Joining the United States Armed Forces is a dream that many people aspire to achieve. It is a chance to live a disciplined life, travel the world, earn the respect of your peers and family, and create lifelong friendships with your unit members. Before you can join, however, you must pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test (ASVAB).
First, here is some information on the ASVAB and AFQT scores:
The ASVAB comprises of 10 different tests. 4 of these tests are used to compute your AFQT score, and these are:
- Vocabulary
- Paragraph Comprehension
- Mathematics
- Reasoning
The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) is the one that determines your eligibility to join the armed forces. However, it is based on the ASVAB, and it is preferable that you pass all the 10 tests and not just the four for the AFQT. The reason is that the full score of the 10 ASVAB tests will determine where you will be assigned to when you join the military – Infantry, Medical, Engineering, Intelligence, etc.
What happens if you don’t pass the first test?
Should you fail, you do have the option of retaking the test after a 30-day waiting period, although if you fail the test again you will have to wait a full 6 months before you can try another time.
Since it is crucial that you pass on your second try, many people planning on taking this test choose to study with the help of an ASVAB tutor to help increase their chance of success.
It’s important to study before the test.
The different arms of the United States Armed Forces have their own individual rules and regulations about taking the ASVAB test. The Army, for instance, will only allow you to retake the test after the initial test score has expired.
This means that you cannot retake the test at any time for the purpose of improving your score. The takeaway lesson here is: if you want to join the military, you should consider getting an ASVAB tutor before you take the initial test to help you understand what you will be facing. Passing at the first trial will give you a greater standing when you enlist for the service of your choice.
The Air Force will not allow retesting if you pass the AFQT and get enlisted, or those who enlist using the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). You may only retest when the current score does not match any skills required by the Air Force, or you are not holding any job within the unit.
The Navy is somewhat lenient as they allow retesting when you fail the AFQT or your previous ASVAB score has expired. When you join the Navy through the DEP, you are not allowed to retest for ASVAB. With an AFQT score of 28 – 30, you may go for academic enhancement training, retake the ASVAB and when you score 31 or higher in this second test you will be given active duty status.
Don’t wait to fail the first time in order to take studying seriously or get an ASVAB tutor. Proper preparation is the key to success.
