R. David B. Smith - Taking the ASVAB

Copyright R. David B. Smith 2022 - All rights reserved.

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T he Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB, is a standardized test many of us have enjoyed taking in our lifetimes (ASVAB,2022). If you are reading this book, there is a high chance you are here for one of two reasons. Either you are looking to join the military, or you need to improve your score for movement to a Warrant Officer position or reclass into a military job that you want. This book does not test you against practice tests or is a massive book of questions and answers. This book is a way for you to understand how the ASVAB works.
As well as teaching you the techniques you need to maximize your work and improve your score tremendously.

I will explain how the ASVAB works, the minimum scores for each military branch, each category, and its influence on your job selection. Then we will cover three essential techniques that you can use when taking your exam to boost your score and reduce your test anxiety. Finally, I will cover what you can do to ensure you get the job you want before signing your contract. This last one will prevent you from becoming one of the my recruiter told me this stories you will hear. My goal is to arm you with the best techniques so you can maximize your score and your military career.

You are probably asking, why should I trust you? What do you know? So here is a little background on
myself. When this book was written, I am currently serving as a Sergeant First Class in the US Army. I have served for the last 17 years as a Medic and in various leadership positions. I have deployed to combat zones and served overseas and at various posts within the United States. I have been through training, and on my ASVAB, I achieved a general technical (GT) score of 132. Unlike most individuals, I did not enter military service when I was just out of high school or college or as a young adult. I went to basic training at the age of 30 and was able to compete and perform with individuals that were almost half my age. I am currently in the process of being medically retired for injuries I have sustained throughout my military career. I decided to write this and other informational books to aid those in various phases of their military entrance, service, or retirement and with the Veterans Administration when you exit your service. So by the time you read this, I may be officially retired from the military, but the information within will be helpful as long as the ASVAB exists.

T his chapter will increase your understanding of how the ASVAB works and what it will do while taking your test. First off, you need to know that there are different ways to take the ASVAB. There is one computerized version and two additional paper and pencil versions. The three versions are the CAT-ASVAB, a computerized adaptive test(Military.com, 2021). The MET-site ASVAB, paper and pencil version is set up by your recruiter under particular circumstances (Military.com, 2021). And finally, the Student-ASVAB is usually given to high school, college, and vocational school students. The Student-ASVAB is also a pen and paper exam. Depending on the situation, you may have to take any of the versions, but the version we take will be the CAT-ASVAB for most of us. If you are still in high school, you will probably be taking the student version, a three-hour, 8-part exam (Military.com, 2021. No matter the version of the ASVAB you take, the techniques contained within will improve your scores.

Depending on the version you take, you will have different requirements to consider during the examination. Let us look at each version separately and break them down since each exam scores and is set up slightly differently.

CAT-ASVAB

The CAT-ASVAB is an adaptive computerized version of the ASVAB (Military.com, 2021). It is essential to understand what an adaptive test is. People take many standardized adaptive computer-based tests for various licenses and certifications. The most important thing to note with these exams is that they will ask you different questions based on your previous answer. So if you get a question and answer it correctly, the next question will be more difficult. If you answer that question correctly, then the next question is still more challenging. The same is true. If you answer a question wrong, the next question will be more straightforward. Get that one right; the next question will be more challenging. And so it will go for each separate section that the exam tests you on. The CAT-ASVAB consists of nine subtests or different areas that it will test you on(Military.com, 2021).

The sections for the CAT-ASVAB are as follows:

General Science

Arithmetic Reasoning

Word Knowledge

Paragraph Comprehension

Mathematics Knowledge

Electronic information

Auto Information

Shop Information

Mechanical Comprehension

The CAT-ASVAB will give you between eleven and sixteen questions in each category, and overall, you will have about ninety minutes to complete your exam with your scores remaining valid for two years after your exam(Military.com, 2021). The most important thing to know with the computerized version of the exam.

YOU CAN NOT GO BACK AND CHANGE YOUR ANSWERS.

But dont worry, the techniques, later on, will give you the skills to select the best answer for each question put in front of you.

MET-site ASVAB

The first of the two pen and paper versions, the MET-site, is set up by your recruiter and taken at a designated facility. It contains eight areas instead of nine, like the computer version with the auto and shop sections merged into one(Military.com, 2021). If you are fortunate enough to take this test, you must know a few things to maximize your score. First, you are given a set amount of time to answer all your questions. Also, you can go back and answer questions that you didnt know the answer to right away. But the biggest and best thing about this version is that: