Do Navy Officers have to be good at math?

Question

Hi, I'll be a junior in high school this year, and I'm thinking about becoming a military officer.

The Navy appeals to me, but I have heard that naval officers have to be good at math. Is this true? Because I hate math, and from what I've heard, you have to be really good at it to be a naval officer.

Is this true, and to what extent? Could I be a good navy officer even if I'm not good at math?

Answer 1

You would need a Bachelor Degree in something but it would help if it is in engineering.  If you want it in engineering you would definitely need to be good in math.  It also depends on what you want to do as an officer though.  If you ever want to be a Captain of a ship then you will have to be good in math and want to get a degree in engineering.

Answer 2

There are two kinds of officers in the U.S. Navy, Line Officers and Staff Officers.  Line Officers take a direct combat and strategic roll while Staff Officers support the mission.  Math is probably more important in Line Officer duties (Engineering, Navigation, etc.) , but there are many Staff Officer functions (Supply, Personnel, etc.) where you could serve just as well.

Answer 3

let's put it this way..if you don't have at least a semester of Calc and a semester of Calc based Physics in College..you will NOT be competitive for a slot on OCS.  

you absolutely MUST have higher Math in HS and college.  

Answer 4

If you're defining math as in the actual subject, no.

But geometry, yes!

Answer 5

to become an officer in any branch of the military you need to have a bachelors degree in any subject

Answer 6

You should be good enough at math to get into college and get a degree.

Some degrees such as engineering, business accounting,  and medicine you have to be good at math.

Take a few summer courses to build up your skills. Take math your senior year. You can improve your skills. If you can not do basic math you will limit your chances to become an officer.

I don't want to discourage you. Work hard keep good grades and study. Get into college and do well. You can become an officer.

All officers have at least a bachelors degree. Many of them have Masters and Doctorates. Remember it is very competitive and many of the enlisted folks also have degrees. So a degree is not a guarantee like it used to be.

Answer 7

Yes you do. When your superior tells you to move the ship to a certain point on the map, your math skills come in. You have to be able to read all kinds of charts and make very precise measurements.  

Answer 8

Here are links to US Navy info. Write your questions down then research (or search, search and research) for answers.One of the most important aspects of being an office in any branch is the ability to do problem solving.

Answer 9

First, if you are looking to apply for a slot as a naval officer either at the academy or nrotc i would suggest starting the process as soon as possible.  The deadlines for both are very early in your junior year.  As for the math part, to get a scholarship off the bat your SAT/ACT scores must be very high.  Probably over 650 for SAT.  Look into NROTC, its the best deal going, they pay for your school, and your time commitment during the actual school year is minimal.  ( For me it was about 5 hours a week)   If your math scores are not that high, you can still join an NROTC unit as a "College Programer"  this means you are not on scholarship, yet you still are involved in the unit.  Usually, if you do decent in your first year of college you will be picked up for a scholarship for the final 3 years.  Also, many states give a tuition waiver to college program participants.  This might pay for close to all your tuition each semester.  In college the requirement for math and physics are pretty demanding.  You have to take Calc I and II, as well as Physics I and II.  They are not easy but most NROTC units have tutors to help.  Overall, if you have a particular school in mind, contact that NROTC unit and talk with one of the Officers there.  They will surely answer any specific questions you have and help you with the process.  Best of luck.

Answer 10

Math is very important for this job, algebra 2 is recommended I believe.