You'll have a slightly better ride if you game the system a little. Go into the engineering rates, and pre-qualify for “A” school before you sign up, but don't sign up for the nuclear program until you can see how it's going in Basic Propulsion Eng. School. If you're doing very well there they'll be trying to get you to go nuke. If you're not one of the top in your basic school you won't go on to the nuke program anyway and will have somewhat of a setback in your records.
Also the nuke guys make rate a little better, but seems that they then keep them there so that it's harder to go into the Academy or go to a college from the fleet. Going nuke is almost a step toward going ahead and doing 20 in my mind, but you can make that election after you're in and see how well you do and how well you like the life. If your on top at your A school you can step in front of somebody that signed up for six at the recruiter and wind up being in a slightly stronger position.IMO

__________________
89 300E
79 240D
72 Westy
63 Bug sunroof
85 Jeep CJ7
86 Chevy 6.2l diesel PU

"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Marcus Aurelius