families, or already attended RMC, or some combination of the 3.  I was the only one with none of these to pass. 

I do not have any of these things, but I thought at this point it was not a decision maker.  I scored above avg on the CFAT (aptitude test), I think I did really well at the interview....

I want 100% honest answers from everyone that read this.  I am looking for reasons why I was not accepted, and what my chances of an offer down the road are.  I've heard of people getting random phone calls for offers later if a slot opens, but I'm guessing those chances aren't that great.  I could always re-apply next year, but a second-time application is probably looked at differently.

As for possible reasons why i wasnt accepted...

I had experimented with marijuana last summer, have done it 3 times in my life.  I was honest about it on the drug history sheet, but figured I might score some honesty points on the flip side, and hoped it wasn't a decision maker.

I had low 70s and a 68 in past years of math, with past avgs being 82, 79 & 78 in last 3 years of highschool, was captain of many sports teams in grade 8 and before, but no leadership experience recently that I could really write down, though I have extra curriculars
For some reason they asked me to write the air nav test a month or so before ACS, at my CFRC.  I failed.

Sorry for it being so long...I think you can imagine what state of mind I'm in right now.

I'm just looking for some answers.  Any ideas/suggestions/whatever are appreciated. 

Thanks.

 

[Michael OLeary]

The simple answer is that, when you are competing among a large number of candidates (as compared to the available number of positions) who all meet basic requirements, even small differences in individual assessment factors can significantly affect placement on any merited list.  It becomes a matter of where you end up on a much tighter bell curve than you have previously experienced within the wider population of applicants.

While you may be in the 95th percentile overall, the ordering and probability stats change when the competition you are against are all in the 95th percentile group. It now doesn't matter how much well your file places over the entire applicant population, but how well your file competes against the very small group that are suitable candidates for your chosen programs.

 

[PMedMoe]

I've been reading these types of threads since I joined the site and I feel a need to post this reply.

IMHO, if people weren't absolutely dead set on going pilot and nothing else, they wouldn't set themselves up for such disappointment.  It's like people who want to adopt a baby as opposed to an older (3-4 yrs old) child.  There's loads of older children for adoption, but no, everyone wants a newborn or as close to it as possible and every time that adoption falls through, they are disappointed but continue to set themselves up for a repeat situation.

I can understand wanting a particular trade over the others, but not to the total exclusion of others.

So, you have two choices:

1.  Reapply for pilot and be prepared for the same thing to happen; or

2.  Reapply for pilot but put a second (and even third) choice of trades.

Your choice, I guess.

 

[tabernac]

T-Bone: From what I've been told about the selection process, each region/province/etc has X number of slots at RMC. These numbers are not set in stone, and change from year to year. Some regions are bound to be WAY more competitive than others. Edmonton had something like 14 slots last year (with Northern Alberta incl. Edm at something like 22). While Edmonton is not a small city, the competition is much lower then an area such as the GTA. I don't have any RMC recruiting stats on the GTA, but I'm sure the city had more available slots than Alberta, north and south combined. However, GTA is also something like 5.5 million people, depending on your defintion of the GTA.

Some regions are inherently more competitive than others.

I can only wish you good luck, and tell you that the other members who have posted, with more experience than I, have good advice on the topic at hand.

 

[pipstah]

There's an another factor that you forgot to think about. It's called timing... sadly you submitted an application during an economic crisis and right after we recruited alot of pilots. Putting wings on those new bodies takes time and at the moment the system is pretty full.

It means that the competition is fierce and despite the fact that you can think you have a strong resume, you are alot of people fighting for the few spots available and you were not selected.

It's not the end, if becoming a CF pilot is your dream there's always different ways to get there. If you want, you can join the reserve and get 50% (if its still like that) of your university fees paid by the CF. Get yourself a degree, build a stronger resume (you can always improve yourself), get a feel of what the army is with the reserve (because you might not like it) and submit an another application under DEO.

 

[gcclarke]

I’ll just throw in my $0.02 here. My second attempt, since I accidentally erased the first post.

