Upon receiving your score sheet for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery there are a number of scores that you will want to immediately check out.

The most important score, of course, is your Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score, which refers to how you performed in the following four ASVAB categories:

• Mathematics Knowledge
• Arithmetic Reasoning
• Word Knowledge
• Paragraph Comprehension

In order to qualify for enlistment in the Coast Guard, you will need to have scored at least a 40, which is the highest minimum score required by any branch of the US military.

Exceptions are possible if a recruit’s ASVAB line scores qualify them for a specific job and the recruit is willing to enlist in that job.

If you have a GED instead of a high school diploma you will need to have an AFQT score of at least 50 to be considered. Please keep in mind that less than 5 percent of accepted recruits don’t have a high school diploma.

ASVAB Line Scores

After checking to see whether you have qualified for enlistment into the Coast Guard you will want to view your ASVAB Line Scores to see what jobs you qualify for.

Your ASVAB Line Scores are your scores in the 9 individual subtest categories that make up the ASVAB. These categories are:

• Mathematics Knowledge
• Electronics Information
• Auto & Shop Information
• Mechanical Comprehension
• Assembling Objects.
• General Science
• Arithmetic Reasoning
• Word Knowledge
• Paragraph Comprehension

Unlike other branches of the military that create composite line scores for job qualification, the Coast Guard (along with the Navy) utilizes the direct ASVAB subtest standard scores.

This means if a Coast Guard job requires a Mechanical Comprehension (MC), Auto & Shop (AS) and Mathematics Knowledge (MK) score of 95, the total of your scores on each of these subtests from the ASVAB would have to be 95 or above in order to qualify for that job.

Some common Coast Guard jobs include: Aviation Maintenance Technician, Boatswain’s Mate, Damage Controlman, Electrician’s Mate, Food Service Specialist, Gunner’s Mate, Health Services Technician, Information Systems Technician, Intelligence Specialist, Operations Specialist, Public Affairs Specialist, Storekeeper, and many more.

Understanding Your Scores

One thing to keep in mind while looking at your scores on the ASVAB Score Sheet is that each score is expressed as a percentile. That means if you score 50 in Auto & Shop that you performed as well or better than 50 percent of the men and women who took the test.

Your score does not refer to the number of questions you answered correctly.

What to Do if You Are Unhappy With Your Scores

If you are not happy with your ASVAB scores, you must wait six months to retake the test. However, if you can convince a Coast Guard Recruiter that your scores do not accurately reflect your education, training and experience you may be able to get that six-month wait period reduced to one month.

In other words, unless you don’t mind waiting to start your Coast Guard career you should take the ASVAB very seriously and ensure you study for it extensively. To help you prepare we offer a number of resources right here on this website, including practice tests, study guides and more.