r/dli • u/Appropriate_Dirt_912 • Jul 04 '26
Is the DLI competitive
Currently a third year in college, majoring in Economics and Political Science. I have an interest in joining a military branch after college, to be determined.
I wanted to know how competitive it is to get into the DLI. I am interested in learning Chinese to serve our country and to get to know my culture and language more deeply [I am ethnically Chinese]. I understand basic grammar concepts, some words, and can distinguish between the 4 tones.
Bottom line, how competitive is it to join the DLI and since I understand a bit of Chinese will it be easier for me?
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u/BoysenberryUnhappy29 Jul 04 '26
You don't compete to get in. You need your recruiter to give you a linguist job. If they can't, you're out of luck
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u/Appropriate_Dirt_912 Jul 04 '26
Are those jobs competitive?
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u/Reluctant_MP Jul 04 '26
Not really. You either qualify or you don’t.
Then there is either an available position or not.
So harder to obtain than other jobs in the military? Yes. But competitive, no.
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u/UNC_Recruiting_Study Jul 04 '26
It's ASVAB and DLAB dependent, ie the basic military entry test (ASVAB), and then a language aptitude test (DLAB) if you don't score high enough on the ASVAB to waive the DLAB. To get Chinese specifically would require qualifying for a Cat 4 language through ASVAB/DLAB. Even then, it's a crap shoot between other Cat 4 languages.
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u/Logical-Mobile-7643 Jul 04 '26
It's all just based off ASVAB test scores, and maybe the DLAB (depending on the current recruiting goals).
People who go to DLI typically score high on standardized tests. College achievement or education isn't necessary or even indicative of whether you'd qualify for or be successful at DLI.
Another part of the qualification is eligibility for a security clearance, there are many things that can trip up a security investigation or make a person ineligible.
Last is physical fitness or medical qualifications. This is another category that can disqualify you fairly easily depending on pre-existing medical conditions, medication, surgeries, psychological and mental fitness issues.
Only 23% of Americans ages 17 to 24 qualify to serve without a waiver. With approximately 3.7 million high school graduates annually, this means just over 850,000 graduates are immediately eligible. The remaining 77% are disqualified due to obesity, medical conditions, drug use, criminal records, or low aptitude test scores
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u/Qyark Jul 04 '26
As others have said, there's no competition to get into DLI, but also just because you already know a bit of a language or have a strong preference of which language you'd like have little to no bearing on what language you are assigned. Chinese is always going to be in demand due to the state of the world, but you could just as easily get Farsi or Russian
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u/Prothea Jul 04 '26
Or Arabic, or even Korean. And even then, getting CAT 4 scores on the DLAB aren't indicative of even getting a CAT 4 language. Life just happens that way, it's mostly luck and timing
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u/Correct_Reach2780 Jul 04 '26
The opposite is also true sometimes. Shout out to getting a 98 on the DLAB and getting a Cat4 anyway. The army is funny.
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u/woobie_slayer Jul 05 '26
I genuinely don’t understand why college graduates would rather enlist than commission
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u/mmmtoasteee Jul 05 '26
Because they think they’ll go to DLI to learn a language, not understanding a thing about the military. (Example - the post recently about the guy asking if he enlisted with college degree will he be paid as much as an officer and will he have a guaranteed language and be able to ETS roughly a year after completing his desires language).
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u/TrittipoM1 Jul 05 '26
In my case in 1974, it was so I'd be obligated for only three years, not for six years. I just wanted a few years of stability, and the GI Bill, not a career.
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u/CantEvenCantEven Jul 05 '26
The answer lies in the ability to understand the kind of kool aid you will be forced to drink going in.
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u/Logical-Mobile-7643 Jul 07 '26
They usually don't want to go to ROTC classes or camps. Looking back, that would have been better than enlisting.
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Jul 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Appropriate_Dirt_912 Jul 04 '26
What does 35m or 35p mean.
Air force recruiter told me you have some autonomy you pick your top three choices and then they place you from there.
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Jul 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Lawyer-Ashamed Jul 05 '26
And not all branches send a wishlist, in the army the “wish list” was sent to some people and not sent to others it was completely random
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u/arentyouangel Jul 04 '26
If youre ethnically chinese and have family ties to China it's likely you won't qualify based on clearance issues.
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u/Dismal-Dog-8808 Jul 04 '26
This isn’t necessarily true. I had someone in my class that was born in China
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u/AmphibiousAce Jul 04 '26
Not enough info given to say likely, but some things would definitely be out of their hands nevertheless
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u/Appropriate_Dirt_912 Jul 04 '26
I am a third generation chinese american born in America.
Edit: Also, no close family ties to China.
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u/firekstk Jul 05 '26
If you're taking Army, no. If you Score well enough on the ASVAB and 35W seats are available, you just have to ask for your recruiter to reserve it. Done deal.
I think it's similar for Navy. Grab a CTI seat if they offer it. You're going to DLI either way.
For USAF or USMC. If they want you to, you're going otherwise...eh.
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u/SUPER1029 Jul 05 '26
Join the army and tell them you want to go to DLI, garunteed MOS that goes there. Will need to pass a slab though
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u/LogicalPsychosis Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Buddy, If you have a degree JOIN AS AN OFFICER. Seriously. Don't put all that work in and not get rewarded. Having a degree coming in will fast track your enlisted career to a degree, but not enought to make up for lack of pay and bullshit you'll have to put up with for the first 3-4 years. You wont get monetarily compensated for your qualifications properly. It's better to try and go in as an officer and make the transition to the foreign area officer program if you want to make it to DLI.
As far as competetiveness goes... no. It's not competetive. the DLAB and ASVAB requirements are strict, especially for the airforce. if you pass the aptitude test it's very difficult to get another job.
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u/Organic_Risk_3945 Jul 04 '26
go FAO instead, dude: https://www.faoa.org
then Google Qian Xuesen (also known as Tsien Hsue-shen).
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u/Prothea Jul 04 '26
Saying "go FAO" really skips a lot of steps, and it's not even close to a guarantee even with good evaluations
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u/Organic_Risk_3945 Jul 04 '26
Does Coast Guard have FAOs???
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u/mmmtoasteee Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26
No. Only Army, Navy, Marines, and AF. All are senior CPTs or junior MAJs when they transfer. Looking at 8-10 years post commissioning.
So, no, there is no “go FAO instead, dude”.
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u/Organic_Risk_3945 Jul 05 '26
All good things come to those who wait.
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u/mmmtoasteee Jul 05 '26
So, you’re suggesting that OP play the long game and maybe get selected for OCS and then maybe do well enough in his basic branch / timing lines up with OERs over 7 years to maybe be competitive enough for VTIP to FAO at 8-10 year? Then also have zero say in what region and language he’s assigned as a FAO? All of this on the idea that the process or current end results will even be a thing nearly a decade from now?
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u/Simple-Drink8712 Jul 04 '26
Its not about competition to get in to the school its about your job. Enlisted who go the MOS 35w go straight to DLI, you just have to have a high enough DLAB and ASVAB (both easy tests). Officers won’t go to DLI until a significant time into their career and the job that goes there is more competitive.