ASVAB: What It Is and Who Takes It
The ASVAB — Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery — is a test administered by the U.S. Department of Defense. While it is primarily used to qualify and place recruits in the military, it is also offered as a career exploration tool for high school students through the ASVAB Career Exploration Program.
Who Takes the ASVAB in High School?
The ASVAB is offered to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders at many high schools as a free, voluntary career exploration tool. Schools typically offer it in the fall or winter. Taking the ASVAB in school does not obligate your child to join the military — it is simply an aptitude and interest assessment that can inform career planning.
Students who want to enlist in any branch of the US military take a more controlled version of the ASVAB at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) separately from the school version.
What Does the ASVAB Measure?
The ASVAB tests nine areas:
- General Science
- Arithmetic Reasoning
- Word Knowledge
- Paragraph Comprehension
- Mathematics Knowledge
- Electronics Information
- Auto and Shop Information
- Mechanical Comprehension
- Assembling Objects
What Is the AFQT Score?
The most important score for military enlistment purposes is the Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) score, which is a percentile score (1–99) derived from four of the subtests: Arithmetic Reasoning, Mathematics Knowledge, Word Knowledge, and Paragraph Comprehension. Minimum qualifying AFQT scores vary by branch of service (typically 31–50 depending on the branch).
Career Exploration Use
For students not planning to enlist, the ASVAB score report includes a career exploration component that maps aptitude scores to civilian career clusters. This can be a useful starting point for high school students thinking about vocational training, trade careers, or two-year college programs.