(August 19, 2013) – As any military commander would tell you, it is important to know your enemy well enough in order to win a battle. Preparing for a job in the army is no different in this regard. A primary prerequisite prior to joining any branch in the U.S. military is a test known as ‘Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery’, better known as ASVAB.
According to the army, ASVAB test online can measure abilities and aid in recognizing occupational success and future academic abilities in the military. This test is managed by the Department of Defense in the U.S. and can be accessed in more than 14,000 schools throughout the nation. ASVAB practice is taken by more than one million individuals every year. High school students in the US take up this specific test in senior, sophomore or junior levels. However, anyone eligible for enlistment may take up the test.
Two parts of ASVAB
There are two challenging courses of ASVAB. The first part helps in deciding what type of positions will best suit your skills. The next part is an aptitude test which will determine whether you are good enough to enlist in the Navy, Army, Marine Corps or Air Force. The second part (the aptitude test) is called Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) and consists of paragraph comprehension, word knowledge, mathematics knowledge and arithmetic reasoning.
If your AFQT scores are below expectations, it will be hard for you to make it to the military. On the other hand, a good AFQT score will help you gain enlistment bonuses and incentives. Of course, there are several institutions to help you take up ASVAB practice questions and prepare yourself for the test.
How is the AFQT Score Reported?
Usually AFQT scores are taken in terms of percentiles ranging between 1 and 99 as the scores are relative: AFQT scores show how well an individual has performed when compared to the scores of a reference group. For instance, if an individual scores 72, it would mean that he/she has scored equal to or better than 72 percent of participants in the reference group.
If the individual manages to score 50, it would mean the score is the exact average compared to the reference group. As per the latest military report, half the population scores are equal to or above 50 and about 16% of population scores are equal to or above 60.
“ASVAB AFQT for Dummies” is a book with comprehensive information on the army test, details about ASVAB scores and other information you might want to know. The minimum AFQT scores required to qualify differs for different branches of services. As indicated in the book, “ASVAB AFQT for Dummies”, the following are the qualifying scores for enlistment under each branch:
Navy — 35
Air Force — 36
Navy Reserves — 31
Coast Guard — 40
Marine Corps — 32
As you would have realized by now, ASVAB scores play a huge role in deciding the fate of your career in the military. But hold on, you do not have to panic or lose hope. If your scores do not meet the standards in the first attempt, you can take it up once again after a month. And if you fail in your second attempt, you still have a third chance for which you can appear after six months. Scores attained by you are valid for a couple of years from the date you have taken up the test.
The hardship faced by a military man during his career is a fact that needs no explanation. But to get into the military service is an equally challenging task as well. After all it represents a nation and any position that represents a nation is not going to be easy.
Cheers to the military!
About the Author
Kate Smitty is a military blogger who loves to educate the younger generations on the various aspects of the service sector. Of late, she has been collecting various sources for Military Practice Quiz to help the young and budding National Heroes.