When I am done with college I am thinking of going to officer canidate school for the marines, any thoughts on this versus just joining and going to basic? Have any of you gone through O.C.S.?

Thanks
Matt

If you are in college now, you will be fucking miserable as an enlisted man.
Be an officer.
Go talk to your recruiter, and ask them about the Platoon Leaders Course.

if you have put in the time/money/energy to go to college, you should go to OTS.  You will get a job much more in line with your experience in regards to responsibility, pay, ect.

good luck to you, and thanks in advance for serving

Quoted: If you are in college now, you will be fucking miserable as an enlisted man. Be an officer. Go talk to your recruiter, and ask them about the Platoon Leaders Course.

I figured I would hate being enlisted, which is the main reason why I am considering OCS. PLC is not doable for me right now because I have a full time job so I can pay my way through college.

Quoted: Quoted: If you are in college now, you will be fucking miserable as an enlisted man. Be an officer. Go talk to your recruiter, and ask them about the Platoon Leaders Course. I figured I would hate being enlisted

What makes you think that?    

How is your running? Thats the only thing that kept me out of OCS after I got my degree. Good luck to you if you make it through.

Go OCS
top link

Do 20 pull ups, 100 situps, then run 3 miles in less than 21 minutes.

You'll be good to go for Marine OCS

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: If you are in college now, you will be fucking miserable as an enlisted man. Be an officer. Go talk to your recruiter, and ask them about the Platoon Leaders Course. I figured I would hate being enlisted What makes you think that?

I knew someone would ask that whenI wrote it...

first, the benefits of being enlisted. I am a college grad already, so I could qualify for OCS and start out at a much higher rank and pay grade  than if I just enlisted. I dont need the money for college later(which everyone gets when they enlist), so I would feel as if I were not fulfilling my potential by  just enlisting. Between intelligence and my leadership abilities I feel I would make a much better officer than infantryman.

Quoted: I knew someone would ask that whenI wrote it... first, the benefits of being enlisted. I am a college grad already, so I could qualify for OCS and start out at a much higher rank and pay grade  than if I just enlisted. I dont need the money for college later(which everyone gets when they enlist), so I would feel as if I were not fulfilling my potential by  just enlisting.

think about it like this too:

Uncle Sam gets more out of you by using your college experience as an officer.  It's mutually beneficial

yeah i have been thinking about OCS when i graduate, but frankly I am not sure I would make a good officer as I am rather indecisve

Going to PLC summer of 2007... broken jaw playing lacrosse kept me out this year.

Between intelligence and my leadership abilities I feel I would make a much better officer than infantryman.

Feeling a bit self important are we?


It would be more appropriate to let the Corps decide if you have the intelligence and leadership abilities to be an officer .

It's tough.  I hope you are.

I am considering the something similar, however it would be OCS for the Army National Guard. I would not join as an enlisted man.  I am 30, a college graduate, and someone with 6.5 years of professional expereince.

Originally Posted By KC-130 FLT ENG: Between intelligence and my leadership abilities I feel I would make a much better officer than infantryman. Feeling a bit self important are we? It would be more appropriate to let the Corps decide if you have the intelligence and leadership abilities to be an officer .

thats what O.C.S. is for...

Read One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick.  He's probably a bit of a liberal, but he's a Marine so I won't hold it against him.  Great story of OCS, Afghanistan and Iraq.  

Quoted: Read One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick.  He's probably a bit of a liberal, but he's a Marine so I won't hold it against him.  Great story of OCS, Afghanistan and Iraq.

I actually have a BN gift card...thanks for the title...

Do it, you have the degree.

Quoted: Quoted: If you are in college now, you will be fucking miserable as an enlisted man. Be an officer. Go talk to your recruiter, and ask them about the Platoon Leaders Course. I figured I would hate being enlisted, which is the main reason why I am considering OCS. PLC is not doable for me right now because I have a full time job so I can pay my way through college.

Hmm? PLC just sends you to OCS. You don't have to do jack during the year except attend one or two pool events your OSO (officer recruiter) sets up for the candidates to get together. For example, my OSO's got us doing a full day of MCMAP training next week.

Here's the distinction:
OCS is a place in Quantico where you get your ass kicked for the priviledge of being the lowest form of life in the Marine Corps, a 2nd Lt. (As my SI told us).

PLC and OCC are programs to send you to OCS; PLC if you're a Junior or younger, OCC if your're a senior or older (basically, whether or not you'd have your degree when you graduate OCS.

Went for 6 of 10 weeks of the PLC-Combined last year. Be happy to answer any questions.

I'm very tempted to enlist to experience life as a Lance Corporal in the infantry. But then again I have the vision (as another poster here experienced) of me cleaning toilets, thinking "I went to college so I could do THIS?"

Oh, and start captializing Marine. It's a proper noun.