What is ASVAB composite scores?
Certification: Test Prep ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
Many of the candidates get confused with the method of scoring in ASVAB. There are different types of scores mentioned in ASVAB score report like standard score, percentile score and composite score. There is a specialized system of scoring in ASVAB that is based on subsets of ASVAB test. Now in order to understand composite scores, it is necessary to know the division of the test into various parts because composite score depends upon that division. It can easily be understood in this way that the test is divided into nine subsets which are: (Here World Knowledge (WK) and Paragraph Comprehension (PC) is mentioned under one name of Verbal Expression (VE) as it is treated separately as well as jointly)
- General Science (GS)
- Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
- Auto & Shop Information (AS)
- Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
- Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- Electronics Information (EI)
- Assembling Objects (AO)
- Verbal Expression (VE) = the sum of Word Knowledge (WK) and Paragraph Comprehension (PC)
Composite scores which are also known as line scores are individually computed by each service branch by compiling standard scores of each subset into a specific system. Each branch of services has made different fields by making different set of these nine categories into different combinations. For example Army combines the standard scores of Verbal Expression (VE) and Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) and terms this combination as General Technical (GT). Now here the composite score of General Technical (GT) is mentioned in the ASVAB report which means it is combination of Verbal Expression (VE) and Arithmetic Reasoning (AR). Each of the military services computes its line scores differently. These scores are used by different branches to estimate the job qualification. Now I would explain the different combinations as adopted by different branches. I have adopted a simple method to convey the scoring method. For example+ for the above mentioned example the way I would be using in the article for explanation is:
General Technical (GT) = Verbal Expression (VE) + Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
Where the left hand side is the field and the right hand side is combination of various categories used by different branches of Armed Services.
Scheme of Army for Composite Score:
Army has made ten fields by combination of various subsets of ASVAB test. The fields with their respective combinations are as follows:
- Clerical (CL) = Verbal Expression (VE)+ Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
- Combat (CO) = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Coding Speed (CS)+ Auto & Shop Information (AS)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- Electronics (EL) = General Science (GS)+ Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Mathematics Knowledge (MK)+ Electronics Information (EI)
- Field Artillery (FA) = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Coding Speed (CS)+Mathematics Knowledge (MK)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- General Maintenance (GM) = General Science (GS) + Auto & Shop Information (AS)+ Mathematics Knowledge (MK)+ Electronics Information (EI)
- General Technical (GT) = Verbal Expression (VE)+ Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
- Mechanical Maintenance (MM) = Numerical Operations (NO)+ Auto & Shop Information (AS) + Mechanical Comprehension (MC)+ Electronics Information (EI)
- Operators and Food (OF) = Verbal Expression (VE)+ Numerical Operations (NO)+ Auto & Shop Information (AS)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- Surveillance and Communications (SC) = Verbal Expression (VE)+ Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Auto & Shop Information (AS)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- Skilled Technical (ST) = General Science (GS)+ Verbal Expression (VE)+ Mathematics Knowledge (MK)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
Scheme of Navy and Coast Guard for Composite Score
Navy and Coast Guard have same scheme of composite score as both fields are closely related to each other. Both of them have also made ten fields by combination of various subsets of ASVAB test. The fields with their respective combinations are as follows:
- Engineman (ENG) = Auto & Shop Information (AS) + Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
- Administrative (ADM) = Mathematics Knowledge (MK) + Verbal Expression (VE)
- General Technical (GT) = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) + Verbal Expression (VE)
- Mechanical Maintenance (MEC) = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Auto & Shop Information (AS) + Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- Health (HM) = General Science (GS) + Mathematics Knowledge (MK) + Verbal Expression (VE)
- Mechanical Maintenance 2 (MEC2) = Assembling Objects (AO)+ Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- Electronics (EL) = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Electronics Information (EI)+ General Science (GS)+ Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
- Nuclear Field (NUC) = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)+Mathematics Knowledge (MK)+ Verbal Expression (VE)
- Engineering and Electronics (BEE) = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ General Science (GS)+ two times Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
- Operations (OPS) = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) + Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
Scheme of Marine Corps for Composite Score
Marine Corps has made three fields by combination of various subsets of ASVAB test. The fields with their respective combinations are as follows:
- Mechanical Maintenance (MM) = General Science (GS)+ Auto & Shop Information (AS)+ Mathematics Knowledge (MK)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
- General Technical (GT) = Verbal Expression (VE) + Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
- Electronics (EL) = General Science (GS)+ Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Mathematics Knowledge (MK)+ Electronics Information (EI)
Scheme of Air Force Corps for Composite Score
Air Force has made four fields by combination of various subsets of ASVAB test which are usually known as MAGE (mechanical, administrative, general, electronics). The fields with their respective combinations are as follows:
- Mechanical = General Science (GS)+ Mechanical Comprehension (MC)+ two times Auto & Shop Information (AS)
- Administrative = Numerical Operations (NO)+ Coding Speed (CS)+ Verbal Expression (VE)
- General = Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Verbal Expression (VE)
- Electronics = General Science (GS) + Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)+ Mathematics Knowledge (MK)+ Electronics Information (EI).
The composite scores are very important in determination of the candidate’s abilities and skills. On the basis of these composite scores the jobs are determined by each branch of Armed Services and every branch has different standard for different job position.