People take the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Abilities
Battery) for many different reasons, and at different stages in
their career decision-making process. Many people take the ASVAB
after high school because they are considering a career in the
military. Whatever your reasons, know that the ASVAB is not an
intelligence test. It is intended to measure your aptitude to be
trained in specific jobs.
In addition, if you think that you may want to enlist in the
U.S. Armed Services, you will want to make sure you do well on
the AFQT. Here is a concise breakdown of the two
exams:
What is the ASVAB?
There are presently four versions of the ASVAB. The first
version is Form 18/19, or the paper-based, student
version of the ASVAB. It is administered once or twice a
year at high schools and postsecondary schools in the United
States. The second version, Forms 20-22, is known as the
production version. This version is given by the Armed
Forces for enlistment purposes only. The third version is the
CAT-ASVAB, which is a computerized version of the Forms 20-22
ASVAB. Any of the three ASVABs may be used for enlistment in the
U.S. Armed Forces.
The fourth "shortened" version of the ASVAB has been offered
in secondary and postsecondary schools since 2002. It contains
only five subtests (the two math and two verbal tests). Students
who take the shortened ASVAB, like students who take the
full-length ASVAB, will get an AFQT score that determines their
eligibility in the different Armed Forces. If they then decide to
enlist, they can then take the computerized "merge" test of the
subtests that they did not take on the shortened student
ASVAB.
Learn
more about the test sections on the ASVAB.
Learn
more about the Armed Forces Qualifying Test
(AFQT).
