Armed Service Vocational Aptitude Battery

What To Expect When You Take The Asvab

When you decide to take the test, you will likely work with a military recruiter to schedule a time and location for the test to be administered.

On the test itself, you will find nine sections consisting of 225 questions that you will need to complete in 2.5 hours, although each section is timed separately.

The timings listed below are for the digital version of the test.

The nine sections consist of:

• General Science You will be tested on your understanding of basic scientific principles. You have 8 minutes to answer 15 questions.
• Arithmetic Reasoning Word-based numerical reasoning questions. You have 39 minutes to answer 15 questions.
• Word Knowledge A vocabulary test consisting of 15 questions in 8 minutes.
• Paragraph Comprehension You will need to read some sentences and understand what they are about. You will have 22 minutes to answer 10 questions.
• Mathematics Knowledge You will be tested on 15 simple mathematic problems in 20 minutes.
• Electronics Information Covers things like voltage, amps, circuits and more. You will have 8 minutes to answer 15 questions.
• Automotive and Shop Information Analyzes your ability to work on engines, use tools and more. You will have 7 minutes to answer 10 questions.
• Mechanical Comprehension You will be asked to solve 15 mechanical reasoning problems in 20 minutes.
• Assembling Objects You will be asked 15 spatial ability type questions in 40 minutes.

Why Asvab Is Important For Your Future Job

Your ASVAB scores help determine not only which military jobs you qualify for, but whether you’re suitable even to enlist.

“The things that are going on in the world, we don’t need a whole lot of brute strength,” Staff Sgt. Kenneth McCall, a local recruiter for the Army National Guard, told the Daily Journal, a local newspaper serving a community outside Chicago. “Brute strength, yeah, we’ve got people for that, but a lot of the battles we are facing are more technological. The smarter you are and the more skills you have in arts and sciences and mathematics, you will be more beneficial for military service across the board.”

Kris Michaelson, director of content from Peterson’s Test Prep, a leading test prep provider, says: “If you know what you want to do in the military, then studying and taking practice tests is even more important. If you miss the required minimum test score in the field of your choice, you may be slotted in for a job you don’t care for once you join.”

Where Can I Find My Asvab Scores

Its best to keep the contact information of your nearest recruiting office or your actual recruiter they are your best bet for getting your scores. ASVAB scores are valid for up to two years before you need to retest so most offices will send your current scores via mail. If you cant get yours by mail, you can pick them up from your local recruiting office.

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Top Tips For Passing The Asvab

The ASVAB test is challenging, but there are things that candidates can do to help them perform at their best:

• Monitor how much time you spend on each question and be aware of the allocated time for each subtest, especially when sitting the CAT-ASVAB.

• Make sure you are well-rested before taking the test. This means getting a good night’s sleep, eating a nutritious breakfast and keeping yourself hydrated so you can perform at your best.

• Keep calm and don’t panic if you feel one part of the test didn’t go as well as you would have liked. Use calming techniques such as deep breathing to keep your nerves in check.

• Read the instructions carefully and make sure you understand them before starting the test.

• If taking the CAT-ASVAB, make sure you read the keyboard instructions carefully to know which keys to use for answering the questions.

• When taking the CAT-ASVAB, remember wrong answers are not penalized. Rather than leaving a blank if you aren’t sure of an answer, , then move on.

• If sitting the paper-and-pencil version of the ASVAB, don’t spend too long on one question. If you haven’t answered the question after up to two minutes, move on to the next question or mark your best guess, then move on. You can always come back to the question once you have completed the test.

What Is On The Asvab Test

What is on the ASVAB test? The two versions of the ASVAB exam differ slightly in their format and timing, although the general questions remain the same. The CAT version is taken by over 90% of test-takers. Here is a summary of what is on the CAT-ASVAB test:

1. General Science 16 questions in 8 minutes

This section tests your knowledge of biology, chemistry, and physics. Questions are based on your knowledge of basic scientific concepts no advanced calculations are necessary.

2. Arithmetic Reasoning 16 questions in 39 minutes

The math on the ASVAB is split into arithmetic and more advanced algebra and geometry . This section will present relatively simple word problems that require basic arithmetic to solve.

3. Word Knowledge 16 questions in 8 minutes

These 16 questions will each present a word, either alone or in a sentence for context, and youll be required to choose a synonym, or word that has the same essential meaning.

4. Paragraph Comprehension 11 questions in 22 minutes

These questions ask you to read short paragraphs and answer some simple reading comprehension questions, identifying the main idea, purpose of specific details, and make correct inferences.

5. Mathematics Knowledge 16 questions in 20 minutes

The math in this section is only slightly more challenging than in the Arithmetic section. It covers high school algebra and geometry concepts.

6. Electronics Information 16 questions in 8 minutes

9. Assembling Objects 16 questions in 16 minutes

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Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States Armed Forces. It is often offered to U.S. high school students when they are in the 10th, 11th and 12th grade, though anyone eligible for enlistment may take it.

