Any Way to Waiver ASVAB Re-Test?

2020-11-06T17:00:46-05:00

Hello everyone. I recently took the ASVAB at MEPS the other week and didn't do as well as I know I can. I've been out of school for a while and I'm a GED holder, looking to enlist active duty Army in the military intelligence field. Didn't study prior to the test, or take the PICAT. Spoke to both my recruiter and station commander, who both said I can't re-take it, because my AQFT score qualifies me for enlistment and the score is set for 2 years.
Is there any way I can possibly get the Army to waiver me, so I can re-test in a month? My recruiter and station chief both kept using the term "get your foot in the door" as far as picking a job and taking FAST classes to boost my scores at the end of my enlistment.

I'm not willing to do that, because this is going to be two to three years of my life I'm giving to the Army, I don't want to enlist on a whim just to get my scores up after X years of service doing a job I'm not entirely committed to. I would appreciate any advice or answers this community can give.

Response by SSG Brian L. made Nov 6 at 2020 6:22 PM

2020-11-06T18:22:36-05:00

Study and retake then... I would be very wary of expecting to reclass to what you want later on. It rarely if ever works out.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2020 6:28 PM

2020-11-06T18:28:45-05:00

if you didn't score high enough for the military intelligence field, you should look elsewhere. it takes attention to detail and commitment which you clearly lack

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Nov 6 at 2020 7:48 PM

2020-11-06T19:48:26-05:00

1. Waiver for entrance exams are like unicorns- folks talk about them, but you never see one. 2. You can opt out and come back in 6 months- God only knows what will be open then., or you can take their advice. 3. If you aren't willing to commit your life, liberty, and 110% the you are wrong for us and we don't need you.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2020 9:25 PM

2020-11-06T21:25:21-05:00

https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/asvab/asvab-retest-policy.html

ASVAB Retest Policy

Didn't get the ASVAB score you wanted? You can retake the test for a new score, but there are a few limitations to consider.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2020 9:54 PM

2020-11-06T21:54:35-05:00

Current recruiter here. You are stuck with your scores for 2 years. There isn’t pulling strings with the officers. It’s Military Entrance Processing Command (MEPCOM) policy. You are not restricted to waiting 2 or 3 years to FAST Class. You can do it as soon as your gaining command allows. You don’t have to sign a 3,4, or 5 year contract. You can sign a 2 year and in approximately 9 months you’ll be in your re-enlistment window to hopefully secure the job you want. Bottom line is this, you haven’t set yourself up for success here. You didn’t study, and it shows. There are certain requirements for you to go active duty as a GED Holder and then add your wanted job into the mix and you are asking for a very rate occurance. You can threaten or not threaten with talking to other branches but I would be wary how you approach that conversation. You might be disappointed in the answer you receive and you might be asked to find a new recruiting station. I wish you the best in your journey, hit me up if you have any questions about anything.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2020 7:18 AM

2020-11-07T07:18:55-05:00

It seems we used to allow a 6 month retest in mid 80s, but testing falls under MEPCOM. High school tests are an extension of the DOD program. Not sure about current restrictions. Shame on your recruiter for not preparing you for testing better, if it applies. We never retested for a MOS slot, only entrance. It gets counterproductive to sell a particular MOS, with someone marginally qualified at best.

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Nov 7 at 2020 8:26 AM

2020-11-07T08:26:38-05:00

Besides your AFQT, what are your line scores? Those are really important when it comes to choosing MOS. Get those from your recruiter, do some research, and see if there are other MOS you might fit in. You can use those same scores to look other service MOSs as well before stepping into their offices.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2020 1:26 PM

2020-11-07T13:26:18-05:00

I think you're putting the cart before the horse here. For starters, you're a GED applicant, you're lucky to be getting offered a job at all. I was a GED applicant with a 98 on my ASVAB and I was offered Infantry, Artillery, Cook, Rigger, and COMSEC repair. As for other services, even the Marines don't want GEDs. The other services, when they do accept GEDs, have a limit on how many GEDs they'll accept a year and are limited to what they can do. I was turned away from the Marines be of my GED and enlisted as a Cook and went straight to Ranger Regiment

Your goals for language and signal repair are not compatible. There are two language MOS for you in the Army, and neither is a repair job. The score for 35T which is what you're describing is a 112 ST score. If you haven't already scored high enough for MI you're going to need more than a few weeks of study to jump your ST score what would probably be 20-30 points.

