What's the ASVAB?

The term ASVAB stands for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. It's a standardized multiple choice test that was introduced in 1968 and used by all branches of the military by 1976. The exam is the same for all branches of the military (US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, US Marines, & US Coast Guard).  The test is used to measure aptitudes in four areas of expertise: Verbal, Mathematics, Science/Technical, and Spatial. There are nine sections of the test within these four areas.

General Science - Science/Technical

Arithmetic Reasoning - Mathematics

Word Knowledge - Verbal

Paragraph Comprehension - Verbal

Mathematics Knowledge - Mathematics

Electronics Information - Science/Technical

Auto Information - Science/Technical

Shop Information - Science/Technical

Assembling Objects - Spatial

Your score on the test is good for two years, and if need be you can retake the exam after 30 days. By taking the exam you are not committing to join the military but rather providing an assessment of what branches of service you'd be qualified to join and what jobs within that branch you'd be available to perform.

Why is your score important?

How you perform on the ASVAB test helps determine which jobs (Military Occupational Specialties) you will qualify for within your enlisted branch of service. The ASVAB is not an IQ test but rather a way for the military to assess your skills & knowledge and decide where you would be of best value. Visit our Military Jobs page where you can view videos of different military jobs.

Where can I take the test?

The test is administered by the federal government and is often available through your local school.  Contact your school advisor to find out when the test is available.  If your school does not offer the test or if you are not currently in school contact a local military recruiter.

Test Advice

Plan to arrive early on test day and get a good night sleep.  In addition, preparation for any test is important.  We recommend you use our free practice tests along with purchasing our downloadable ASVAB Practice Test Software to give you the test prep you'll need for this important exam.  Another bit of advice is when taking the exam don't leave a question blank.  You are better off providing an educated guess than leaving questions unanswered.

For more information about the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery visit the official military website:

Official-ASVAB Fact Sheet