Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery - Armed Forces Qualification Test

An Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score is used to determine basic qualification for enlistment.

AFQT Scores are divided into the following categories:

• Category I: 93–99
• Category II: 65–92
• Category III A: 50–64
• Category III B: 31–49
• Category IV A: 21–30
• Category IV B: 16–20
• Category IV C: 10–15
• Category V: 0–9

The formula for computing an AFQT score is: AR + MK + (2 x VE) where VE = PC + WK.

The VE (verbal) score is determined by adding the raw scores from the PC and WK tests (i.e., how many questions the aspiring recruit got right on each) and using a table to get the VE score from that combined PC and WK raw score.

AFQT scores are not raw scores, but rather percentile scores indicating how each examinee performed compared with all other examinees. Thus, someone who receives an AFQT of 55 scored better than 55 percent of all other examinees. Maximum possible score is 99 as a person can do better than 99 percent of those who took the test, but he cannot do better than himself, so the high percentile is 99.

Law prohibits applicants in Category V from enlisting. In addition, there are constraints placed on Category IV recruits; recruits must be high school diploma graduates. Furthermore, the law constrains the percentage of accessions who can fall in Category IV (currently, the limit is 20%).