Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States Armed Forces. It is often offered to U.S. high school students when they are in the 10th, 11th and 12th grade, though anyone eligible for enlistment may take it.[2]

Trends in recruiting 1975–2001 showing total numbers of enlisted recruits in all branches of U.S. armed forces in light blue and percentage of recruiting goals met in dark blue. The percentage of recruits with at least a high school diploma is shown in gold, percentage with an above-average AFQT in orange, and the percentage called "high quality", with both a diploma and above-average AFQT score, is in purple.[1]

History

The ASVAB was first introduced in 1968 and was adopted by all branches of the military in 1976. It underwent a major revision in 2002. In 2004, the test's percentile rank scoring system was renormalized, to ensure that a score of 50% really did represent doing better than exactly 50% of the test takers.

Categories

Format

The ASVAB contains nine sections and takes three hours to complete. The duration of each section varies between 7 and 39 minutes, the longest being for Arithmetic Reasoning. The test is typically administered in a computerized format at Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) or in a written format at satellite locations called Military Entrance Test (MET) sites. Testing procedures vary depending on the mode of administration.[3]

Computerized test format
  • General Science (GS) – 15 questions in 8 minutes
  • Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) – 15 questions in 39 minutes
  • Word Knowledge (WK) – 15 questions in 8 minutes
  • Paragraph Comprehension (PC) – 10 questions in 22 minutes
  • Mathematics Knowledge (MK) – 15 questions in 20 minutes
  • Electronics Information (EI) – 15 questions in 8 minutes
  • Automotive and Shop Information (AS) – 10 questions in 7 minutes
  • Mechanical Comprehension (MC) – 15 questions in 20 minutes
  • Assembling Objects (AO) – 15 questions in 40 minutes
  • Verbal Expression (VE) Score = (WK)+(PC)

Written test format
  • General Science (GS) – 45 questions in 20 minutes
  • Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) – 30 questions in 36 minutes
  • Word Knowledge (WK) – 35 questions in 11 minutes
  • Paragraph Comprehension (PC) – 15 questions in 13 minutes
  • Mathematics Knowledge (MK) – 25 questions in 24 minutes
  • Electronics Information (EI) – 20 questions in 9 minutes
  • Automotive and Shop Information (AS) – 25 questions in 11 minutes
  • Mechanical Comprehension (MC) – 25 questions in 19 minutes
  • Assembling Objects (AO) – 25 questions in 15 minutes
  • Verbal Expression (VE) Score = (WK)+(PC)

Navy applicants also complete a Coding Speed (CS) test.

Previous
  • "Numerical Operations" (NO)
  • "Space Perception" (SP)
  • "Tool Knowledge" (TK)
  • "General Information" (GI)
  • "Attention to Detail" (AD)
  • "Coding Speed" (CS)

Armed Forces Qualification Test

An Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score is used to determine basic qualifications for enlistment.

The AFQT scores are divided into the following categories

  • Category I: 93–99
  • Category II: 65–92
  • Category III A: 50–64
  • Category III B: 31–49
  • Category IV A: 21–30
  • Category IV B: 16–20
  • Category IV C: 10–15
  • Category V: 0–9

- The formula for computing an AFQT score is: AR + MK + (2 × VE).

- The VE (verbal) score is determined by adding the raw scores from the PC and WK tests and using a table to get the VE score from that combined PC and WK raw score.

- AFQT scores are not raw scores, but rather percentile scores indicating how each examinee performed compared with the base youth population. Thus, someone who receives an AFQT of 55 scored better than 55 percent of all other members of the base youth population. The highest possible percentile is 99.

- The minimum score for enlistment varies according to branch of service and whether the enlistee has a high school diploma.[4]

Minimum AFQT[5]
Tier ITier II
Branch≥ HS Diploma= GED
Army3150
Marines3150
Air Force3150
Navy3150
Coast Guard4050 with 15 college credits
*Army National Guard3150
*Air National Guard5050

GED holders who earn 15 college credits 100 level or greater are considered equivalent to those holding high school diplomas so they need only the Tier I score to enlist. Eligibility is not determined by the score alone. Certain recruiting goal practices may require an applicant to achieve a higher score than the required minimum AFQT score in order to be considered for enlistment. Rules and regulations are subject to change; applicants should call their local recruiting center for up-to-date qualification information.[5][6]

Law prohibits applicants in Category V from enlisting.[7] In addition, there are constraints placed on Category IV recruits; recruits in Category IV must be high school diploma graduates but cannot be denied enlistment solely on this criteria if the recruit is needed to satisfy established strength requirements. Furthermore, the law constrains the percentage of accessions who can fall between Categories IV-V (currently, the limit is 20% of all persons originally enlisted in a given armed force in a given fiscal year).[7]

Composite scores

In addition to the ASVAB's AFQT, each branch has military occupational specialty, or MOS, scores. Combinations of scores from the nine tests are used to determine qualification for a MOS. These combinations are called "aptitude area scores", "composite scores", or "line scores". Each of the five armed services has its own aptitude area scores and sets its own minimum composite scores for each MOS.

