The Student Room Group

Degree first, later?

Hiya! ^_^

So is it better to do a degree first then join the Marines?
Debt isn't a problem for me. But I dunno what to do....I don't think I'd mind either tbh.

Also the title is wrong...I posted the thread by accident -____-
It was meant to be "Degree first, Marines later?"
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Electrospective
Hiya! ^_^

So is it better to do a degree first then join the Marines?
Debt isn't a problem for me. But I dunno what to do....I don't think I'd mind either tbh.

Also the title is wrong...I posted the thread by accident -____-
It was meant to be "Degree first, Marines later?"


Yes. The time taken to get a degree enables development of greater real world skills - you will be a leader and there are very, very few 18, 19, 20 year olds that have the skills to lead people considerably older and more worldly wise. Not impossible, but a rare characteristic. Plus, there are many ways to be dropped from training, mostly medical, with the accompanying risks you aren't fit for mil service, in which case you need to think of a back-up career. That's always easier to do if you have a degree done.
Original post by threeportdrift
Yes. The time taken to get a degree enables development of greater real world skills - you will be a leader and there are very, very few 18, 19, 20 year olds that have the skills to lead people considerably older and more worldly wise. Not impossible, but a rare characteristic. Plus, there are many ways to be dropped from training, mostly medical, with the accompanying risks you aren't fit for mil service, in which case you need to think of a back-up career. That's always easier to do if you have a degree done.


Ah good point. Thanks for the advice.
Btw how fit should one be before joining the Armed Forces? (if they want a good chance of passing training successfully).
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Electrospective
"


The military will pay for your degree (up to and including an integrated masters) if you do 6 years service. They will also pay for it if you are medically discharged before then.

It used to be 4, but by the time you pass out, it will be 6.

That's a free £36,000. Not to be sniffed at.

SS
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by Electrospective
Ah good point. Thanks for the advice.
Btw how fit should one be before joining the Armed Forces? (if they want a good chance of passing training successfully).


Generally, pretty fit.
For the RM, extremely fit.
Original post by Supersaps
The military will pay for your degree if you do 6 years service.


But when you come back from a degree, can you pick up from where you left off?
Original post by Drewski
Generally, pretty fit.
For the RM, extremely fit.


Elaborate pleaseeeee. (Also, I'm a woman. And yes I know that women aren't currently serving in the Marines but they can apply now).
Original post by Electrospective
But when you come back from a degree, can you pick up from where you left off?


You can do a degree either full time or part time. If you wish to do one part time you can do it whilst serving but with the tempo of commando deployment, it will be difficult.

If you wish to do a full-time degree, you can either leave the forces or take a 3 year 'sabbatical' break at your CO's discretion. The sabbatical years are unpaid and you will be 3 years behind your peers, however, you have a guaranteed job at the end of it.

SS
Original post by Electrospective
Elaborate pleaseeeee. (Also, I'm a woman. And yes I know that women aren't currently serving in the Marines but they can apply now).


I wouldn't go as an 18 year old girl into the marines.
Reply 9
Original post by Electrospective
Elaborate pleaseeeee. (Also, I'm a woman. And yes I know that women aren't currently serving in the Marines but they can apply now).


The standards required are available online. But broadly speaking, stereotypes are true: the RMs are among the fittest. Obviously the headcases in the Commando units skew the results a touch, but you'll be expected to be very fit.

Remember, any publicised fitness standard is a minimum requirement. If you want to be better placed to pass, then be better than the minimum.
Original post by Supersaps
I wouldn't go as an 18 year old girl into the marines.


And why not?

Original post by Supersaps
You can do a degree either full time or part time. If you wish to do one part time you can do it whilst serving but with the tempo of commando deployment, it will be difficult.

If you wish to do a full-time degree, you can either leave the forces or take a 3 year 'sabbatical' break at your CO's discretion. The sabbatical years are unpaid and you will be 3 years behind your peers, however, you have a guaranteed job at the end of it.

SS


I think if I was gonna do a degree I'd prefer to do it beforehand.
Original post by Electrospective
And why not?


I've not met an infantryman yet that like the idea of females on the front line. Plus, there's the fact that you will be in an overwhelmingly male dominated environment. That's not necessarily a bad thing but not something one really wants to be tackling at 18.

Furthermore, the Commando course down at Lympstone is extremely challenging. Very few women have ever completed it. Less than 10.

My suggestion would be to do a degree, join the OTC, attend Sandhurst. Join another regiment but between joining the regiment and your completion of Sandhurst do your All-arms commando course (commando training). That way, if you fail you can still fall back on your regiment. As you pass Sandhurst, you will probably be the fittest you will ever be and the best opportunity for you to take on commando training.

SS
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Electrospective
And why not?



I think if I was gonna do a degree I'd prefer to do it beforehand.


