Have you taken the ASTB exam in the past and in need of information on how long your ASTB scores are good for? Are you hoping to become a naval or marine pilot soon? If either of these is true, you have come to the right place.
The ASTB test is critical and meant to measure core skills needed in an aviation environment. This can include things like recalling naval terminology and concepts as well as spatial orientation. Passing this exam can heavily affect your nautical career. Therefore, you must know as much information as you can about the test and ASTB scoring.
Keep reading to find information on ASTB scores validity and retaking the ASTB and how the test is scored. Do not miss out on all this necessary information.
Can You Retake the ASTB Test?
Can You Retake the ASTB Test?If you have just received your scores for your first attempt at the ASTB and, unfortunately, you have bombed it, it is okay; there is still hope. Do not worry. It is not the end of the world, and you can retake the test.
However, make sure you are aware of the minimum threshold needed to pass the exam. Depending on what branch you are looking to get into, each will have a different minimum that you can achieve. However, these scores are only a base for what you should perform. These are the lowest that you can hope to achieve to be still considered for each respective branch.
When taking the ASTB exam, you are given five scores, all of which are weighted. This includes the AQR, PFAR, FOFAR, and OAR. The AQR is the Academic Qualifications Rating which predicts how you will perform during training. The PFAR is the score that predicts how well you will do on your flight training. The PFAR, similarly, is used to predict your flight grades while going through training. All of these scores are given a rating of 1-9. The final score which is calculated is the officer aptitude rating or OAR. This is a composite of all the test scores.
For Student Naval Aviators, SNA, the score minimum will be a 4 for AQR and a 5 for PFAR. If you are a Student Naval Flight Officer, SNFO, the score is a minimum of 4 for AQR and a 5 for FOFAR. Similarly, coast guards and Marine officers will require a minimum of 4 AQR. Coast guards require a minimum of 5 for the PFAR and marine officers a 6 for the FOFAR. Though the OAR is scored slightly differently, the minimum score a test taker must receive is a 35.
Though these scores are just minimums, and you do have the ability to retake the exam. This is by no means what you should be shooting for. It would be best if you made every attempt to score as high as possible.
Another critical thing to remember when attempting to retake the exam is that you must wait 30 full calendar days from the full test’s completion before you can retest. Therefore, if you failed the 7th component of the exam today, your retake date might not be less than 30 full days from today’s date.
Though you may be satisfied with some portions of the exam, you cannot retake the exam in pieces. You will be required to retake the complete exam, including the entire battery portion. If you choose to retake the exam before you are eligible, this exam will be considered illegal. Though the retake may be scored, these scores would not be valid. If you do test illegally, this will still count towards your three retakes.
How Many Times Can You Take the ASTB?
If you’ve failed the ASTB exam the first time, it’s okay; you can still become a naval or marine pilot. You will get three chances to take the exam. With all three of these changes, the most recent score will be considered the valid one. This is a fundamental fact to consider because if you get to your third attempt and bomb the exam, there is no going back. You will then keep your third and final score regardless of if it is the lowest of the three.
If taking the paper form of the OAR exam, you will not be allowed to take any of these forms twice. If taking any of the exams electronically, you must remember that these exams are adaptive. This means that the test will adapt to fit you further as you complete the exam. The questions you receive are based on your performance on previous questions. This essentially means that the better you do, the more complex the questions will be and vice versa.
How is the ASTB Scored?
If you are looking for information on how the exam is scored, you have come to the right place. There are seven sections of the ASTB exam which make up four categories for scoring. These scoring categories include the AQR, the OAR, the POFAR, and the FOFAR.
The OAR was also known as the Officer Aptitude Rating. The Officer Candidate school uses this score. The score is made up of several parts. These parts include the math skills test as well as the reading and mechanical comprehension exams. The OAR score can be between 20 and 80.
The next scoring categories are the AQR, the FOFAR, and the PFAR, all sub-tests of the ASTB with scores ranging from 1-9. These scores are graded on a stanine system, with a percentile being awarded for each one. Therefore, the better you do on the exam than the other test-takers, the higher the score you will achieve. For example, receiving a seven is not equivalent to a 70%.
When taking the exam, especially the adaptive version, do not guess. This will likely do more harm to your score than help. Pace yourself and keep an eye on the time to ensure that you do not have to make that choice when it is down to the wire. Though there may be a penalty awarded if you have not completed the appropriate number of questions, this penalty can hit much more complicated if the questions negatively affect your score.
If taking the paper form of the exam, your approach should be much different. If time is about to expire, it is okay to make some educated guesses. When taking the exam on paper, items that have not been answered will ultimately become incorrect scores. Therefore, strive to answer as many questions as you can while also working smart.
It is important to remember that you aren’t necessarily striving for a specific score. Instead, you are trying to be better than your peers. If ten individuals take the test and 6 of the bomb the exam, you can get a high score simply by doing better than them. To do so, it is vital to ensure that you are familiar and comfortable with the test’s format, so there are no surprises on exam day.
Each of these scores is also used in a different capacity. For example, to become a Student Naval Aviator, the PFAR and the AQR are the two scores needed. However, to become a student naval flight officer, the AQR and the FOFAR are used.
Though each branch has a different score, the average for the AQR, PFAR, and FOFAR is a 5. This means that you performed, at most, sixty percent better than your classmates. The OAR, which has a more significant point range, generally has an average of between 40 and 60.
Going into the exam, it is essential to not only know but understand how your score is calculated. ASTB scoring can be confusing, but luckily, they do not make you wait forever to know how you did. Depending on your test-taking method, your scores can be ready anywhere from immediately to a few days. There are several methods by which you can receive your scores. This includes snail mail, email, or even fax, with snail mail taking the longest.
If you are taking the online version of the exam, you will receive your scores once all sections have been completed. Individuals who have opted to take the paper version of the exam will need to send their tests to be scored. However, scores can be requested later.
How Long are ASTB Scores Valid?
The ASTB score validity period can be a positive for many high achievers. Doing well on this exam is essential because these scores will be with you forever. You read that right. If you take the exam and decide not to do anything after receiving your scores, you do not have to worry about them ever expiring.
Although your scores do not expire, don’t allow this to be a factor that deters you from applying proactively for a program. Though your scores do last a lifetime, your skillset or your knowledge may dwindle if you are not using it for an extended period before you decide to apply. Once you have made up your mind and are fully prepared for the exam, take it. However, do yourself a favor by continuing the process right away rather than putting it off for later.
Wrapping Things Up: How Long are ASTB Scores Good For?
Taking the ASTB can be a complicated process. However, it does not have to be. Knowing as much as possible before going into the exam is vital for knowing how to approach the test. Your ASTB scores are something that will stick with you for a lifetime.
Though that may sound scary, it’s important to remember that you have options when it comes to retaking the exam. It would not be the end of the world if you failed the first time. It simply means come back and be better.
We hope you have found the answers to your question, how long are ASTB scores good for, beneficial. ASTB scoring is not complicated and can appropriately reward students who do and try their bests. Good luck and happy testing.
Did you find this helpful? If you’re studying for the ASVAB, FSOT or OAR, we went over the best ASVAB review guides, the best OAR test prep, and best FSOT study guides too. All of our armed services reviews of study guides can be found here.
