Wannabe with a few questions about enlistment

[Letalis]

I'm interested in becoming a Marine, and have started to look into all the requirements, low and behold I find out that that having a GED instead of a high school diploma may actually be a problem

I've read the number of people who are accepted with a GED is sub 10%, that's disheartening. :\

from some of the material ive read, the reasoning behind not accepting GEDs is because dropping out of HS shows a lack of commitment; so for what its worth, would the fact I'm an Eagle Scout help improve my odds of being given a chance to enlist?

I finished HS up to 10th grade before I did drop out and get my GED, becoming an eagle scout took 13-14 years, just as long a commitment as any HS graduate.

(I notice I keep trying to sell myself, like that matters )

is there anything else I could do to nullify the fact I have a GED? All I want is a shot to prove myself.

Thats pretty much my only concern with joining right now, I don't have any idea what MOS id want to try for, at the moment I feel like beggars cant be choosers

Now, I do plan on talking with a recruiter the second I have a means to go see one (I don't live in an urban area, there is no public transportation out here, and no recruiters office is close enough to walk or take a bike, soon enough though) so in the mean time I figured I'd seek information wherever I can get it

I greatly appreciate anyone willing to give me their .02 on the subject, do you know anyone who enlisted with a GED? are you personally one of them? Did you require a certain asvab score to get accepted? any kind of insight would be helpful at this point

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[Phantom Blooper]

I am not of the here and now....however there are threads on this subject that may help you......in Ask A Marine. I believe you need to go to an accredited college and take either 15 or 20 credits to get in with a GED. And from what I read it is not like yesteryear...it is still very hard to get in with a GED and accreditation.

Also the Eagle Scout may get you stripe if you a ale o join. Good luck!

[USMC 2571]

Like a lot of things in the last 50 years, this requirement that you have a high school diploma does not prove a heck of a lot. I dropped out of high school and got a GED while in the Corps. Nowadays, as Chuck says, you have to have 15 college credits, plus a GED, if you don't have a high school diploma---what 5 college courses is going to do for you is questionable. But those are the requirements.

Talk to a recruiter right away, and do a search here in this section and you'll come up with good info, again as Phantom said--------plenty of good would-be Marines are turned away these days, due to this or that stringent requirement.

[USMC 2571]

Wait until you get to the waivers part for this or that medical or psych condition you had when you were twelve years old.

[USMC 2571]

As I'm sure you've heard, one of the reasons things are the way they are nowadays is because the Corps is downsizing, and people are still beating down the doors trying to enlist. Given that atmosphere, the Corps can afford to be more selective than ever, and they are.

[Letalis]

Well I'm still here, still sweating out my days prepping, I appreciate the responses and will continue to look into it

[USMC 2571]

Keep at it----and keep us posted on this same thread.

[MunkyVsRobot]

you want your shot go get your college credit hours like you are required to. Without your credit hours everything else you said in your post falls on deaf ears and is useless. sure being an eagle scout you can get Meritorious PFC out of the deal but you dont even get a foot in the door without the college credits.

[MunkyVsRobot]

Like a lot of things in the last 50 years, this requirement that you have a high school diploma does not prove a heck of a lot. I dropped out of high school and got a GED while in the Corps. Nowadays, as Chuck says, you have to have 15 college credits, plus a GED, if you don't have a high school diploma---what 5 college courses is going to do for you is questionable. But those are the requirements.

Talk to a recruiter right away, and do a search here in this section and you'll come up with good info, again as Phantom said--------plenty of good would-be Marines are turned away these days, due to this or that stringent requirement.

The same thing that a college diploma does, it shows you can be taught, it shows you can be dedicated to something and see it to completion. Dropping out of school basically says I got so far and it was either A.) Too hard B.) I'm too lazy

Now that isnt always 100% true because the only thing that is 100% is that nothing is 100% but more often than not that is the case.

So your 5 college classes or how ever many it is shows you can at least do those 2 things i mentioned to.. Just my .02

[Tennessee Top]

These days, recruiters are turning away highschool graduates. So, even if you had stayed in school and got your diploma, there is still no guarantee you'd get a contract.

If you can't even make it to the recruiting station, what's the chances you'll make it to college (or, poolee functions)? Recruiters do carry phones you know. Call directory assistance, get their number, and give them a call. Marines have no interest in someone with no initiative. Nobody is going to come knock on your front door. YOU have to take that first step - no matter how far out in the sticks you live.

[USMC 2571]

Munky had a good point re what 15 college credit SHOWS---I hadn't thought of it like that before.