Asvab Test For Marines

Each Marine Corps job is given a code known as a military occupational specialty . Every MOS has different ASVAB score requirements.

After you take the ASVAB, the Marine Corps translates your results into five calculations known as “Marine Corps line scores.” These help the Marine Corps know which jobs, MOSs, you qualify for. They are broken down into clerical, electronics, general technical, mechanical maintenance and skilled technical.

Read More:ASVAB Scores and Marine Corps Jobs

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How To Prepare For Armed Forces Tests

As with any test, good preparation is the key to finishing with a good score and increasing your chances of being accepted into the armed forces.

Working through sample questions and studying for the more technical parts of the tests will help you perform your best.

To prepare for the verbal tests, read a variety of non-fiction writing, including newspapers and online articles.

Reading regularly will help to sharpen your comprehension skills.

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Scoring Well On The Asvab

Your ASVAB score determines the military jobs for which you qualify. The higher your score, the more options you have in your military career. A very high score can give you a wide array of job options, some of which might come with special pay and bonuses. That means its a good idea to study for the ASVAB and do your best to score well.

You dont just want to take the ASVAB. You also want to get a good ASVAB score that can help open doors to a wealth of military opportunities.

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Asvab Test Purposes And Scoring

Test purposes served by the ASVAB include career counseling, enlistment screening, and placement. Scores are provided for eight tests, as well as numerous composites including verbal, math, and science-technical the tests are administered by trained individuals in high schools that make voluntary requests. The ASVAB is rooted in a rich tradition. The Army Alpha test, developed to screen recruits during World War I, evolved into the Army General Classification Test administered to recruits in World War II. Differentiation of testing occurred across the services until conformance to the ASVAB and the Armed Forces Qualifying Test composite became mandatory. Testing for secondary students began in 1968 as a value-added purpose. Computer-adaptive testing is available, but only for enlistment testing.

Currently, eight tests make up the ASVAB. The raw scores are formed into composites for multiple purposes. The tests, number of items, and content are as follow: General Science , Arithmetic Reasoning , Word Knowledge , Paragraph Comprehension , Mathematics Knowledge , Electronics Information , Auto and Shop Information , Mechanical Comprehension . The composition of the ASVAB should be continually scrutinized across purposes and populations.

The ASVAB is an intersection among societal institutions, namely testing and occupational information the armed services and education. Testing as an institution creates consequences for individuals.

Armed Forces Qualifying Test

The Armed Forces Qualifying Test is a subsection of the larger Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery that we covered above.

Four sections of the ASVAB combine to make up the score that you will receive on the Armed Forces Qualifying Test, sometimes called the Military Entrance Score.

The score you receive on the AFQT will determine if you are eligible to enlist for the military, what branches you are eligible for and what training you might receive once you have enlisted.

All entrants to the military take this exam and it is most often given to high school juniors and seniors who are considering the armed forces as a career after graduation.

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Is Any Alternative To The Asvab Available

As an alternative to the ASVAB, you may take the Prescreen Internet Computerized Adaptive Test, or PiCAT. This is an unproctored version of the full ASVAB that military recruiters can use as a tool to help gauge whether an applicant is qualified for enlistment.

The PiCAT provides a “pending” ASVAB score that then must be verified at a controlled testing location in order to be valid.

Read more:The PiCAT Pretest Can Help You Ace the ASVAB

Make A Study Schedule

Probably the most important thing is to make a schedule and stick with it. Some days, you will be a little tired, and you may not concentrate as hard as you should on other days, but if you are consistent, you will reap great rewards.

When you first begin studying, you should make a list of the areas you are good at and those on which you could use improvement.

If you’re not really sure, it would be a great idea to take a practice ASVAB test.

This will help you figure out what you’re good and not so good at. For example, you might make a table like this:

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Asvab Test For Air Force

Jobs in the Air Force are called Air Force specialty codes . To find what jobs you qualify for, the Air Force breaks down your ASVAB subtest scores into groups known as qualification areas.

Those subtests are general science , arithmetic reasoning , word knowledge , paragraph comprehension , mathematics knowledge , electronics Information , auto and shop information , and mechanical comprehension .

Read More:ASVAB Scores and Air Force Jobs

Whats An Adaptive Test

The adaptive test is exactly what it sounds like, a test that adapts to the test taker. Questions in each section range in difficulty, and based on the test takers answers, the question types and difficulties adjust with each answer. This type of test allows for a greater level of accuracy in evaluating a prospects abilities. For the most part, correct answers beget more difficult questions while wrong answers will reduce the difficulty of proceeding questions.

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What Can Asvab Results Reveal About Career Paths

High scores in various sections of the ASVAB may suggest potential career paths that would be a good fit. Here are a few examples.

