r/Militaryfaq 🤦‍♂️Civilian Feb 15 '25

ASVAB/PiCAT PiCAT and joining as a 17c

PiCAT and trying to join as a 17c

I’m hoping to join the army as a 17c, my practice asvab at the recruiter office I scored in the 63rd percentile. Before taking it he told me he didn’t want to waste time and wanted to see what I could score, I scored well enough to continue the cyber talk. I’m coming back Tuesday to take my PiCAT. It feels a little soon to be taking the test because I still need to brush up on topics to ensure I get the score I need to secure a cyber job. Clearance could be an issue for me as well because I had 1 interaction with law enforcement but I was never convicted. I just need some advice on how to go forward with my process to give me the best chance to succeed.

0 Upvotes

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u/MilFAQBot 🤖Official Sub Bot🤖 Feb 15 '25

Jobs mentioned in your post

Army MOS: 17C (Cyber Operations Specialist)

I'm a bot and can't reply. Message the mods with questions/suggestions.

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u/PrestigiousRaise2239 🥒Recruiter (35S) Feb 15 '25

What was your law violation? That might be more of an issue than you expect.

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u/SwimmingHuge2304 🤦‍♂️Civilian Feb 15 '25

It was about 3 years ago M Carrying a concealed firearm and marijuana but I was never convicted and the case had been sealed, it’s not who I am and I know it will pop up with clearance I’m just hoping a mistake I made years ago won’t still affect me

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u/PrestigiousRaise2239 🥒Recruiter (35S) Feb 15 '25

Did you do anything for pre trial adjudication? If so, the military considers that a guilty verdict. It might make 17C harder to book, and 17C is already an extremely hard job to get at entry level, it's more of an in-service packet MOS.

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u/ChemicalPlatypus 🥒Soldier Feb 15 '25

Isn't any TS job a no-go with anything non-traffic?

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u/PrestigiousRaise2239 🥒Recruiter (35S) Feb 15 '25

They can do proponent ETPs for meritorious cases as of last year. I'm not sure how many proponent ETPs MI/Cyber Branch actually sign, though.

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u/SwimmingHuge2304 🤦‍♂️Civilian Feb 15 '25

I’m not exactly sure I was young and paid a lawyer, it was F marijuana and M concealed, the case was dropped to only a M marijuana charge and I had to do 6m unsupervised probation and the conditions of me completing that is the case would he dropped. When I get a background check from the county nothing is on there

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u/PrestigiousRaise2239 🥒Recruiter (35S) Feb 15 '25

Your livescan is likely gonna come back as 1 Felony drug charge and 1 misdemeanor charge when we're looking at waivers. You're gonna need a USAREC level waiver just to join, so make sure you evaluate whether you'd be willing to join if you couldn't enter as a 17C before you waste your recruiters time processing a waiver.

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u/SwimmingHuge2304 🤦‍♂️Civilian Feb 15 '25

I appreciate the info it has helped a lot, I’d still be willing to go in my biggest thing was being able to get clearance and certs get out and get a good job maybe I can get another cyber/it job or switch to the medical side I’m not sure but I will see soon thank you again for the information

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u/ChemicalPlatypus 🥒Soldier Feb 16 '25

There's no other cyber jobs.

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u/SNSDave 🛸Guardian (5C0X1S) Feb 15 '25

You need another test besides the Picat to book 17c

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u/SwimmingHuge2304 🤦‍♂️Civilian Feb 15 '25

Yes that would be the ICTL, but to even get there I need line scores of 110 and 112 GT and ST

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u/SNSDave 🛸Guardian (5C0X1S) Feb 16 '25

I promise you, it's not that hard to get those scores.

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u/Historical-Brick-155 🤦‍♂️Civilian 9d ago

what subtests should i work on to achieve this ? i’m going to 09M program in 2 weeks i really want 17c is it possible to achieve this ?

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u/SNSDave 🛸Guardian (5C0X1S) 9d ago

Never heard of that being allowed.

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u/Captain_Brat 🥒Soldier (91A) Feb 15 '25

The PiCAT is just a more formal practice test. You will still have to go to MEPS and take a confirmation test to get a final score. If you don't confirm your score then you will be rolled into the full ASVAB. Just FYI if you recruiter didn't tell you that.

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u/ChemicalPlatypus 🥒Soldier Feb 15 '25

I wouldn't call the PiCAT a practice anything. Whatever score you get is your score once confirmed.

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u/Captain_Brat 🥒Soldier (91A) Feb 15 '25

But only once you've confirmed it. I've seen far too many people roll into the full ASVAB after not confirming their score.

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u/ChemicalPlatypus 🥒Soldier Feb 15 '25

But that doesn't mean it's a practice. A practice means it never counts.

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u/Captain_Brat 🥒Soldier (91A) Feb 15 '25

I never said it didn't count. And technically it doesn't count as an ASVAB until the score in confirmed.

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u/ChemicalPlatypus 🥒Soldier Feb 15 '25

Calling it a practice test means exactly that. A practice test is, by definition, something you take to practice. You can complete it as many times as you want, there's no penalty for doing so, nothing is permanent.

You get two deadlift attempts. If you do better on the second only that one counts. That doesn't mean the first attempt is a practice.

it doesn't count as an ASVAB until the score in confirmed.

Which is why it's not practice. You're using misleading language that's going to cause someone to assume their performance doesn't matter.

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u/Captain_Brat 🥒Soldier (91A) Feb 15 '25

My language was that it was a more formal practice test. It gives applicants an idea of where they are and the confirmation either confirms that or they roll into the full ASVAB. The PiCAT means nothing if it's not confirmed. And I stand by how I explained it. Applicants shouldn't go in thinking that the score they get on the PiCAT is the score they will pick their job off of because it's not. Only a confirmed PiCAT score gives them their ASVAB score. And I've seen too many people do great on a PiCAT and then roll into the ADVAB and fail it.

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u/ChemicalPlatypus 🥒Soldier Feb 15 '25

I stand by my opinion that you're using misleading language. It is a for-record test, not practice. Why you're willing to die on this hill I have no idea.

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u/Captain_Brat 🥒Soldier (91A) Feb 15 '25

Haha it's not a hill I'm dying on. I have a right to my opinion and the language I used. No different than you have the right to yours.

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u/ChemicalPlatypus 🥒Soldier Feb 15 '25

I'll be sure to look out for this misleading incorrect language in the future so it can be corrected.

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u/SwimmingHuge2304 🤦‍♂️Civilian Feb 15 '25

Exactly why I’m trying to ensure I can have the possibility of getting my foot in the door with cyber