*****Edit . . . So my reasons for making this post are two fold:
(1) I would like to talk directly with other people who are going to be submitting an application for the Spring board for Navy Jag student program (this Spring, Feb 13th, 15). The other military law thread is fine and all, but it is nearly 300 pages long, and with all the branches and programs mixed together (and the chatter back and forth) it is hard to pull out and or follow the information that pertains to this subject with ease. So rather than reading for 40 minutes to find one answer I thought this would be more helpful.
(2) I have a few questions pertaining to the Navy Jag student program that may or may not be answered in the military law thread already, but even if they are others who are interested in the answers will have easier access to them if they are presented here.
So if you know, either indirectly or from first hand experience, I was curious about the following:
(A) Who else here is submitting an application for this Spring? Have you already completed it? Done your interview? Have you applied before?
(B) If you have done your interview, how was it? What types of questions were asked etc.?
Answer: Open ended questions geared toward assessing the applicants ability to solve problems, ability to lead, and ability to cope in a military retirement. The questions are supposed to be secret, so you won't find anyone that will tell you what they were asked. The questions are also routinely updated and changed. There is no way to prepare for the questions, which is their purpose. Just be calm and respectful.
(C) In regard to competitiveness, what have you heard?
Answer: The general consensus is that Jag is extremely competitive. Interest in Jag is very high, which is most likely attributable to the poor economy, and the relatively high starting salary for Jags.
(D) Once you've been professionally recommended, what happens after that?
Answer: You fill out your security clearance paperwork, and go to MEPS to get medically qualified. Afterward you commission and wait to graduate law school to begin training.
(E) In regard to rank, what type of promotion schedule is there? E.g. in the Army you start off at 02 but get 03 within the first year. Does the Navy have something similar?
Answer: The Navy's promotion schedule is pretty much the same. You commission as an O1, then are promoted to O2 once you begin training. You pick up O3 about a year after that.
(F) This goes back to the competitiveness question again, but what have you heard about grades and school prestige and acceptance? What does the accepted applicant look like?
Answer: I am not sure what the "typical" applicant looks like, I'm sure there is a very wide spectrum of attributes and characteristics that makes each select extraordinary. For an idea though, I was selected my first application for the Spring board of my 2L year. I go to a T25, and was at the time of my application in the top half of my class. I transferred from a T2, I was top 25% there. I am a member of a secondary journal at my school. I was also in the Marines on active duty before law school.
(G) Is the professional recommendation essentially the big hump you have to get over? Once you do that are you essentially "in"?
Answer: In my opinion, yes. Although medical qualification is a huge hurdle for most too, and graduating and passing the BAR is difficult as well. However, the medical clearance and the BAR are pretty much in your control. Getting professionally recommended is not. All you can do is put your best foot forward and hope you get in. I think the PR is the biggest hurdle, and once you get that you are essentially in, so long as you can meet the commissioning prerequisites.
(H) I've heard that prior military guys have essentially a guaranteed professional recommendation so long as all there stuff is essentially acceptable? Is that true?
Answer: I am firmly convinced that this is true. I derived this opinion from my experience. I don't feel as though my school or grades are particularly strong. However, I think "guaranteed" is too strong of a word to use, but I do think it is a HUGE leg up. If you were in the Navy or the Marines I think that even helps you more. I don't believe the PR is easy to get for anyone, but I really do believe that my being a Marine got me a PR.
(I) At what point in the process do you have to take your official PT test, get weighed in, and get checked out medically, physically etc?
Answer: Once you get PR'd you have roughly 60 days to get medically qualified and submit your package to commission. As far as I know you do not take an official PT test until you begin training after law school.
If there is anything else anecdotal or otherwise that you think is germane please add that too. Thanks for reading! Hopefully we can keep this thread alive until we get the results back some time in April. It would be nice to read everyone's experience come full circle from application to acceptance/denial. Please weigh in on my questions if you can.