Army/Army National Guard Composite Scores
CLClericalVE+AR+MK
COCombat OperationsVE+AS+MC
ELElectronicsGS+AR+MK+EI
FAField ArtilleryAR+MK+MC
GMGeneral MaintenanceGS+AS+MK+EI
GTGeneral TechnicalWK+PC+AR
MMMechanical MaintenanceAS+MC+EI
OFOperators and FoodVE+AS+MC
SCSurveillance and CommunicationsVE+AR+AS+MC
STSkilled TechnicalVE+GS+MC+MK
* SFSpecial ForcesGT≥110 CO≥100
Navy Line Scores
GTGeneral TechnicalAR+VE
ELElectronicsAR+EI+GS+MK
BEEBasic Electricity and ElectronicsAR+GS+2*MK
ENGEngineeringAI+EI+MK
MECMechanical MaintenanceAR+AI+SI+MC
MEC2Mechanical Maintenance 2AO+AR+MC
NUCNuclear FieldAR+MC+MK+VE
OPSOperations SpecialistWK, PC, AR, MK, AO
HMHospital Corpsman (medical)GS+MK+VE
ADMAdministrativeMK+VE
* SEALsSpecial OperationsGS+MC+EI≥165 or VE+MK+MC+CS≥220 (minimum for BUD/S)
Coast Guard Line Scores
AETAviation Electrical TechnicianMK+EI+GS≥172 & AR≥52 or AFQT≥65
AMTAviation Maintenance TechnicianAR+MC+AS+EI≥220 & AR≥52 or AFQT≥65
ASTAviation Survival TechnicianVE+MC+AS≥162 & AR≥52 or AFQT≥65
BMBoatswain's MateVE+AR≥100
DCDamage ControlmanVE+MC+AS≥155
EMElectrician's MateMK+EI+GS≥153 & AR≥52
ETElectronics TechnicianMK+EI+GS≥172 & AR≥52 or AFQT≥65
FSFood Service SpecialistVE+AR≥105
GMGunner's MateAR+MK+EI+GS≥209
HSHealth Services TechnicianVE+MK+GS+AR≥207 & AR≥50
ISIntelligence SpecialistVE+AR≥109
ITInformation Systems TechnicianMK+EI+GS≥172 & AR≥52 or AFQT≥65
MEMaritime Enforcement SpecialistVE+AR≥100
MKMachinery TechnicianAR+MC+AS≥154 or VE+AR≥105
MSTMarine Science TechnicianVE+AR≥114 & MK≥56
OSOperational SpecialistVE+AR≥105
PAPublic Affairs SpecialistVE+AR≥109 & VE≥54
SKStorekeeperVE+AR≥105 & VE≥51
YNYeomanVE+AR≥105

Air Force/Air National Guard Composite Scores (Standard AFQT score AR + MK + (2 x VE))[8]

MMechanicalGS + MC + AS
AAdministrativeVE
GGeneralVE + AR
EElectricalAR + MK + EI + GS
Marine Corps Line Score:
CLClericalVE+AR+MK
ELElectronicsGS+AR+MK+EI
GTGeneral TechnicalVE+AR
MMMechanical MaintenanceNO+AS+MC+EI
STSkilled TechnicalGS+VE+MK+MC
* MARSOCSpecial OperationsGT=105

See also

References
  1. Kapp, Lawrence (25 February 2002), Recruiting and Retention in the Active Component Military: Are There Problems? (PDF), Defense Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade; Congressional Research Service, The Library of Congress
  2. "ASVAB". Military.com. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  3. "What To Expect When You Take the ASVAB". Department of Defense, Official site of the ASVAB. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  4. Military.com (9 August 2022). "ASVAB Scores and Army Jobs". Military.com. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  5. "Minimum ASVAB Scores". Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  6. "10 Steps to Joining the Military – Step 2: Decide if you're ready". Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  7. 10 USC Sec. 520
  8. "ASVAB and Air Force Jobs". Military.com. Retrieved 14 March 2012.

Further reading
  • Gregory, Robert J. (2011). Psychological Testing: History, Principles, and Applications (Sixth ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 978-0-205-78214-7.
  • Hogan, Thomas P.; Brooke Cannon (2007). Psychological Testing: A Practical Introduction (Second ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-73807-7.
  • Marks, D.F. (2010). "IQ variations across time, race, and nationality: an artifact of differences in literacy skills". Psychological Reports, 106, 643-664. doi:10.2466/pr0.106.3.643-664
  • Kaufman, S.B. (2010). "The Flynn Effect and IQ Disparities Among Races, Ethnicities, and Nations: Are There Common Links?"
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