SFAB Score for Military Branches

Hey, I'm currently a junior and seriously considering joining the military after high school. I've heard about the SFAB score but I'm not quite sure what it is and why it's important. Can someone break down what the SFAB score means, how it's calculated, and how it varies for each military branch?

Hi there! The SFAB, or the Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT), is a crucial part of joining the U.S. military. It's a part of the larger ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery). The AFQT score determines whether a candidate is qualified to enlist in the U.S. military, while the ASVAB scores are used to determine the best job matches for each individual service member.

The AFQT combines four areas: Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Word Knowledge (WK), and Paragraph Comprehension (PC). The formula to calculate the AFQT score is AR + MK + (2 x (WK + PC)). These scores are then converted to a percentile range between 1-99.

Each branch of the U.S. Military does have different minimum AFQT score requirements. For example, the Air Force requires a minimum of 36 if you have a high school diploma and 65 if you have a GED. The Army requires a minimum of 31 for high school graduates and 50 for GED holders. The Marine Corps requires a 32 for high school diploma holders and 50 for GED holders. The Coast Guard is a bit more selective, requiring a 40 for high school graduates and is not currently accepting GED holders. The Navy requires a 35 for high school diploma holders and 50 for GED holders.

Keep in mind, these are the minimum scores and having a higher score can open up a wider range of job opportunities within each branch.

Take your time to study for the ASVAB, since getting good scores can impact your career pathway in the military. There are plenty of practice tests and study guides available online which can be enormously helpful in preparing for the exam. Good luck!