How Does the ASVAB Test Assess Academic Ability?
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What Is the ASVAB?
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The ASVAB is the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, originally designed to predict the academic and occupational success of someone entering the military. It is a multiple-choice test covering nine areas. The first four areas are academic: Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension and Mathematics Knowledge. The other five areas are occupational: General Science, Electronics Information, Auto Shop, Mechanical Comprehension and Assembling Objects. Today, the test is available for 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders and anyone considering the military. Some school districts give the ASVAB to all 11th-graders.
Why Take the ASVAB?
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The ASVAB is a battery of aptitude tests, so it measures a person's ability to learn new skills that require academic knowledge and technical facility. It allows students to explore their career possibilities in the areas of language, math, science and technical skills. The results from the test are detailed to help students assess their future goals. Scores are reported as grade-specific, gender-specific and combined standard scores for all the tests. The summary results provide students with explanations about the scores. Students will discover their strengths and weaknesses and what career fields are best suited for them.
Not all 11th-graders take the ASVAB. Some schools test only students who are interested in career exploration. The ASVAB is not meant to take the place of the SAT or ACT, which are college entrance exams. The ASVAB assesses ability not specifically as it relates to success in college, but in terms of success in any occupational field.
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How to Take the ASVAB
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If you are a student interested in taking the ASVAB test, see your guidance counselor. If your school does not participate in the program, you can contact an Education Services Specialist at (800) 323-0513. Tenth-graders may take the test, though it is targeted for 11th-graders. If you are considering military service as a career, see a military recruiting center for dates to take the test. To practice for the test, visit Military.com, where you can find mini and full-length tests.
For those interested in career exploration, visit the ASVAB Career Exploration Program online. They have a Find Your Interest inventory to help you explore careers. The FYI and the results from the ASVAB can be used to explore 500 occupations using OCCU-Find, an occupational search using codes from your interest inventory and ASVAB test.
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