Please, continue trying. You passed Air Crew Selection, that’s the hard part. Just because you didn’t manage to beat out enough people also applying this year, doesn’t mean that you’re unsuitable. I have a few people in my basic training platoon who were originally told, you’re acceptable, but didn’t make the list yet. And lo and behold, someone above them chose not to join up, and poof, they’re running around in a relish suit the next thing they know. This may mean that you’re not going to end up going to RMC (Or a civie U) this year, but it doesn’t mean that you’re never going to be a member of Her Majesty’s Canadian Armed Forces.

And, pipstah’s advice is quite valid. It may end up that after 4 years in the reserves, after having completed your degree, that you no longer feel that life in the CF is the best fit for you. In that case, hey, you’ve got your degree, time to move on.

And of course, picking a trade other than pilot would help. Let’s face it, being a pilot is a glamorous job, at least from the perspective of someone on the outside looking in. Thus, there’s stiffer competition in that trade than there is in most others.

This brings me to my main point. Passing air crew selection is no guarantee that you’ll be able to make it as a pilot. I’m not entirely sure on the stats for pilot failure rates, but suffice it to say that it’s not statistically insignificant. There is a very real chance that years after your graduation, you may be told “Thanks for trying, it didn’t work out, pick another trade.” This is why I highly suggest, no matter what path you chose, that you try to lose the sense of entitlement that you are portraying in your post. No matter how good you are, there will always be people better than you. And no matter how hard you try, there are things out there that you will be incapable of doing.

The proper response to this is not to start complaining about what happened, and demanding that the world provide you with an explanation.  The proper response is to evaluate the situation, and respond accordingly. And if this is your reaction to not getting into RMC, I would honestly hate to see how you react if after years of training, you’re told that you’re still not up to par.

So, yes, keep at it if you still wish. Who knows, you may very well end up getting in and passing with flying colours (pardon the pun). Just don’t feel that the world (Or the CF) is obligated to provide you with what you want.

 

[SupersonicMax]

I've been reading these types of threads since I joined the site and I feel a need to post this reply.

IMHO, if people weren't absolutely dead set on going pilot and nothing else, they wouldn't set themselves up for such disappointment.  It's like people who want to adopt a baby as opposed to an older (3-4 yrs old) child.  There's loads of older children for adoption, but no, everyone wants a newborn or as close to it as possible and every time that adoption falls through, they are disappointed but continue to set themselves up for a repeat situation.

I can understand wanting a particular trade over the others, but not to the total exclusion of others.

So, you have two choices:

1.  Reapply for pilot and be prepared for the same thing to happen; or

2.  Reapply for pilot but put a second (and even third) choice of trades.

Your choice, I guess.

I don't really agree.  Many pilots I know would not do anything else, me included. 

To the OP: Persevere.  Join the reserves, apply again next year, improve upon yourself.  Show that it is really what you want.  Do your best, that way, you won't be able to say that you didn't try hard enough.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I don't really agree.  Many pilots I know would not do anything else, me included. 

Which leads to the question: what would you be doing if you were found unsuitable for that CF occupation (or civilian flying)?

It doesn't matter how bad you want something if you don't meet requirements.

 

[SupersonicMax]

Which leads to the question: what would you be doing if you were found unsuitable for that CF occupation (or civilian flying)?

I would complete my remaining 2 years in the CF (RMC Obligatory Service) and find a civilian engineering job. 

 

[brihard]

T-Bone:

Another thing to realize is that there's currently a two year backlog in pilot training. To put it bluntly, the trade is for all intents and purposes full.

If you want to be a pilot that badly, keep trying each year til you get in, or go work for WestJet.

If you want to be in the armed forces and serve your country, consider another trade.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I would complete my remaining 2 years in the CF (RMC Obligatory Service) and find a civilian engineering job.

So you would do something else.

Which is what every applicant has to consider instead of walking into the CFRC thinking that it's one trade or nothing, and then thinking they have no other options. Other options include other CF trades, or other career choices entirely.

 

[SupersonicMax]

M. O'Leary, sorry, I should have  said :  "Many pilots I know would not do anything else in the CF, me included."

 

[PMedMoe]

And that's why I put IMHO before the statement.  If pilot is all one wants to apply for, then they should be prepared for the possibility of not getting it and moving on.

