One thing Cryptic needs to work on is instructions. What >exactly< is the process for earning bigger ships? Do all first tier skills need to be trained etc....? There may already be a thread for this, if so just link it, thanks

doesn't matter where you put the points as long as you use them.

Get lvl 11 (lt grade 11) then spend all your points that you can, go to starbase and do the ceremony thing (optional), I think somewhere in there you may need to talk to admiral quinn but you can do that from your ship if you want.

then remember to get your new ship, go to the shipyard, up the ramp and the npc behind the counter thing, click on store and select which ship you want.