Proficiency in:

• Auto and shop may mean you’re a good fit for combat, general or mechanical maintenance, operations and food, or surveillance and communications.
• Arithmetic reasoning could suggest a career in artillery, clerical work, electronics, surveillance and communications, or a technical field.
• Electronic information may match with electronics , but also general or mechanical maintenance.
• General science may mean you’re a good fit for electronics, general maintenance or skilled technical.
• Mathematics knowledge may match with artillery, clerical work, electronics, general or mechanical maintenance, or skilled technical.
• Mechanical comprehension could suggest a career in artillery, combat, operations and food, skilled technical, or surveillance and communications.
• Verbal expression could suggest a career related to clerical work, combat, operations and food, surveillance and communications, or a technical field, including skilled technical.

How To Prepare For The Asvab

The ASVAB is a comprehensive test battery that consists of several different subtests, each assessing a specific aptitude or area of knowledge.

Candidates need to ensure that they start preparing for their ASVAB test in enough time to cover each test subject, then refresh their memory of new information.

Ways in which a candidate can ensure that they fully prepare for the ASVAB in plenty of time include:

• Creating a realistic study plan Factor in study time as well as your job and hobbies. This will ensure that you leave yourself plenty of time to cover all of the subject topics in the ASVAB test.

• Reviewing sample questions This will prepare you for the level of difficulty that the questions are set at.

• Taking practice tests This will help you to familiarize yourself with the format and style of questioning. Becoming familiar with how the questions are worded will save you time in the test itself. You want to spend your time in the actual test answering the questions and not figuring out what the question is asking.

• Assessing your strengths and weaknesses Do this for each of the subtest topics. If you find some areas of your knowledge aren’t as strong as others, you can revise basic knowledge in the assessed topics. Always make sure you go back and practice examples in the tests to ensure that you can put your knowledge into practice.

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What To Expect When You Take The Afoqt

The test is comprised of 12 subtests and lasts for approximately 3.5 hours. The test is multiple-choice.

• Verbal Analogies This measures how a candidate understands the relationship between words.
• Arithmetic Reasoning Basic math word problems.
• Word Knowledge You will be asked to demonstrate your knowledge of word meanings.
• Math Knowledge Measures basic high school level maths principles.
• Reading Comprehension You will need to read a passage of text and answer questions on it.
• Situational Judgement You will be asked questions on situations commonly faced in the Air Force.
• Self-Description Inventory Personality test, not graded on the test.
• Physical Science How you understand physics principles.
• Table Reading You will be asked to answer questions on graph coordinates.
• Instrument Comprehension This test relates to using aircraft instruments whilst flying.
• Block Counting Counting 3D blocks to test spatial awareness.
• Aviation Information General questions on airplane mechanics and aviation.

After the test has been scored, the scores are broken down into five unique categories for reporting:

There is no pass/fail score associated with this test. Instead, scores are compared to others in your peer group.

The test results will be used to allocate positions within the Air Force that match the candidates skills.

You can only take the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test twice .

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Your Asvab Score Can Be Critical

ASVAB test scores are broken down by the individual subtests and their composites. One of the most critical of these scores is the armed forces qualification test, which is used to determine whether you are qualified to join the military service. Each service determines the qualifying AFQT score for enlisting in their service.

The AFQT is comprised of your results in arithmetic reasoning, math knowledge and verbal expression times two. Your VE score is a combination of your word knowledge and paragraph comprehension scores.

“It’s important to know what the minimum scores required in each section are, so you can work on the areas you might need a little help on,” said Kris Michaelson, director of content for Peterson’s Test Prep, a leading test prep provider. “You may ace one section but fail another, and that may limit the career paths the recruiter will consider for you.”

Check out the following AFQT qualifying scores for each branch of service.

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Armed Forces Qualification Test

An Armed Forces Qualification Test score is used to determine basic qualifications for enlistment.

The AFQT scores are divided into the following categories

• Category I: 9399
• Category III A: 5064
• Category III B: 3149
• Category IV A: 2130
• Category IV B: 1620
• Category IV C: 1015
• Category V: 09

– The formula for computing an AFQT score is: AR + MK + .

– The VE score is determined by adding the raw scores from the PC and WK tests and using a table to get the VE score from that combined PC and WK raw score.

– AFQT scores are not raw scores, but rather percentile scores indicating how each examinee performed compared with the base youth population. Thus, someone who receives an AFQT of 55 scored better than 55 percent of all other members of the base youth population. The highest possible percentile is 99.

– The minimum score for enlistment varies according to branch of service and whether the enlistee has a high school diploma.

GED holders who earn 15 college credits 100 level or greater are considered equivalent to those holding high school diplomas so they need only the Tier I score to enlist. Eligibility is not determined by the score alone. Certain recruiting goal practices may require an applicant to achieve a higher score than the required minimum AFQT score in order to be considered for enlistment. Rules and regulations are subject to change applicants should call their local recruiting center for up-to-date qualification information.