A data analysis of success in OCS, the use of ASVAB waivers, and Race

Abstract

Success in Officers Candidate School (OCS) occurs at the same rate regardless of whether the candidates received a mental aptitude qualification waiver based upon their score on the electronics portion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). However, these rates do change with race and time; and the result is an apparent contradiction because the macro rates (those rates computed overall without discriminating race and time) exhibit different success rates depending upon the presence of a waiver or not. The data are studied to expose the contradiction and develop sharper models.