Did you know that you need to take an exam in order to enlist in the military? The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) scores are used to determine if you are qualified to enlist. If you are, those scores are used to assign you an appropriate job in the military. If this is news to you, don’t panic. You are able to retake the exam if you aren’t happy with your score, and there are plenty of ways to prepare for it in advance.
What is the test like?
The test is designed to measure your strengths in four areas: Verbal, Math, Science and Technical, and Spatial. The ASVAB is only offered in English and can be taken on paper (P&P) or on the computer (CAT-ASVAB). While the content is the same, the CAT-ASVAB tends to give a more accurate score and takes less time to complete. Subtest information is listed below:
| Subtest | Description | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| General Science (GS) | Knowledge of physical and biological sciences | Science/Technical |
| Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) | Ability to solve Arithmetic word problems | Math |
| Word Knowledge (WK) | Ability to select the correct meaning of words presented in context and to identify the best synonym for a given word | Verbal |
| Paragraph Comprehension (PC) | Ability to obtain information from written passages | Verbal |
| Math Knowledge (MK) | Knowledge of high school mathematics principles | Math |
| Electronics Information (EI) | Knowledge of electricity and electronics | Science/Technical |
| * Auto Information (AI) | Knowledge of automobile technology | Science/Technical |
| * Shop Information (SI) | Knowledge of tools and shop terminology and practices | Science/Technical |
| Mechanical Comprehension (MC) | Knowledge of mechanical and physical principles | Science/Technical |
| Assembling Objects (AO) | Ability to determine how an object will look when its parts are put together | Spatial |
Want to see how you would do? You can try some sample questions here: Sample ASVAB Questions
The minimum score required for enlistment depends on the branch of the military that you are looking to join. Check individual branch websites for specific information.
