The mission of Officer Candidates School (OCS) is to educate and train officer candidates in Marine Corps knowledge and skills within a controlled and challenging environment in order to evaluate and screen individuals for the leadership, moral, mental, and physical qualities required for commissioning as a Marine Corps officer. (the following content is adopted from https://www.trngcmd.marines.mil/.)
All candidates waiting for Officers Candidates School to begin should read the following documents and commit them to memory. Being prepared for OCS is critical – and knowing the basics will free your bandwidth to more advanced training and leadership opportunities.
The best practice for succeeding at OCS and excelling is preparing physically and technically. Don’t wait – don’t think you are strong enough and mentally prepared – you aren’t. OCS will present tactical training that requires 150% of your abilities, and if you are dealing with physical fitness issues, you will fall short in more advanced areas.
OCS Academic Prep Guide (Overview)
Marine Leader Development Student Handout Excerpt