The OAR (Officer Aptitude Rating) is a standardized aptitude test required for candidates applying to become Navy officers through the Officer Candidate School (OCS) and other Navy commissioning programs. The OAR measures math reasoning, reading comprehension, and mechanical comprehension ability — three core cognitive skills required for officer-level decision-making and technical leadership. This guide covers the OAR test format, section breakdown, scoring, minimum requirements, and the most effective preparation strategies for scoring as high as possible.
The OAR (Officer Aptitude Rating) is a component of the ASTB-E (Aviation Selection Test Battery, Edition 5) — the standardized test battery used to evaluate candidates for US Navy officer commissioning programs. The OAR specifically measures the cognitive aptitude required for Navy officer roles (excluding aviation-specific scores), making it the primary selection measure for most Navy Officer Candidate School (OCS) applicants who are not pursuing aviation billets.
Who takes the OAR:
Key facts:
Practice with our oar test preparation resources covering all three OAR sections in the computer-adaptive format.
The OAR composite score is derived from three of the ASTB-E subtests:
1. Math Skills Test (MST):
Tests mathematical reasoning including algebra, arithmetic, number sequences, percentages and ratios, geometry basics, and applied math word problems. The MST is computer-adaptive — correct answers lead to harder questions, incorrect answers to easier ones. Your final score reflects both accuracy and the difficulty level of questions answered. Focus areas: solving equations, fraction and decimal operations, percentage change, distance/rate/time problems, and basic statistics.
2. Reading Comprehension Test (RCT):
Tests your ability to understand, analyze, and draw conclusions from written passages — including technical, scientific, and professional texts. Questions assess main idea identification, specific fact location, vocabulary in context, logical inference, and author's purpose. The CAT format means early questions set the difficulty trajectory — read carefully from the first question.
3. Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT):
Tests knowledge of physical and mechanical principles: gears, pulleys, levers, fluid mechanics, electricity and circuits, pressure, and simple machines. Questions use diagrams and scenarios. This section is often the most challenging for candidates without a technical background — it requires both memorizing mechanical principles and applying them to novel visual scenarios.
For targeted section practice, use our oar test practice resources and our asvab practice test mechanical comprehension materials (same core physics concepts).
The OAR is scored on a scale of 20 to 80. Here is what different score ranges mean for Navy officer competitiveness:
Below 35: Below the minimum threshold for most Navy OCS programs. Retaking is necessary (subject to lifetime limit of 3 attempts).
35–44: Meets the minimum but is not competitive for selection boards. Officer boards look at the whole package, but a low OAR is a significant disadvantage.
45–54: Competitive range for many OCS applicants. Combined with strong GPA, letters of recommendation, and physical fitness, this range is workable for most programs.
55–65: Highly competitive. Strong OAR scores in this range give candidates a significant advantage in board selection.
65+: Exceptional. Candidates scoring in this range are positioned at the top of competitive OCS selection boards.
Important: The Navy uses your best OAR score (not most recent), and you are limited to 3 lifetime attempts on the ASTB-E. Prepare thoroughly before your first attempt. Practice with our oar test resources to maximize your score.