As everyone will tell you, anything can be waivered. However, exceptions to policy are for exceptional people or exceptional circumstances. Your recruiting station commander has to ask the General who approves these requests, to approve your waiver. When the General asks what about you or your situation is exceptional "he didn't study and he doesn't like his choices" does not qualify as exceptional. Maybe if your mom had just died, or you were recovering from COVID, you could claim those as exceptional circumstances. If you had a letter of recommendation from a senator or a masters degree that might be an example of an exceptional person. In this case, you were just ill-prepared and exactly the type of situation this policy was made for.

Nobody cares if you're entirely committed to your job or not. 80% of the people who walk into my office initially ask about reclassing because they're not sold on their job. When you got your first entry level job no one expected you to be committed to that. People beginning a new career aren't expected to be committed to their first employer. But it's a job, it makes money and gets you experience along the way.

Reclassing you once you're in the Army would not be very difficult. That's not to say you'll get the job you want, but you're not going to get it waiting around to retest either. There are limited class seats for jobs and there's no way to predict when class seats for the job you want will be available. You could be totally qualified for the MOS you want and there might be no available class seats for the next year for that job. Same thing for reclass once you're on Active Duty.

There is no recruiter in the world gate keeping you from joining the Army. They have the toughest job in the Army and they just want to put you in. They aren't salesmen selling you a car, you can't bluff them and they aren't bluffing you. If they could close the deal by getting you retested they would do it. They're more like your real estate agent helping you pick your next house based on what you cna afford. At this juncture, they've told you what your line scores can buy you. They don't care what you pick, they don't care what you score, their only job is to help you get what you are qualified for. If you're not willing to give up two to three years in the Army doing a job you aren't committed to, then go back to the career you were committed to before you considered joining. FYI, it's not a 2-3 year commitment for the job you want, it's more like 4-5

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 7 at 2020 6:40 PM

2020-11-07T18:40:25-05:00

There’s some good advice in the thread and some good information. At the end of the day I have to agree with the majority here. If you knew what job you wanted then you should have known prior to taking the test what scored you needed to achieve to get said job. If you wanna serve your country and be and AD service member then take what you can get now to get your foot in the door. Study up, take classes do what you gotta do to get your scores up and let the Army pay for it! And what says you’re gonna love being in MI? Maybe there’s something else out there doe you that you’ll like more, you never know! That’s what’s great about the Army, you have so much opportunity to do different things.

Response by SMSgt Bob Wilson made Nov 8 at 2020 12:04 AM

2020-11-08T00:04:12-05:00

Military Intelligence--now that's an oxymoron. Let us be real here. Once in you will be in training for the first 6 months to a year depending on the MOS. Then, your favorite Uncle [Sam] wants to get a return on the investment [ie, the training], so you will do that job until [re-enlistment time]. At said time, retraining is, will be, or COULD BE available. Hopefully the ASVAB score will be enough for you go bet into your selected field. Best of luck.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2020 2:54 AM

2020-11-08T02:54:31-05:00

When I tried to get in there was no GED entrance. I had to dig up a high school diploma and transcripts from 20 years prior.

No one is going to grant a waiver for an exam that is already completed with score.

Ironically, you could get an online degree from an accredited college and become a military intel officer.

The military opens and closes the flow of recruitment with raising and lowering standards by:
Education/GED
Age
Tattoos
Minor criminal offenses

Looks like the most realistic scenario is enlisting now. Waiting two years also needs to take into consideration the time just to enlist and ship. Whereas you are in a position to do that right now.

By time your initial enlistment expires you’d just about be out of training anyway if you waited to take the ASVAB again.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2020 3:01 PM

2020-11-08T15:01:37-05:00

I also hold a GED. I have a 116 GT score and I as well got horrible job offers. I wound up being a 92f. I learned tho, that if you stay on your A game in PT. You will receive offers to potentially go to the Rangers, or EOD and other specialised Units that might be more appealing.

Response by CSM Tim Bebus made Jan 22 at 2021 8:32 PM

2021-01-22T20:32:08-05:00

You can retake the ASVAB 30 days after your initial test. If its your second or more test there is a longer waiting period. Your recruiter does not want you to retake the test in the case you retake and drop your score below 31 which would make you ineligible to enlist. Jobs are based on your line scores so I'm guessing the line scores required for the job your seeking weren't high enough. My advice is see what jobs are offered and pick one that sounds like something your interested in and take the guaranteed assignment of choice option. Enjoy that geography take the class that helps you increase your line scores and choose the job you want on your reenlistment. You wouldn't be the first person to retake an Asian and end up not being qualified at all. After your already in the military your aqft score will never be used again, only line scores. Hope that helps