ROTP: Looking for advice about applying as a pilot

[NightLight]

Hello all,
I am seeking information to help me with my dream to become a pilot. Just a little information about my situation, I am currently a G12 student in an international school in Taiwan, but I'm Canadian so I still qualify to apply for ROTP. However, because of many tests that require me to be in Canada (can't do them online), I plan to take a gap year and work in Taiwan during that year to make enough money to buy a plane ticket and live for a few months in Canada while I apply. Despite being Canadian, I have never lived or visited Canada, and my parent does not have residency in Canada because he has not lived in Canada for years. That means I do not have residency, but maybe I will be able to live with a relative during the process of my application. Will this affect my application in any way?
For my academics, I am slightly worried. Despite having relatively good grades currently in G12 (around 85-90 for all subjects), I did badly in G11, like below the 80s but above 75 from some personal issues I was having that year. Unfortunately, my worst grade was in math that year, which I heard is quite important for pilots... Will my G11 grades be considered for the application?
For my extracurriculars, I have participated in girls' basketball, soccer as a goalkeeper, tennis, and track and field for mostly mid to long-distance running. I do not have any notable accomplishments in any of them except a gold medal from a 4 by 400-meter race, but honestly, that was not a personal accomplishment. Additionally, I participated in Model United Nations (MUN), I'm not sure if any of you know what that was but it basically involves public speaking and some leadership, which was why I joined because I used to be terrible at communicating but MUN fixed that. I also started a business in my entrepreneurship class at school and actually managed to make some money from it. Will these extracurriculars be good enough for my application?
The biggest thing I am worried about is the medical part of the testing because my uncorrected eyesight is really bad, like 20/400 or -6.00 dipoles. I'm terribly near-sighted.
I'm so sorry for such a long description. I really want to achieve my goal of becoming a pilot, so if possible please tell me what I can do or if you are a pilot already please share your experiences. Thank you!

 

[Winds]

Unfortunately, there's a few things with what you wrote that complicate your desired goal of pursuing ROTP as a Pilot.

First, having lived and attended highschool abroad, there is no easy way for RMC to determine how your high school education compares to what you would receive in a Canadian province, nor can they take your GPA at face value. I recommend contacting the RMC admissions department to ask about this. Second, you will most likely require a pre-security assessment before joining which would take upwards of 2 years to complete, after which there is no guarantee you'dbe granted the required security clearance. Lastly, while I'm not an expert on medical requirements, I don't think your eyesight meets the minimum requirements for a Pilot.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

…and, Pilot is closed for applications, this year.

 

[NightLight]

First, having lived and attended highschool abroad, there is no easy way for RMC to determine how your high school education compares to what you would receive in a Canadian province, nor can they take your GPA at face value. I recommend contacting the RMC admissions department to ask about this

I remembered that they sent me an email telling me to send my transcripts to a third party to "convert" it into what they needed. Hopefully this shouldn't be much of a problem.

Second, you will most likely require a pre-security assessment before joining which would take upwards of 2 years to complete, after which there is no guarantee you'dbe granted the required security clearance.

Can you tell me more about this? Why would it take so long to complete? I do not think that I will be able to live in Canada for two years, but if I really need to I will try to find a job and continue my application that way.

Lastly, while I'm not an expert on medical requirements, I don't think your eyesight meets the minimum requirements for a Pilot.

I find it difficult to find any information about what is the required uncorrected vision, but if it is just corrected vision I think my vision is normal when I wear my contacts/glasses.
Ultimately if I really cannot become a military pilot, I will try to get into aerospace engineering or mechanical/electrical engineering, then become an airline pilot after I finish my service times. That will be a much more difficult path but they usually do not have such a strict vision requirement compared to the military. However, I have another problem here because I do not meet the requirements to take engineering, so is it possible to take sciences and make up for the missing courses THEN switch to engineering?

 

[NightLight]

…and, Pilot is closed for applications, this year.

I will not be applying this year. I will apply next year after I finish my G12 year so I can go to Canada and do the testing. Thank you for letting me know though :>

 

[sarahsmom]

I remembered that they sent me an email telling me to send my transcripts to a third party to "convert" it into what they needed. Hopefully this shouldn't be much of a problem.

Can you tell me more about this? Why would it take so long to complete? I do not think that I will be able to live in Canada for two years, but if I really need to I will try to find a job and continue my application that way.

I find it difficult to find any information about what is the required uncorrected vision, but if it is just corrected vision I think my vision is normal when I wear my contacts/glasses.
Ultimately if I really cannot become a military pilot, I will try to get into aerospace engineering or mechanical/electrical engineering, then become an airline pilot after I finish my service times. That will be a much more difficult path but they usually do not have such a strict vision requirement compared to the military. However, I have another problem here because I do not meet the requirements to take engineering, so is it possible to take sciences and make up for the missing courses THEN switch to engineering?

The vision standards are not hard to find. Google CAF visual acuity and the first or second result gives you this: Appendix 1 of Annex A - Instructions for Testing Visual Acuity - Canada.ca
Take your UNCORRECTED visual acuity (not prescription, acuity which is expressed as 6/6 or 20/200), and find which V category it fits in. Each eye is tested individually so the better eye refers tot he eye that is closest to 6/6 and the other eye is... well... the other eye. If you don't have two eyes, the rocess stops there.
Now, once you figure out where you fit in the category for uncorrected, you look to the next column for corrected vision. CAN your vision be corrected to 6/6 in at least one eye? If it can, great! If not, you will drop down to V4.
All this is assuming your prescription is not greater than +/-7.
If your vision at recruiting is less than V1 you will be asked to go to an optometrist to confirm those findings.
Pilot requires V2, which is 6/18 in each eye, and correctable to 6/6 and 6/9, or better than 6/12 in the better eye and better than 6/30 in the other eye, but still correctable to 6/6 and 6/9.

 

[NightLight]

The vision standards are not hard to find. Google CAF visual acuity and the first or second result gives you this: Appendix 1 of Annex A - Instructions for Testing Visual Acuity - Canada.ca

Thank you!

All this is assuming your prescription is not greater than +/-7.

I am not sure whether it will become +/-7 because right now it is quite close. This might mean I have to give up my dream of becoming a military pilot...
BTW, do you know if surgery is allowed? If I did surgery like the ones that are probably allowed for pilots (I think it says on the CAF website but I'm not sure), assuming it does not result in any unwanted results, would my new visual acuity be counted as corrected or uncorrected vision? If surgery resets my vision, I would do it to give myself a chance.

Pilot requires V2, which is 6/18 in each eye, and correctable to 6/6 and 6/9, or better than 6/12 in the better eye and better than 6/30 in the other eye, but still correctable to 6/6 and 6/9.

Oh no...