Your question 'and why not?' suggests that you need to do a lot more research on the Royal Marines, in fact any sort of military service. It's not the same as a civilian job, the culture, the standards and the rules are very different.

You stand absolutely no chance of entry to the RM as one of the first females, aged 18 - I speak as one of the first women to be selected as aircrew back in 1989 - my entire career was framed by that small fact. You need to be far more robust and well informed than someone who asks 'and why not?' They will select serving officers with proven fitness, military knowledge, RM knowledge and with a very high prospect of passing the course for the first few cohorts. And they'll still get a very high drop-out rate, despite extra-careful pre-selection. DE applicants won't be included until at least a year of internal recruitment.

After a degree a 3 years in the OTC or RMR if it opens up, and you might be in a more competitive position.
Original post by Supersaps
I've not met an infantryman yet that like the idea of females on the front line. Plus, there's the fact that you will be in an overwhelmingly male dominated environment. That's not necessarily a bad thing but not something one really wants to be tackling at 18.

Furthermore, the Commando course down at Lympstone is extremely challenging. Very few women have ever completed it. Less than 10.

My suggestion would be to do a degree, join the OTC, attend Sandhurst. Join another regiment but between joining the regiment and your completion of Sandhurst do your All-arms commando course (commando training). That way, if you fail you can still fall back on your regiment. As you pass Sandhurst, you will probably be the fittest you will ever be and the best opportunity for you to take on commando training.

SS


Male-dominated environment thing doesn't bother me at all, tbh.

Yes I understand that it's very difficult, and more so for females.

Good idea thanks, but I'm confused because I spoke to an advisor and they said they don't accept transfers...


Original post by threeportdrift
Your question 'and why not?' suggests that you need to do a lot more research on the Royal Marines, in fact any sort of military service. It's not the same as a civilian job, the culture, the standards and the rules are very different.

You stand absolutely no chance of entry to the RM as one of the first females, aged 18 - I speak as one of the first women to be selected as aircrew back in 1989 - my entire career was framed by that small fact. You need to be far more robust and well informed than someone who asks 'and why not?' They will select serving officers with proven fitness, military knowledge, RM knowledge and with a very high prospect of passing the course for the first few cohorts. And they'll still get a very high drop-out rate, despite extra-careful pre-selection. DE applicants won't be included until at least a year of internal recruitment.

After a degree a 3 years in the OTC or RMR if it opens up, and you might be in a more competitive position.



I have researched it and I know it's ****ing brutal and 40% of people won't make it through the training. (Still doesn't put me off, and I never assumed it's gonna be a walk in the park but it's what I'd like to do).
I was just asking why they specifically wouldn't recommend it.
It's kind of unfair tbh...how come an 18 year old male can join just like that (seeing as how most of the people who join are men in their late teens/early twenties)....why would I have to do all that just to be "in a more competitive position"?

And how old were you at the time? What was the process to getting there like?
Original post by Electrospective

Good idea thanks, but I'm confused because I spoke to an advisor and they said they don't accept transfers...


The Royal Marines are part of 3 Commando Brigade. In this brigade are Commandos (infantry) and also Commando-trained engineers, signallers, gunners etc

My suggestion would be to go in as an engineer, signaller or gunner officer (or soldier) and then attempt the Commando training to join one of the attached units.
Original post by Electrospective

It's kind of unfair tbh...how come an 18 year old male can join just like that (seeing as how most of the people who join are men in their late teens/early twenties)....why would I have to do all that just to be "in a more competitive position"?


Because men are, on average, a lot fitter than women. It's the same reason men and women don't play each other at football.

The military doesn't care about things being fair. It cares about operational effectiveness.
Original post by Supersaps
Because men are, on average, a lot fitter than women. It's the same reason men and women don't play each other at football.

The military doesn't care about things being fair. It cares about operational effectiveness.


Yes I know that....

But if the same standards are applied to both men and women during training, and if a woman is able to pass training then what's the issue....?
Original post by Electrospective


But if the same standards are applied to both men and women during training, and if a woman is able to pass training then what's the issue....?


Well, that is the issue.

I don't want to turn this thread into a debate about women on the frontline.
Original post by Supersaps
Well, that is the issue.

I don't want to turn this thread into a debate about women on the frontline.


So even if a woman is able to pass training (something some men aren't even able to do....) then that's still an issue?!?!
Original post by Electrospective
So even if a woman is able to pass training (something some men aren't even able to do....) then that's still an issue?!?!


There's some debate about combat effectiveness and unit cohesion in mixed sex combat units, there's been discussion about it before on here, but you could always make a thread about it to discuss it again so that this one remains on topic.

My advice to you is go to uni first, join OTC, it'll put you in a much stronger position for a career as an officer in the forces and you'll have your degree already to fall back on if it doesn't go to plan. I say this irrespective of whether you're male or female.

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