I was slotted for COS but haven't received a welcome letter yet, and the site also doesn't seem to be updated yet http://www.ncsas.com/cos/ (http://www.ncsas.com/cos/). I'm not booking the flight until late April anyway, but should I be concerned? (I'm worried that me being a primary in eServices may be a fluke, haha.)
Also, any tips for a not-so-polished 2dLt attending COS? I have a couple months of free time beforehand, so I plan to do most, if not all, of the reading prior to attending, and I'll also be practicing writing.
Thanks!
Cadetter
Thanks for pointing this out.
You are certainly correct that we are overdue on updating the website, for which I apologize. I have directed some emphasis to the volunteer staff to ensure that it is done promptly.
In the meantime, you can send questions to cadetofficerschool@gmail.com. Let me know if you do not get a prompt reply.
And as a long-time COS faculty member, I certainly endorse getting as much of the reading done ahead of time. One of the most common remarks from COS students is the difficulty in managing their time at COS given the workload and other requirements.
I look forward to meeting you at COS!
Ned Lee
Col, CAP
National Cadet Program Manager
(Graduate, COS '74)
Quote from: Cadetter on March 15, 2017, 06:03:11 PM
I was slotted for COS but haven't received a welcome letter yet, and the site also doesn't seem to be updated yet http://www.ncsas.com/cos/ (http://www.ncsas.com/cos/). I'm not booking the flight until late April anyway, but should I be concerned? (I'm worried that me being a primary in eServices may be a fluke, haha.)
Also, any tips for a not-so-polished 2dLt attending COS? I have a couple months of free time beforehand, so I plan to do most, if not all, of the reading prior to attending, and I'll also be practicing writing.
Thanks!
Cadetter
Do all of the readings prior to arrival. You'll thank yourself later.
Quote from: PHall on March 16, 2017, 12:16:45 AM
Do all of the readings prior to arrival. You'll thank yourself later.
No one ever does that... ;)
Quote from: almostspaatz on March 16, 2017, 02:38:45 AM
Quote from: PHall on March 16, 2017, 12:16:45 AM
Do all of the readings prior to arrival. You'll thank yourself later.
No one ever does that... ;)
Which is why you're sleep deprived by the end of the week... >:D
Quote from: almostspaatz on March 16, 2017, 02:38:45 AM
Quote from: PHall on March 16, 2017, 12:16:45 AM
Do all of the readings prior to arrival. You'll thank yourself later.
No one ever does that... ;)
Get used to doing the reading prior to arrival. It comes in handy when/if you get to college and the professor starts the class with questions on the readings.
Quote from: MSG Mac on March 18, 2017, 08:20:27 AM
Quote from: almostspaatz on March 16, 2017, 02:38:45 AM
Quote from: PHall on March 16, 2017, 12:16:45 AM
Do all of the readings prior to arrival. You'll thank yourself later.
No one ever does that... ;)
Get used to doing the reading prior to arrival. It comes in handy when/if you get to college and the professor starts the class with questions on the readings.
Or better yet, starts the class with a graded quiz on the readings. That's always fun >:D
Regardless of whether the speakers/professors start with questions on the readings, it's usually easier for me to follow along when I've done the readings. Otherwise I feel quite lost in lectures (more so in seminars), although I'm not much of an auditory learner either way. And I
really like sleep, so my plan remains to complete the readings prior to arrival.
Read all 500-ish pages in the reader? Ha!
Lightly skim and pick up concepts and definitions? Much better.
Many readings seem to be downloadable, so download, read as PDF, and markup with notes... so far that's suited me in classes. I tend not to retain what I've skimmed. I envy the lucky ones who can :D
Quote from: almostspaatz on March 16, 2017, 02:38:45 AM
Quote from: PHall on March 16, 2017, 12:16:45 AM
Do all of the readings prior to arrival. You'll thank yourself later.
No one ever does that... ;)
#Cadet
Quote from: TheSkyHornet on March 22, 2017, 12:02:13 AM
Quote from: almostspaatz on March 16, 2017, 02:38:45 AM
Quote from: PHall on March 16, 2017, 12:16:45 AM
Do all of the readings prior to arrival. You'll thank yourself later.
No one ever does that... ;)
#Cadet
Based on the #Cadets I interacted with that did not complete the readings or entrance essay prior to arrival (some did not even know they had assignments due before the event started).
I did my assignments, got a silver coin out of it.
Is it even possible to pass without doing the assignments? From skimming last year's handbook it doesn't suggest that, but what do I know.
Quote from: Cadetter on March 22, 2017, 02:14:53 AM
Is it even possible to pass without doing the assignments? From skimming last year's handbook it doesn't suggest that, but what do I know.
No. You will not graduate if you do not complete the assignments.
That's what I thought. I'm worried about the assignments because of my lacking speaking and writing abilities :'(, not because of procrastination... Ah well, this year's handbook won't be up until May 30th, but there's always last year's that I can start off with.
Cadetter, have your CDC or CC get in touch with the Encampment Commander if you need any special academic accommodations. There are plenty of people, Cadets and Senior Officers, there to help you. Or even let me know if I can help.
Quote from: Cadetter on March 22, 2017, 02:27:46 AM
That's what I thought. I'm worried about the assignments because of my lacking speaking and writing abilities :'( , not because of procrastination... Ah well, this year's handbook won't be up until May 30th, but there's always last year's that I can start off with.
The best way to get better at speaking and writing, is to speak and write. Work with your cadet leadership to present a lesson at a weekly meeting. At first, work with a lesson guide that someone else has written, get familiar with the material, and give the lesson. Check out the AF Instructor's Guide (http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/edref/afman36-2236.pdf) for a lot of how-to-do-it stuff.
Then pick out a narrow topic for AE or Leadership, and write a lesson, and present it.
[ed] I just checked and the AF Instructor Guide has been rescinded, for some reason, but it's still available at the link above, though.
It's only a lot of reading if you do it.
Sincerely,
a guy with an average GPA.
There is also a CAP instructor course available on the LMS, and required to serve as staff in many cases, however I
don't know if it is open to cadets.
Quote from: Eclipse on March 22, 2017, 05:23:06 PM
There is also a CAP instructor course available on the LMS, and required to serve as staff in many cases, however I
don't know if it is open to cadets.
Unless it has changed significantly since I took it a while back, that instructor course is a bad joke. The Navy spent an entire month training me to be an instructor, and that was just a starting point. Taking an online course that short (An hour or so? Maybe two hours?) doesn't provide much more training that that needed to stand at the front of the room and say hello without looking stupid.
Quote from: almostspaatz on March 22, 2017, 02:13:29 AM
Quote from: TheSkyHornet on March 22, 2017, 12:02:13 AM
Quote from: almostspaatz on March 16, 2017, 02:38:45 AM
Quote from: PHall on March 16, 2017, 12:16:45 AM
Do all of the readings prior to arrival. You'll thank yourself later.
No one ever does that... ;)
#Cadet
Based on the #Cadets I interacted with that did not complete the readings or entrance essay prior to arrival (some did not even know they had assignments due before the event started).
I did my assignments, got a silver coin out of it.
This also adds to why you worked your way up to Cadet Major. Notice I used the term "worked." It's a step above "earned" because it didn't just come from a good deed, but took the physical and intellectual effort to get there, and nobody is able to do that for you.
People who cut corners will find it only works for so long before they hit a moment that requires actual skill and knowledge.
Quote from: SarDragon on March 22, 2017, 06:11:15 PM
Quote from: Eclipse on March 22, 2017, 05:23:06 PM
There is also a CAP instructor course available on the LMS, and required to serve as staff in many cases, however I
don't know if it is open to cadets.
Unless it has changed significantly since I took it a while back, that instructor course is a bad joke. The Navy spent an entire month training me to be an instructor, and that was just a starting point. Taking an online course that short (An hour or so? Maybe two hours?) doesn't provide much more training that that needed to stand at the front of the room and say hello without looking stupid.
Most online courses are that way if all you do is read over the material and take the online test. That only teaches you content, not execution.
Quote from: Cadetter on March 15, 2017, 06:03:11 PM
I was slotted for COS but haven't received a welcome letter yet, and the site also doesn't seem to be updated yet http://www.ncsas.com/cos/ (http://www.ncsas.com/cos/). I'm not booking the flight until late April anyway, but should I be concerned? (I'm worried that me being a primary in eServices may be a fluke, haha.)
Also, any tips for a not-so-polished 2dLt attending COS? I have a couple months of free time beforehand, so I plan to do most, if not all, of the reading prior to attending, and I'll also be practicing writing.
Thanks!
Cadetter
Cadetter,
Congrats on getting accepted into COS! I was accepted into COS this year as well, perhaps we'll get to meet! Hopefully you got your welcome email by now, I got mine on the 20th.
I know they are eventually going to give us a packing list, and I'm not sure if this is on it; however, my brother went to COS in 2014, and he gave me the advice to bring a laptop of some sort. He didn't have a laptop, and turns out you kind of need one to do the assignments and they are helpful for taking notes and such. They found him one to use, but it was old and really heavy that he had to carry everywhere. So if you have a laptop, or Surface or something, I'd bring it!
Also, he brought a sling pack to COS, which works, but sometimes it's nice to have a decent backpack with separate zip up pockets so you aren't digging through everything to find what you need.
If you want, and you work hard, you could be a 1stLt. by COS! I'm shooting for Major hopefully by the time July finally comes. See you in Alabama!
Quote from: C/ID-073 on March 27, 2017, 08:24:52 PM
Cadetter,
Congrats on getting accepted into COS! I was accepted into COS this year as well, perhaps we'll get to meet! Hopefully you got your welcome email by now, I got mine on the 20th.
I know they are eventually going to give us a packing list, and I'm not sure if this is on it; however, my brother went to COS in 2014, and he gave me the advice to bring a laptop of some sort. He didn't have a laptop, and turns out you kind of need one to do the assignments and they are helpful for taking notes and such. They found him one to use, but it was old and really heavy that he had to carry everywhere. So if you have a laptop, or Surface or something, I'd bring it!
Also, he brought a sling pack to COS, which works, but sometimes it's nice to have a decent backpack with separate zip up pockets so you aren't digging through everything to find what you need.
If you want, and you work hard, you could be a 1stLt. by COS! I'm shooting for Major hopefully by the time July finally comes. See you in Alabama!
Thanks! Congrats as well. I also got my welcome email on the 20th, although I haven't deposited quite yet for a couple reasons.
Thanks for the tips, I have a MacBook Pro for my classes anyway and it's pretty light, so I plan to bring it. A backpack hadn't crossed my mind, but I have some compartmentalized enough ones for COS, I hope (either my school or hiking one, probably the former).
Since I haven't earned Achievement 9 yet, it's a bit tight, but I'm certainly going to try. I'm not satisfied with my current version of the SDA and have little time to work on that until early May, and I need to get about 20 seconds off mile run as well. My goal is 1stLt though! :)
See you in Alabama :D
Quote from: CAPDCCMOM on March 22, 2017, 02:38:38 AM
Cadetter, have your CDC or CC get in touch with the Encampment Commander if you need any special academic accommodations. There are plenty of people, Cadets and Senior Officers, there to help you. Or even let me know if I can help.
Oh, I have no special needs, but thank you for the offer and advise :)