New York State Police

[goaliebg30]

It's not really that strange. A "smart" person with a 4.0 GPA is not necessarily going to make the best trooper, just as those that allegedly scored 100 will not necessarily make the best troopers. No offense to those with 4.0 GPAs or really high exam scores, it's just a fact. Book smarts or how well a test taker you are does not measure your potential ability to succeed in the academy and make a great Trooper (thank God). Do you really think a person that scores 100 on the cognitive abilities portion of the exam but yet scores very poorly on the personality portion would make a good trooper? Probably not, and that is why they have built the personality portion into it. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just don't know why this is such a difficult concept to understand

Couldnt have said it any better.

[phoenix23]

Suppose they contact people ranked 1 thru 500 for processing into the next class. That's .019 % of the people that took the test (assuming 26000 people took it), which means 99.981% of you won't be contacted initially. I wish all of you luck, but the odds of you getting called for the 1st class are against you.

To quote hxd:

"Don't bet the farm on NYSP - the odds are against us all. They're an agency that selects the best of the best. Roughly 25k people tested for roughly 1k jobs."

[BigWill2876]

CHILL PILL ALERT:

"I got that going for me." Bill Murray.

"Lenny, when I said I would kill you last, I lied". Arnold.

Here is a story that may help some;

My Dad's roomie in college applied for the local NY college city PD (500 PO's) after two years in NFL. He took the written test maxed it out. Medical the same, all of the various twists and tests. He was in shape and motivated !
Came to the physical exam. He maxed out the physical with a 100% in every event; including pull ups at 19 ! (how many of us can do 2 or 3 ?).
He was measured at 6-2, 242 lbs.
DENIED the position because he was too heavy according to their height/weight chart ! (by about 30lbs).
About a year later he graduated from a neighboring states State Police Academy.

Think about this... if you can't stand the stress now, what will you feel like in Troop B stopping somebody in the middle of nowhere (I love the Adiron Park.) by yourself at 3 AM ?
If you scored 80's in other tests don't expect to get 99 in this one. Sit back, wait for your number, take your vacations, go to law school, take that job in sales....WAIT
Could this be part of "their plan"....or just need some more postage put into the budget account to mail the envelopes ?

[weasel3o3]

It's not really that strange. A "smart" person with a 4.0 GPA is not necessarily going to make the best trooper, just as those that allegedly scored 100 will not necessarily make the best troopers. No offense to those with 4.0 GPAs or really high exam scores, it's just a fact. Book smarts or how well a test taker you are does not measure your potential ability to succeed in the academy and make a great Trooper (thank God). Do you really think a person that scores 100 on the cognitive abilities portion of the exam but yet scores very poorly on the personality portion would make a good trooper? Probably not, and that is why they have built the personality portion into it. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just don't know why this is such a difficult concept to understand

GPA has nothing to do with being smart, it has to do with motivation and hard work. I would take someone who is sharp and a quick thinker over someone with just a good GPA any day. The secretary in my office (state gov) had a 3.75 GPA but he isn't sharp. Why would they higher me for an associate position over him, my GPA didn't break 3.0... I'm articulate, a great writer, and series 6/63 licensed broker.

It's not a hard "concept" to understand which is exactly why I said the word "conceivably". Obviously someone who is reasonably intelligent would not answer strongly agree to a question that asks you if you believe it is ok to smoke marijuana, when taking a police exam.

[OTVFD18]

go to law school,

I'm actually contemplating this right now. It would be a unique experience, give me some time to mature, and create an excellent backup plan.

[BigWill2876]

Testing,

My Dad (a Series 24), who hired and trained people to take the Series 7 test used to say that the higher they scored on the test was the inverse relationship on how well they would perform at the brokerage house.

[VeeDubs86]

I'm actually contemplating this right now. It would be a unique experience, give me some time to mature, and create an excellent backup plan.

Ditto man. It was always one of my hopes to become a Trooper, retire after 20 years, and then become a Lawyer to aid in supplementing income.

