I don't want to be trumped by the old timers taking the BMC SWE. I'm not new to the service with 10, but worried about the 15-20 year takers

I feel you brother, 8 years here. They should re-valuate the whole scoring system so everyone gets a fair shot.
Its not just the dinosaur time, I've seen the marks get inflated like (seven 7's and all 6's) and some CO's don't believe in departing awards.
Jimmy.

As long as my name is not the last one, I'll be happy, but I am planning to score in the top 5 but I don't think that 7.7 years will make the cut even if I write 5, I'll end up in the 300's.

Well bud, you've done quite well so far, the 15-20's maybe didn't have so much good fortune, but the powers that be will advance them because they have given soooooooo much valuable time the service. 23yrs they get the boot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for that at least

I did learn from them when I was striking.
but I looked at my E-3 MRN sign off's and I/we are competing with three of them (good guys) but they do need to change the format to make it even. the big thing they complain about is the merger.

Yea, well, time to get over that!!! OVER TIME, they will realize the merger excuse is not going to work so well. Be skillful not antique. If you have the knowledge and experience, take the test and make something of yourself!!! Darn

Don't worry about the TIS of others. Remember, the raw score accounts for 80% of the final score! The best thing you can do is study hard and write the best score possible. Marks, TIS, TIR, and award points all together only account for 20% of the final multiple. If you can write a raw score in the triple digits, you should be looking fairly good. Look at last year's stats for the BMC SWE. Plenty of people wrote well over 100 on that test. Just make sure you are one of them this year!

Now stop reading on here and go study! You only have a few days left!

Good luck!

CGboatman....off topic, sorry, but just curious about the boat fire in your avatar. I see you work or worked in FL. Any chance that was the fire on the F/V Jami Lynn off of St. Pete in '03? Just wondering.

Don

quote:

Originally posted by original_ftg:
Don't worry about the TIS of others. Remember, the raw score accounts for 80% of the final score! The best thing you can do is study hard and write the best score possible. Marks, TIS, TIR, and award points all together only account for 20% of the final multiple. If you can write a raw score in the triple digits, you should be looking fairly good. Look at last year's stats for the BMC SWE. Plenty of people wrote well over 100 on that test. Just make sure you are one of them this year!

Now stop reading on here and go study! You only have a few days left!

Good luck!

What he said! Focus on sound test taking practices. Don't SWAG it until the end. If you go with your gut and mark an answer, don't change it unless you are absolutely sure you mismarked it. Sometimes a question is answered in another question elsewhere in the test. Most times it is changed from right to wrong answer. High marks are earned and worked hard for in most cases.

If your's aren't as high as you want them to be, make sure you ask your supervisors or OINC's what you can do for a better set next time around.

Do they still give points for sea service? If so, stay afloat until you max out. Every little bit does help.

Some people have a knack for test taking. It doesn't mean they know anything, they just know how to take a test.

Look at the answers first, then read the question.

If you don't know the answer cold, skip it and come back to it ... but be careful not to screw up the answer key if it's still done that way.

Go through the entire test only marking answers you know cold. Then go back to the ones you skipped. A lot of time can be spent being hung up on a question, you run out of time and start throwing marks into the key and get questions you know wrong.

When you have absolutely no idea what the answer is, and think it's a question from somebody elses test ... go with C.

I have used the 6 sided pendil thing. Put an A/B/C/D/Ask Question/Roll Again, and when I got a real stumper I would roll it ... sometimes if you are allowed to ask the proctor a question about your understanding of the question, they may be able to say something to cause the light to come on and you know the answer. That worked in A school, I'm not sure what the rules are these days about the SWE.

A good nights rest, decent breakfast, and doing all 3 of the SSS's in the morning will keep you from losing focus and concentration as well as valuable time in the head.

Good luck to you all!

--Jim
Life is good!

21yrs, no that was an all American chug BBQ!!!

quote:

Its not just the dinosaur time, I've seen the marks get inflated like (seven 7's and all 6's) and some CO's don't believe in departing awards.

Is the problem that COs dont believe in departing awards, or BMs who have high expectations of what they should get?

