MCAST - nelnetsolutions.com

1 MCASTYour Military Career Advancement Success Tips4th Edition About Peterson sPeterson s has been your trusted educational publisher for over 50 years. It s a milestone we re quite proud of, as we continue to offer the most accurate, dependable, high-quality educational content in the field, providing you with everything you need to succeed. No matter where you are on your academic or professional path, you can rely on Peterson s for its books, online information, expert test-prep tools, the most up-to-date education exploration data, and the highest quality career success resources everything you need to achieve your education goals. For our complete line of products, visit more information, contact Peterson s, 8740 Lucent Blvd.

2 , Suite 400, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129; cqx, 800-338-3282, Ext. 54229; or find us online at 2018 Peterson sPrevious editions 2002, 2009, 2011, 2014 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, or information storage and retrieval systems without the prior written permission of the permission to use material from this text or product, complete the Permission Request Form at : 978-0-7689-4311-5 Printed in the United States of America10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 120 19 18 Fourth EditioniiiContentsGuide to Military Career Advancement Through AFCT Score Improvement.

3 1 How to Use This This Exam Is Important ..1 What s in It for Is Everything ..2 Quick Tips ..3 How to Take the Do Your Scores Mean?..7 The ASVAB and the AFCT ..7 Understanding the Individual tests That Make Up Your AFCT ..8 Subject tests ..8 Composite Career Scores ..14 Interpreting Scores by Military What Are the Rules?..15 Connecting the Test to Your Career Link Between the Test and Your Career ..17 AFCT Scores Required for Specific Positions ..17 Promotion ..33 Jobs in Today s Military ..34 Top Ten Strategies for Raising Your Score ..35 Test-Taking Tips ..37 Planning to Take the Test ..37 Predicting How You Will Do on the Test ..37 Multiple-Choice You Guess? ..38 Strategies ..39 Word Association and Acronyms May Be and Practicing.

4 40 Tips to Help You Prepare for the Importance of Rest and Food ..45 Allow Yourself Plenty of Travel Your Route to the Test Yourself with the Coordinated Approach Using Peterson s the OASC at Your Own ..49 Getting Started ..49 Common Questions About the AFCT .. to Military Career Advancement Through AFCT Score ImprovementHow to Use This GuideThis guide is intended to help you prepare for and perform well on the armed forces classification test (AFCT). We have designed this handbook to be easy to read, so you can quickly learn some tips to help you succeed on the AFCT and understand why this exam can play an important role in your military This Exam Is ImportantIt is very beneficial to you to be as prepared as possible when you are planning to take the AFCT.

5 That is because this exam is a major factor in determining your eligibility for specific job classifications, promotions, or special programs. Just as the Armed Services Vocational Aptitute Battery (ASVAB) was a major part of qualifying for entrance to the military, the AFCT will play a pivotal role in advancing your military career. If you are hoping to change job classifications or want to be considered for a promotion, you need to try and do as well as possible on this s in It for YouWith the right strategy (not to mention some planning and studying), you can use the AFCT to help achieve your long-term career goals within the military. Just as in the civilian world, your choice of specific career paths can make a big difference in determining the satisfaction and fulfillment you feel from your professional efforts.

6 Working in a job that you find enjoyable and rewarding can contribute to your overall happiness. Depending on how long you intend to remain in the military, you may also be able to use the AFCT to 2 Guide to Military Career Advancement Through AFCT Score Improvementhelp you get started in a new career field or obtain experience/training that will help you in your professional life after the can use the AFCT as part of a strategy to get the maximum professional benefit from your military service. Study the list of military job classifications and try to pinpoint a few that are of the most interest to you. Ideally, some (if not all) of these will align well with your academic and professional strengths and may help to consult with your personnel officer for some insight as to what the current opportunities are within each of the job classifications you are con-sidering.

7 There is probably no sense wasting your time planning a strategy to qualify for a position where there are few (or no) you have identified positions of interest, research the minimum eligibility qualifi-cations with regards to AFCT scores. This will tell you which subtests you need to focus on and the specific scores you need to meet or exceed. By comparing these benchmarks to the ASVAB or AFCT scores you have already achieved, you will be able to see where you need to improve and can plan your preparation Is EverythingWhen planning your strategy with regard to a career change, timing is very important, particularly when it comes to using the AFCT as part of your plan. There are strict rules about when and how often you can take the AFCT during your military career.

8 We cover this in more detail in the section on interpreting your scores later in this handbook. All services now require that the entire AFCT must be taken; there is no separate can only take the AFCT a total of three times during your military career (not counting the initial ASVAB exam you take upon enlistment). You can retake the AFCT every 180 days, although a waiver may be granted to allow retesting in 30 days. So you will want to plan the timing of your AFCT wisely. For example, if there are other eligibility qualifica-tions for your target occupation that will take you several months to complete, you might want to wait until near the end of that period to take your AFCT, so that you will have as much time as possible to study and prepare.

9 3 Your Military Career Advancement Success TipsQuick TipsWant some quick tips on how to succeed at the AFCT? Check out these suggestions: For insight as to how your scores are calculated, see What Do Your Scores Mean? To learn about the specific subtests that make up the AFCT, see Understanding the Individual tests That Make Up Your AFCT. Want to get an idea of the minimum scores required for specific occupations? See some examples in the chart in the AFCT Scores Required for Specific Positions to Take the AFCTS ervice members currently in the military may take the armed forces classification test (AFCT) if they want to try and improve upon the scores they received on their initial ASVAB exam. In order to take the AFCT, you must put in a request through the process outlined by your particular branch of the AFCT can only be administered by an Education Services Officer (ESO).

10 (In the Navy, in order to provide test opportunities to sailors while offshore, ships may designate a Test Control Officer who must meet certain qualifications.) If you think you need or would like to take the AFCT, you should talk to your ESO to get information about if and when you may be able to take the test. There are rules concerning when and how often you may take the AFCT. You cannot take the AFCT until at least 180 days after the date of your ASVAB ESO will need to include certain information in order to process your request to take the AFCT. In the Army, for example, this request must include the number of times you have taken the AFCT already (if any), the dates of the tests , and the GT scores obtained. The Army also wants you to document the preparations you have taken in order to try to earn a better score.