 

[benny88]

...but no leadership experience recently that I could really write down, though

If you want advice on what to improve, look no further. Also, it's hard to judge you just by one post, but I think you need to check your tone and your mindset. The CF doesn't owe you anything because you think your application is good. Best of luck.

 

[gcclarke]

It's not really an opinion, IMHO. It's a fact that if someone is dead set on one option, that they may very well end up disappointed. It's a fact that it would be better for them if they accepted the possibilty that they may not get what they want. Frankly, that's true for everyone. Hope for the best, plan for the best, but also have a contingency plan if things don't go your way.

The only opinions involved are with regards to whether it is better to A) Insist upon either serving in the CF as a Pilot or doing something else in the civilian world, or B) Try to be a pilot in the CF but be willing to serve in some other capacity.
Both arguments have been made in this thread. Both myself and PMedMoe have stated that it would certainly increase the individuals chances of serving in uniform should they chose the latter course of action, as well as possibly decrease the chances of being disappointed should things not work out as you wish them to.
But of course, for some people who have dreamt of flight their entire life, any choice that doesn't let them fly may be sufficiently disappointing as to rule it out, at least until all other options that might let them fly are exhausted.
Whichever of these two options someone choses is really a personal choice. But one thing that everyone pursuing either choice needs to face up to is the fact that things might just not work out the way you want them to.

After all, is there really any other job out there where, having applied to a position and not getting an offer, that people would think it is a natural reaction to state that "I can't believe it. Ho did this happen?" No. Because there are no guarantees in life, and there will always be someone better than you. Sometimes there'll be more people better than you than there are spots open. Whether we are talking an offer for RMC, promotion to LCdr, or a spot on the soccer team, anytime you're competing against other people, you just might not make it.

 

[IBM]

My advise would pretty much be the same as what people above have said. For now, just go with one of the civi uni's that you get accepted to and get the best education you can. If you don't get accepted into the CF pilot program or RMC because of space issues it not your fault, and it doesn't say any less of you as a person.

Just keep at it and don't give up if this is what you really want to do. Reapply again later. I'm sure the majority of CF pilots didn't get there by one their 1st try, or went through RMC for it. Persistance pays off for those that don't give up.

 

[observor 69]

And now for my brief thought.

"It don't mean nothing." (That you didn't make selection.)

I could name a number of events that were a failure or a success entirely due to the circumstance of that particular "point in time."

As mentioned in the thread at "this point in time" the pilot training system is plugged with a backlog.

My advice, take steps to improve your CV and at a later time apply again if that works for you.

 

[T-Bone]

Thanks for all the responses.  I will think on it and decide what to do in the coming weeks.  I apologise for the tone, I had falsely assumed that passing ACS meant a green light for RMC, and as a result was very surprised and disappointed.
I guess RMC is not my path. 
Thanks again

 

[leroi]

Take heart T-Bone,

Learning to deal with disappointment is part of the human experience; though crushing & painful, it will make your future successes richer and sweeter ...

Don't give up on your dreams.

 

[csharding]

Well you might as well hear what I have to say as well.  I went through a very similar circumstance 3 years ago right before I started University.  I already had my acceptance to a Civi U so I was pretty well set on going there as opposed to RMC.  I attended ACS and passed both the ANAV and the flying tests.  I did the medical and was given a good bill of health.  I, like you, assumed I was good to go.  But it turned out that they weren't looking for me to be a pilot.  I soldiered on and completed my first year of university on my own dime and re-applied in September.  This time they suggested that I open up my mind to other possible trades such as ANAV, AEC and a couple of none air force trades.  I decided that my one require would be that I remain in the air force and hopefully with a flying job.  I applied with pilot as a first choice and ANAV as a second choice.  I was later accepted as an ANAV.  I haven't started any of my actual trade training but from what I hear, Air Combat Systems Officers are important members of the air force community and I will be glad to serve out my time as such.  That being said, I will continue to request reassignment to pilot.

Goodluck,
Scott Harding