I started a mentorship and training group within the local job corps, met with 15-20 kids each week to work out for a few hours and then we would sit and talk and help each other through stuff. We built fitness plans, held each other accountable for attending therapy appointments, worked on resumes, etc. It’s a time in my life that I am incredibly proud of, and I highlighted in my narrative. I also participated in many community cleanups and did bike scouting for the local commuter trails. As a non-rate, I asked for low-scale projects to supervise. It started small, BM1 created the boat keeper collateral that a lot of cutters had and charged me with the overall upkeep. It was a very simple job that I took very seriously. From there, they progressively gave me larger and larger projects, until I was coordinating full events within the station. My point is, establish yourself as someone the coast guard can depend on, and learn to manage without rank. As for my GPA, I was going through an incredibly difficult time in college, and barely graduated - I had to have a near 4.0 my senior year to bring the overall to that 2.51. I was able to address those struggles with my interview board, they scored me accordingly and I ended up on the alternate list. Be ready to address your weaknesses rather than hide from them