Retake the AFOQT? Help!!

[DinaMight]

Hi folks,

I'm currently starting my final year of college also seriously considering retaking my AFOQT to try and improve my PCSM.  AS of the moment, I am planning on commissioning FY18, but that may all change.  Hear me out.  I'm not really one to be tact so I'll just say this the best that I know how.  At the moment, I have an RPA slot and as glamorous as the future of this career looks, it's not something I think I want for myself.  That whole idea of flying in a box, disconnected from everything that has defined flying  for the past century is something I am still not sure about.  

As of right now, my PCSM is at a 59.  I've taken the TBAS twice and AFOQT once.  I know that taking the AFOQT and doing better on the pilot sections can help raise the PCSM score, but I also recognize that failing any section of the test means losing everything I've worked towards these past few years and throwing away a big career I've longed for since my youth.  

 

However,

if I retake the AFOQT, I can raise my PCSM and hopefully get picked up on the supplemental board for pilot.   Maybe it may happen even if I don't retake the AFOQT, but still, maybe it won't and really all I want to do is maximize the variables that I can control and one such variable is that AFOQT.  At least once I have done all I could can I have a peace of mind and say to myself that I gave it everything you know?  I recognize that getting a higher AFOQT does not necessarily secure my chances of getting a pilot slot, but it would also hurt to not take it and have this lingering thought in my head.  That "what-if" scenario, what if I had taken that AFOQT and done better?  

I've spoken to friends and my cadre about this and all are against this move simply because of what I can stand to lose, a commission in the USAF and a job for next few years.  My cadre specifically noted that as an RPA I stand a higher chance of getting upgraded to a pilot than a CSO (can anyone confirm this?) and as such, the best course of action for me is, and should be, to remain still and let it play out because you know sometimes the best course of action is do nothing.  What do you guys think?  I

If anyone has been or is in the same shoe, I'd very much like to hear your input on this.  Thank you.

1. Should I retake it?  
2. How much weight does the AFOQT pilot scores have on the PCSM?  
3. If you've done better on the pilot section after your retake, how much did it affect your PCSM?
4. Is RPA more likely to be upgraded to Pilot than CSO?

Here were my AFOQT scores:

• Pilot: 75
• Navigator: 68
• Acad Aptitude: 46
• Verbal: 34
• Quantitative: 60

As for Flight hours, I had 22.

Anyways, any help really is appreciated.  Thanks guys.

Edited September 1, 2017 by DinaMight

[extender10]

Do you have any flying hours?

Those are a big part of the equation.  Your PCSM takes them into account and they're weighted pretty heavily in addition to the AFOQT/TBAS.  Adding like 15-20 flying hours will probably have a bigger impact than retaking the AFOQT.  It would be a chunk of cash, but maybe worth it if it can help secure a better chance of getting a pilot slot.  15-20 hours, if you live near a GA airport, wouldn't take more than a month or two if you stay on it and do it every Saturday or something.

[DinaMight]

Hey extender10,

I've flown 22 already and with the $$$ I have, making it to 40 isnt something I'll be able to pull of anytime soon.  I probably shouldve added that.

[BEEPBEEPIMINAJEEP]

4 hours ago, DinaMight said:

Hey extender10,

I've flown 22 already and with the $$$ I have, making it to 40 isnt something I'll be able to pull of anytime soon.  I probably shouldve added that.

Take out a loan, get your PPL, and if your PCSM is still low, retake your AFOQT? (You didn't post your scores, so I'm just assuming it's below average?) If a few thousand dollars and some longer hours spent studying are the only thing standing in my way of achieving this goal, it's a no-brainer....

[tk1313]

1. How many hours does your PCSM break 80? How about 90?
2. What is your AFOQT pilot?
3. Are any of your other scores (Nav, AA, Verbal, Quant) so low that they would stand out to whoever will eventually be approving your UPT application package?

[DinaMight]

15 hours ago, BEEPBEEPIMINAJEEP said:

Take out a loan, get your PPL, and if your PCSM is still low, retake your AFOQT? (You didn't post your scores, so I'm just assuming it's below average?) If a few thousand dollars and some longer hours spent studying are the only thing standing in my way of achieving this goal, it's a no-brainer....

I probably shouldve posted my scores earlier.  They're on the original post now.  As helpful as getting a loan can be, it isn't something I can do at the moment?  Anything else?

[DinaMight]

15 hours ago, tk1313 said:

1. How many hours does your PCSM break 80? How about 90?
2. What is your AFOQT pilot?
3. Are any of your other scores (Nav, AA, Verbal, Quant) so low that they would stand out to whoever will eventually be approving your UPT application package?

Here were my AFOQT scores:

• Pilot: 75
• Navigator: 68
• Acad Aptitude: 46
• Verbal: 34
• Quantitative: 60

As for Flight hours, I had 22.  To get to 80, I'd need over 200 hours.  I see a lot of people ask your first question.  Why does that matter?  Is it a measurement of the score or something?

[Rycast]

I would never consider going in as RPA in the hope of being upgraded to pilot - but that's just me.

Retake the test! You should be able to raise all of those scores, especially verbal.

Yes, the PCSM matters a lot for pilots. 80 is good, 90 is better.

You don't need to post your topic 3 times, once is enough.

[extender10]

If you dedicate and study, and take practice tests, you can get all of your scores in the 70s.  The verbal section is matching word definitions and likenesses, most of them, or at least similar level words, are in practice books.  Quantitative is math, but it's not high level math - if you practice the problems and learn the concepts you can improve your score even if you're slow.  Hell, if you send me your address, I have 3 practice books.  I wrote in some of them, but they oughtta help.

You need to buy prep books, take practice tests, and take this second chance seriously.  If you study you definitely won't fail, and if you study you will increase your scores I'm sure.

Try to start studying 6-8 weeks before hand, just like 1-3 hrs a week whenever you have time.  Bite off a little more as time goes by. Peek at it for like an hour each day in the week or two leading up to the test.  Take a few half length practice tests. Get a good nights sleep.  Definitely retake it, the opportunity is there.

Edited September 1, 2017 by extender10

[tk1313]

8 hours ago, DinaMight said:

Here were my AFOQT scores:

• Pilot: 75
• Navigator: 68
• Acad Aptitude: 46
• Verbal: 34
• Quantitative: 60

As for Flight hours, I had 22.  To get to 80, I'd need over 200 hours.  I see a lot of people ask your first question.  Why does that matter?  Is it a measurement of the score or something?

I definitely say study your ass off and retake the AFOQT. No one will be able to tell you exactly how much your PCSM will rise, but raising your AFOQT pilot will definitely have a positive impact on your PCSM. Plus, you already seem to be leaning heavily towards a retake.

I don't know how true this is today, but I've read that a few people were sent to IFS/IFT (even when they had a PPL) because they did NOT have an 80 PCSM with their hours. The category that shows the greatest percentage of successful UPT completion in the most recent PCSM study is 79-99. Does that mean that someone with a 79 PCSM has the exact same chance to complete UPT as someone with a 99 PCSM? No, I don't personally think so... but there isn't a more recent study to back up my claim.

Finally, after you bump up your AFOQT, I would definitely finish your PPL. The PPL is a major box to check, plus the extra hours will push you into higher PCSM columns, so that's 2 very big reasons to keep flying at your stage. If your AFOQT retake makes it so that you can break 80/90 at 101-200 hours instead of 201+ hours, you've already halved the amount of time/money you need to be competitive.