Introduction

Welcome to your ASVAB preparation! The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is the test the U.S. military uses to determine eligibility for service and match you with an occupational specialty. In other words, how you do on the ASVAB helps determine whether you get accepted into the military and what your job will be once you get there.

This course will take you through each section of the exam, reviewing the basics and working up to the most advanced material covered on the test. Of course, we cannot predict the exact questions you’ll see on your exam, but we will give you the knowledge, strategies, and problem-solving skills you’ll need to be as prepared as possible for test day.

The skills you develop here will help prepare you for both the ASVAB and for life in the military (where there will be more tests!). The United States has one of the most highly educated militaries in the world, so your military career may include additional schooling and specialized training, such as airborne operations, aircraft training, cyber warfare, and more. So taking the time to learn testing and studying strategies now is vital and will set you up for a successful and fulfilling military career.

Eligibility

Anyone can take the ASVAB, including high school students, recent graduates, and adults exploring new careers. Even if you don’t plan to join the military, the ASVAB is a useful tool in highlighting your strengths and matching them to careers that are good fit for your skills. Because it includes a wide variety of options for the future, many high schools use the ASVAB to help give students guidance on civilian careers they may want to explore as well as potential military paths.

However, to join the military, there are certain requirements that you need to meet, such as receiving a high school diploma or GED and passing certain medical requirements. Your ASVAB score threshold may also depend on the type of degree you’ve earned, so make sure to speak with your recruiter to learn more.

Exam format

There are multiple formats of the ASVAB, and the one you take will be determined by your recruiter. This course follows the CAT-ASVAB format (the computerized adaptive ASVAB), which is the most common.

If you take the ASVAB at a high school, you’ll most likely take the paper-and-pencil version. That version is not adaptive, so the testing experience is a little different.

What “adaptive” means

On the CAT-ASVAB, the test adjusts as you go:

• If you answer correctly, the next questions tend to get harder.
• If you miss a question, the next questions tend to get easier.

This helps the test quickly identify exactly where your ability lies while having you answer the least amount of questions overall.

Adaptive-style testing also means that it’s possible for a section to end early if you answer too many questions incorrectly. So make sure to slow down and give yourself the best shot at answering each question correctly.

Paper-and-pencil vs. computerized

Here are the practical differences you’ll notice:

• Paper-and-pencil test: You can review and change answers within a section, but you can’t move on to the next section until the full time for the current section has ended.
• Computerized test (CAT-ASVAB): You can work at your own pace within each section, but once you submit an answer, it is final. You can’t review any of your previous questions. When you finish a section, you can move on immediately.

What’s on the exam

The exam includes:

• 4 core components: Paragraph Comprehension, Word Knowledge, Math Knowledge, and Arithmetic Reasoning
• Technical and spatial components: General Science, Electronics Information, Auto and Shop, Mechanical Comprehension, and Assembling Objects

Below are charts showing the time limits and number of questions for each test format which can also be viewed through the ASVAB Fact Sheet

Computer ASVAB (CAT-ASVAB)

Test	Number of questions	Time
General Science	15	12 mins
Arithmetic Reasoning	15	55 mins
Word Knowledge	15	9 mins
Paragraph Comprehension	10	27 mins
Mathematics Knowledge	15	31 mins
Electronics Information	15	10 mins
Auto Information	10	7 mins
Shop Information	10	6 mins
Mechanical Comprehension	15	22 mins
Assembling Objects	15	18 mins
Total	135	197 mins

Pencil and paper ASVAB

Test	Number of questions	Time
General Science	25	11 mins
Arithmetic Reasoning	30	36 mins
Word Knowledge	35	11 mins
Paragraph Comprehension	15	13 mins
Mathematics Knowledge	25	24 mins
Electronics Information	20	9 mins
Auto & Shop Information	25	11 mins
Mechanical Comprehension	25	19 mins
Assembling Objects	25	15 mins
Total	225	149 mins

Scoring of the ASVAB

The ASVAB is broken into two parts:

• AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test): determines whether you’re eligible to enter the military
• Technical subtests: help determine which jobs you qualify for

AFQT

The AFQT is based on the 4 core components:

• Paragraph Comprehension
• Word Knowledge
• Math Knowledge
• Arithmetic Reasoning

The score is calculated by:

2x (Word Knowledge + Paragraph Comprehension) + (Arithmetic Reasoning + Mathematics Knowledge) = AFQT Raw Score

Sidenote: you may notice that the verbal sections (Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comprehension) carry twice the weight as the math sections in terms of your score. This is because the military prioritizes your ability to read and communicate more than your ability to do math. Be sure to prioritize your studying accordingly, and don’t neglect your reading comprehension skills!

Technical components

The technical components are what determine your job options in the military. These are:

• General Science
• Electronics Information
• Auto & Shop Information
• Mechanical Comprehension
• Assembling Objects

Scoring tips

It’s completely normal to do well in some of the technical tests and not as well in others. Each branch of the military has its own score criteria to quality candidates for specific jobs. Your recruiter can give you a breakdown of these score requirements, or you can find them online.

We strongly recommend researching your intended job as part of your ASVAB study prep to see which section(s) you need to prioritize. You do not want to be limited in your intended career field—or not eligible for a signing bonus!—because of a low score in a particular section.

It’s also important to know that your ASVAB scores will stick with you throughout your military career. If you want to re-class (change jobs) and don’t have a qualifying ASVAB score, you will need to study and retake the test. It’s better to thoroughly prepare the first time and never have to worry about it again!

Tips for success

To succeed on the ASVAB (and the military in general), you need to learn discipline. Setting up and adhering to a study schedule is a great first step.

• Read each section and do the knowledge checks.
• Take physical notes on anything you struggle with and review them daily.
• Read the explanation of the questions if you miss them, and then practice that section until you can reliably get the questions correct.
• Review the vocabulary daily.
• Make sure that your AQFT score is solid before advancing to the technical sections.
• You will NOT be able to use a calculator on the test, so practice these sections without a calculator to get used to doing math problems by hand!