Exam Overview for ASVAB Power Practice Study Guide (page 3)

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple-aptitude test taken by over 800,000 Americans every year. It is comprised of timed subtests in different subjects that measure the range of aptitudes necessary for military enlistment and job placement. A breakdown of these subtests— by test version—is shown in the table on pages 2–3, and a more detailed description of each subtest test appears later in this chapter.

The ASVAB, which was created by the United States Department of Defense in 1968 and adopted by all armed services by 1976, is used for two main purposes:

• As a military recruiting tool. The United States Department of Defense uses the ASVAB to determine the abilities of potential recruits, to gauge what they already know about certain subjects, to measure their general learning and vocational aptitude, and to predict performance in certain academic areas.
• As a guide for high school and post–secondary school students. The ASVAB helps students make decisions about their career paths, whether in the military or in another field.

ASVAB: Paper and Pencil versus CAT

Individuals can expect to take a paper-and-pencil version of the ASVAB at their local high school or a neighboring school offering the test. The student version of the exam (offered to high school juniors and seniors) is often referred to as the institutional version; candidates for military enlistment take the production version.

Depending on where an enlistee takes the ASVAB, he or she will take either the computer version of the ASVAB, called the CAT-ASVAB, or the paper-and-pencil version. Candidates taking the ASVAB at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) will take the computer version, while candidates for enlistment taking the ASVAB at a reserve center or Mobile Examination Team (MET) site will take the paper-and-pencil version.

The paper-and-pencil version of the ASVAB consists of either eight subtests (if you're a student) or nine subtests (if you're a candidate for enlistment). The majority of military applicants, approximately 70%, take the CAT-ASVAB. The CAT-ASVAB is a computer-adaptive test, which means that the test adapts to your ability level. The computer will give you the first question, and, if you answer correctly, it gives you another question on the same subject—but one that is a bit harder than the first. The questions get harder as you progress, and after you answer a certain number of questions correctly the computer skips to the next subtest.

The following is additional information about the CAT-ASVAB:

• It consists of ten subtests—the Auto Information and Shop Information subtests are administered separately. However, the results are combined into one score (labeled AS).
• The test takes about 1 hours to complete.
• Each subtest must be completed within a certain timeframe. Most individuals complete the subtests within the time alloted.
• Once you have completed a subtest, you do not have to wait for everyone else to finish—you can move on to the next subtest.
• As you complete each subtest, the computer displays the number of items and amount of time remaining for that subtest in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
• Once an answer has been submitted, you cannot review or change it.
• Test scores are available as soon as you complete the test.
• If you choose to take the CAT-ASVAB, you will be trained on answering test questions, using the computer keyboard and mouse, and getting help before starting the exam.
• The number of subtests, number of questions, and time limits for the CAT-ASVAB differ from the paper-and-pencil version in the following ways.

Please Note: If you are a recruit, chances are you're going to take the CAT-ASVAB. However, because this book is geared toward power practice, the six practice tests found here follow the paper-and-pencil production specifications because of the higher number of questions.

The ASVAB Subtests

The following is a detailed description of each of the subtests on the ASVAB. Most sections of the ASVAB depend on your knowledge of the subject as covered in high school courses or other related reading. The two sections that do not depend on knowledge of the subjects in advance are the Paragraph Comprehension and Assembling Objects sections. For the Paragraph Comprehension questions, you will be able to find the answers using the information given in the paragraph provided. The Assembling Objects section tests your natural spatial aptitude skills.

Subtest 1: General Science

The General Science subtest consists of questions that are designed to measure your ability to recognize, apply, and analyze basic scientific principles in the areas of:

• life science: botany, zoology, anatomy and physiology, ecology
• physical science: force and motion, energy, fluids and gases, atomic structure, chemistry
• earth and space science: astronomy, geology, meteorology, oceanography

Subtest 2: Arithmetic Reasoning

The Arithmetic Reasoning subtest consists of word problems describing everyday life situations and is designed to measure your reasoning skills and understanding of:

• operations with whole numbers
• operations with fractions, decimals, and money
• ratio and proportion
• calculating interest and percentage
• measurement of perimeter, area, volume, time, and temperature

Subtest 3: Word Knowledge

The Word Knowledge subtest consists of questions that ask you to choose the correct definitions of verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs. These questions come in two forms:

• words presented alone, with no context
• words presented in the context of a short sentence

Subtest 4: Paragraph Comprehension

The Paragraph Comprehension subtest consists of questions that are based on several short passages, written on a variety of topics. No prior knowledge of the subject is required—all the information you need to answer the questions will be found in the passage. The questions in this subtest are designed to test the following abilities:

• literal comprehension: ability to identify stated facts, reworded facts, and sequence of events
• implicit, inferential, or critical comprehension: ability to draw conclusions, identify the main idea of a paragraph, determine the author's purpose, mood, or tone, and identify style and technique
• comprehension of main idea or words in context: ability to condense a paragraph into a single main idea, and determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word based on its context or usage

Subtest 9: Assembling Objects

The Assembling Objects subtest consists of illustrated questions that test your ability to determine how an object should look when its parts are put together. These questions measure:

• general mechanics and physical principles
• aptitude for discerning spatial relations
• problem-solving abilities

Arranging to Take the ASVAB

Over 14,000 high schools across the United States offer the ASVAB. If you are in high school, ask your guidance counselor about taking the ASVAB. Many high schools offer the ASVAB at a specific time during the school year. If you missed your school's offering of the ASVAB, chances are a neighboring school will be offering it at another time during the school year.

If you're out of high school, go to the nearest recruiter of the branch of the armed services that you're interested in. There is no charge to take the ASVAB. Taking the exam doesn't obligate you to join the military, although you can probably expect a persuasive sales pitch about the opportunities available in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard. The military service in charge of maintaining the administrative elements of the ASVAB is the Army, but all armed services use the information provided by taking the test. For more details about the ASVAB, visit the ASVAB website at www.goarmy.com.

What the ASVAB Means for You

If you're taking the ASVAB as a high school student with no intention of entering the military, the test can help you find out what things you're good at and what areas might be good career paths. Your ASVAB results can also help you decide whether or not to go to college or get training for a specialized career in an area such as electronics. Your scores may also show you areas that you have less aptitude for. Your guidance counselor can explain your score report and how best to use it.

Approximately 500,000 people each year take the ASVAB in order to enlist in the military. Your scores on certain subtests of the ASVAB help determine your eligibility. Furthermore, once you're enlisted your scores on various subtests help determine which jobs, or Military Occupational Specialties, you'll be allowed to train in. For example, if you want to learn how to be a computer operator, you need good scores in the Paragraph Comprehension, Word Knowledge, Mathematics Knowledge, General Science, and Mechanical Comprehension subtests.

The bottom line is that you want to score well on the ASVAB if you're looking forward to a career in the armed forces, and this book is here to help.

Advice for Parents

As your son or daughter prepares for the transition to their next phase of life, there are a number of things you can do to help pave the way for a successful ASVAB experience and score.

The Internet can be a great source of ASVAB information and assistance as well. The ASVAB Career Exploration Program webpage, sponsored by the Department of Defense, is aimed at high school students and their parents and can be viewed at www.asvabprogram.com.

It's also important to remember that the ASVAB is not only for military recruits. It is offered at no cost to high school students across the nation and is a great tool for helping students determine their aptitude across a wide variety of technical, scientific, and social fields.

As a parent, your knowledge of your son or daughter's efforts and accomplishments over the years, coupled with your own experience, makes you an invaluable resource for your child. Being a positive and encouraging part of your child's ASVAB prep is a great way to help make his or her goals a reality.