So how much does ASVAB actually matter?

[jmart1983]

Just curious how much the ASVAB score actually matters. Basically my top 2 job field choices are the DD contract (02xx/26xx) and AJ (UAV mos and traffic controller jobs). I scored a 98 on the ASVAB (everything was in the mid 130's I believe) and I'm just wondering if that really plays a part in if I get a specific job over someone else with a similar ship date, or if you just need the minimum and it's first come first serve. I know that for my ship date time slot there are 2 DD contracts and 1 AJ contract available to my RSS. About a week after my recruiter sent in the paperwork for my field choices he told me that they lost the paperwork and we'd have to redo it. I'd like to know if at this point I'm out of luck for the next 4+ years before I can lat move or if my ASVAB scores could still get me one of the spots I want. Thanks in advance.

[s4m222]

I believe once your over a certain point of like 70/80 it matters minimally as all MOS's are open to asvab scores in that range.

If you know what you want, dont ship until you get what you want. Your under no obligation, aside from a social one, to ship to bootcamp with an MOS you dont want. Let your recruiter know your not going to be pressured into signing an MOS you dont want. He is to an extent filling quota.

Assuming you have the patience to wait out many a months.

[Tennessee Top]

How long are you prepared to wait to get what you want? Till the next fiscal year (Oct 2013)?

What's more important to you; the MOS you want or earning the title?

Not being disrespectful. These are questions you must ask yourself.

[CajunPOG]

Tennessee Top is absolutely right. You have a lot of steps to take before you can worry too much about what you'll be doing. And, even if you get that contract, it can be changed with no forward notice and no input from you whatsoever. The bottom line is that the Marine Corps is too big for it's own boots and cuts are happening so you will be put where the Corps needs you. Needs of the Corps trumps everything. If you want to be picky with your job, there are other branches. If you want to be able to call yourself a United States Marine, step up to the plate.

[sparkie]

My wife said it last nite. She made me stand tall. "In your day they wanted to serve our country". now,,,,, "they want to get off the welfare roles". I'm proud of her.

[jmart1983]

My wife said it last nite. She made me stand tall. "In your day they wanted to serve our country". now,,,,, "they want to get off the welfare roles". I'm proud of her.

That's quite presumptuous, and I have no idea where you would have gotten that from my question. I'm 27 years old, married, own a house, 2 vehicles and have almost no debt outside of my mortgage. I am joining the Marine Corps because I want to serve and earn the title. If all I cared about was making money I would continue what I was doing and move up the ladder in corporate America.

As I've stated in a previous post, if it was just me jumping in I would take whatever hand I was dealt. However, because I'm married it would be incredibly ignorant and selfish of me to not do everything in my power to get as many answers as possible leading up to my ship date. To answer Tennessee's question, the answer is I will in fact, take whatever MOS the USMC deems me most needed for. Yes, I understand that my MOS can be changed at a whim, and I'm fine with that. That doesn't mean I shouldn't increase my odds of getting a preferred job as much as possible. Sparkie, by your reasoning everyone should just enlist as an Open Contract and roll the dice.

And to be perfectly blunt, the first person that responded was the only one that actually answered the question. I had assumed it was the case that the ASVAB wasn't particularly important, because as someone that did no studying for it and hadn't been in school for 9 years I found the test to be laughably easy.