[goaliebg30]

I would take someone who is motivated, hard working, a quick thinker, sharp and has a high GPA. When 26,000 people take the test, the thousand or so who get picked up usually fall into that category. Before you can excel on the streets as a Trooper you have to be called (the higher the test score the better the chance) and you have to graduate. The academy is a lot of academics and guys with street smarts will fail out b/c they can't pass a simple test that the guys with high GPA in college are skating through. There are some jobs where book smarts really do not matter but if you want to get through this process first you have to be a good test taker, then you have to be a good student, and then finally you can work on being a Good Trooper. And the last part is a never ending process. There are days that you'll feel like you are drinking from a fire house trying to take it all in and you'll need to be book smart, street smart, and all other kinds of smart to figure it out. Book smarts won't get you through an arrest and street smarts won't get you through the paper work and trial.

Well said!!!

[Standing_Tall]

Good question goaliebg30...

One could speculate (and why not, we've been doing A LOT of that on here lately) and say that yes it will delay future academies. Then again those that scored high enough may get their scores in the mail along with their invite for Processing Weekend in Albany (again more speculation).

We must remember, Albany already has our exam scores (supported by the fact that some of us have been able to find them out). Right now it is a matter of getting everyone in order by their rank and then mailing the letters.

The delay could be for any number of reasons, but until we hear the exact reason from a trusted source (SDT and other troopers), speculating will lead no where. Just my .02 cents.

Getting the scores to Albany is one thing (call a friend, they look on a list..), but preparing all the letters, stuffing envelopes, and getting them sent out do take time. Enjoy the summer off. You may never have one again!

[Standing_Tall]

Having knowledge is different from being able to apply it. (I can say this, since I used to be an egghead, but then went into the Army - talk about growing up quick!) I think this test is designed to try and get the best possible candidates. Years ago, many of us had to take these tests as Troopers, just to see how we scored, so that they could determine what results they were looking for in a good Trooper. Or maybe they wanted to know what type of Trooper they DIDN'T want anymore. Hmmmmmmmmmm. I'll never know.......

[NYCardinal85]

CHILL PILL ALERT:

"I got that going for me." Bill Murray.

"Lenny, when I said I would kill you last, I lied". Arnold.

Here is a story that may help some;

My Dad's roomie in college applied for the local NY college city PD (500 PO's) after two years in NFL. He took the written test maxed it out. Medical the same, all of the various twists and tests. He was in shape and motivated !
Came to the physical exam. He maxed out the physical with a 100% in every event; including pull ups at 19 ! (how many of us can do 2 or 3 ?).
He was measured at 6-2, 242 lbs.
DENIED the position because he was too heavy according to their height/weight chart ! (by about 30lbs).
About a year later he graduated from a neighboring states State Police Academy.

Hehehe. I'm looking forward to having something like this happening with at least one of the departments I'm applying for. I'm 6ft and weigh around 210 pounds, but I've got 5.5% body fat. If they go just by my paperwork, I'll get disqualified for being overweight. Even moreso if they go by the BMI scale

[John2008]

I'm 6''0 about 217, Don't know my body fat total haven't had it checked out in a while. According to their scale the heaviest I can be is around 179lbs, I haven't been that light since I was 17 lol. I think they should do away with the height and weight requirements.

[weasel3o3]

I'm 6''0 about 217, Don't know my body fat total haven't had it checked out in a while. According to their scale the heaviest I can be is around 179lbs, I haven't been that light since I was 17 lol. I think they should do away with the height and weight requirements.

Agreed, a friend of mine who was processing at a previous class said he saw them taking caliper measurements on some people. He said they didn't caliper him though, he was 225 probably about 8-10% BF if I had to estimate.

[John2008]

Agreed, a friend of mine who was processing at a previous class said he saw them taking caliper measurements on some people. He said they didn't caliper him though, he was 225 probably about 8-10% BF if I had to estimate.

so do they really disqualify people for being too heavy or having above the approved body fat even if you pass the P.A.T?

[weasel3o3]

donno will have to ask him to clarify this, but I think as long as your below 20% you should be ok.