T

Jimmy, is your skipper keeping you out til Tuesday morning still???? Hope you get enough rest buddy, big day for us!!!! Just have them run you in on the small boat at about 1215. HA
JPC

quote:

I don't want to be trumped by the old timers taking the BMC SWE. I'm not new to the service with 10, but worried about the 15-20 year takers

Quit your whining... When I made Chief, I was taking the service wide exams with guys that had twice the time in rate & service I had.. I made it with 7 1/2 years in.. Back then, enlisted guys could remain on active duty until age 65. (talk about Dinosaur's)

The way to win at this game is to do well on you SWE... If you write in the top 10 you will make it.. I think I wrote # 7 or so when I did..... and for the record I only had 4 ribbons.. a good conduct, national defense, rifle & pistol.

It can be done.. and I only took my E-8 & E-9 SWE exams once.. made it first time on both.

Good Luck.. study hard.

Wray..

quote:

Originally posted by original_ftg:
Don't worry about the TIS of others. Remember, the raw score accounts for 80% of the final score! The best thing you can do is study hard and write the best score possible. Marks, TIS, TIR, and award points all together only account for 20% of the final multiple. Now stop reading on here and go study! You only have a few days left!

Good luck!

Sorry to butt in here, but here goes,

The SWE is worth 80 points, max, not 80%, the rest of the points that make your final mult come from marks (40-45ish), tis(1/year max 20), tir(2/year 10 max), awards(10 max), and sea/surf time (30) max, I feel your pain about the dino's out there still grazing, I am in the same boat

quote:

Originally posted by local_pattern:

quote:

Originally posted by original_ftg:
Don't worry about the TIS of others. Remember, the raw score accounts for 80% of the final score! The best thing you can do is study hard and write the best score possible. Marks, TIS, TIR, and award points all together only account for 20% of the final multiple. Now stop reading on here and go study! You only have a few days left!

Good luck!

Sorry to butt in here, but here goes,

The SWE is worth 80 points, max, not 80%, the rest of the points that make your final mult come from marks (40-45ish), tis(1/year max 20), tir(2/year 10 max), awards(10 max), and sea/surf time (30) max, I feel your pain about the dino's out there still grazing, I am in the same boat

Thanks for the correction!

Though...the RAW SCORE still counts for the majority of the final multiple. What I am trying to say it you can do nothing at this point about award points, sea time, marks, etc. Your TIS and TIR will not change for another year. The only thing that YOU can do right now is STUDY HARD and write a good raw score!

Trust me. I'm a horrible test taker, and I was still able to write a score good enough to make it my first time around...even with those dinosaurs roaming around!

I'm not a big fan of "dinosaur" points, those who benefit from them are often members of the "frozen middle". I am maybe a little biased by the fact that i have worked with (for) a few people that have been promoted to rank above mine, merely by the fact that they have been part of this organization for so long. The sad fact of the matter is that these people have really found their niche for success in life, because they would not amount too much in the real world. I have a very well rounded knowledge of the working environment on both the inside (military) and the outside (civilian) world. I must say that one major aspect that keeps our job great, which is job security, is also its major downfall.

quote:

I am maybe a little biased by the fact that i have worked with (for) a few people that have been promoted to rank above mine, merely by the fact that they have been part of this organization for so long.

Phill, I hope you don't really believe that....

As I said, dinosaur points may help, but the "hard chargers" can beat them out.... I know, I did.

Wray...

I agree with Wray. When I took the BM1 SWE I obsessed over the numbers.

For the BMC's last 2 SWE here are the stats.

2006

TIS 12.7429
TIR 7.52

2007
TIS 12.7709
TIR 7.93

AVG marks for both are in the 43.XXXX

For every year of of TIS or TIR over yours you need to answer 1 more question right. So if you are 2 years under both the TIS and TIR you need to answer 4 more questions than the guy with the dinosaur points to be competitive.

Avg RAW score was 89 and 90 respectivly, which is only 59.8% and 60% correct, so 4 more questions is not impossible, just takes more studying.

So after all the worrying and obsessing I came to the realization that I just needed to study harder than the next guy.

Just a little pre-SWE fun.

-Chris

i found writing number one very helpful

later

cliff

Writing 4th worked for me.