The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a battery of 10 sub tests designed to help determine your strongest subjects. The ASVAB is NOT an "IQ" test and it doesn't require long, written answers. Your results will allow an Air Force Job Counselor to match your qualifications with Air Force jobs.

Your recruiter will schedule your ASVAB test at a testing center and will make arrangements for your transportation if necessary. Most testing centers are located near recruiting stations.

The ASVAB test you take may be a pencil and paper test or an automated test that allows for flexible start times and self-paced responding. The automated test, called the Computerized Adaptive Testing Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (CAT-ASVAB), is taken at the Military Entrance Processing Station. No computer experience is needed to take the CAT-ASVAB.

The pencil and paper and the CAT-ASVAB sub tests measure the same ability. In the paper and pencil ASVAB, you answer the same question in the same order. In the CAT-ASVAB sub tests, you answer questions that are appropriate for your ability level, not wasting time answering questions that are much to easy or too difficult. CAT-ASVAB sub tests are not harder or easier than the pencil and paper test because the scores are equivalent.

Both types of ASVAB test are taken in a quiet room where you'll be greeted by the test proctor. They will give you the official ASVAB testing booklet or assign you to a computer terminal. The proctor will stay in the room throughout the test and will answer questions you may have about test instructions.

All questions in the ASVAB test have four or five possible answers. You decide which answer is correct or best. Some questions have drawings to explain them; others will be numbers, words or phrases. You'll be given an answer sheet, a pencil and scratch paper for any figuring you may need to do.

Each of the 10 ASVAB sub tests has a time limit. In most sub tests, you'll have enough time to answer every question. You may not finish two sub tests, Numerical Operations and Coding Speed, in the time allowed. Don't worry -- most people don't finish these two sub tests, so you won't be alone.

Give the test your full attention and work quickly and accurately. Your score on each part of the ASVAB is based on the number of correct answers. If you're not sure of an answer, it may be advantageous to mark the answer you feel is best.

ASVAB Sub-Tests




ASVAB Sample Questions

Here is one sample question from each test area of the ASVAB, and a brief explanation of that test's methodology: