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FINDING YOUR PLACE IN THE AIR FORCE Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Test

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WHAT IS THE ASVAB? IDENTIFYING YOUR STRENGTHS

When you apply to join the U.S. Air Force as an enlisted Airman, you must take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. The ASVAB exam not only evaluates what you know now but also your propensity to learn different subject areas to help find the right career for you. Using nine general subtests, it measures your aptitude in four domains: verbal, math, science and technical, and spatial.

ASVAB subtests

  • Subtests

    Details

  • General Science (GS)

    Life science, earth and space science, and physical science

  • *Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)

    Solve basic arithmetic word problems

  • *Word Knowledge (WK)

    Ability to understand the meaning of words through synonyms

  • *Paragraph Comprehension (PC)

    Ability to obtain information from written material

  • *Mathematics Knowledge (MK)

    Mathematical concepts and applications

  • Electronics Information (EI)

    Electrical current, circuits, devices and electronic systems

  • Auto & Shop Information (AS)

    Automotive maintenance and repair and wood and metal shop practices

  • Mechanical Comprehension (MC)

    Principles of mechanical devices, structural support and properties of materials

  • Assembling Objects (AO)

    How an object will look when its parts are put together

*These four subtests compose the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score.

WHAT IS THE AFQT? MORE THAN A SCORE

The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) is not a separate test. It is a separate score derived from four of the ASVAB subtests that is used, along with other criteria, to determine if you are eligible to enlist in the U.S. Air Force.

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AFQT subtests

The AFQT score is comprised of four ASVAB subtests and is represented as a percentile with a range from 1 to 99.

  • Paragraph Comprehension (PC) and Word Knowledge (WK) scores are added together to form the Verbal Expression (VE) score.
  • Mathematics Knowledge (MK) score
  • Arithmetic Knowledge (AK) score

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AIR FORCE ELIGIBILITY

Airmen are held to a high standard; therefore the Air Force requires not only high AFQT scores but that each of our recruits meet the following requirements.

  • High school seniors or graduates must achieve a minimum 31 AFQT overall score.
  • GED holders must achieve a minimum 50 AFQT score.
  • Officers take the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) instead of the AFQT.

HOW ARE SUBTESTS USED? MATCHING STRENGTHS TO A CAREER

The Air Force utilizes a combination of the ASVAB subtests, referred to as Mechanical, Administrative, General Aptitude and Electronics (MAGE), to determine what career fields you are most qualified for in the Air Force. ASVAB scores are represented as a percentage between 1 and 99 but are not based on the number of questions you answered correctly. Instead, your scores indicate how you did in comparison to others who took the test. So please keep that in mind when you receive your results.

SELECT A MAGE CATEGORY TO VIEW 
THE MINIMUM SCORE REQUIRED FOR A PARTICULAR CAREER.

  • MECHANICAL (M)

    The Mechanical score is a percentile based on a combination of the following subtests:

    Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)

    Auto & Shop Information (AS)

    Mechanical Comprehension (MC)

    Paragraph Comprehension (PC*)

    Word Knowledge (WK*)

    * PC and WK are combined first to determine a scaled Verbal Expression (VE) score

  • ADMINISTRATIVE (A)

    The Administrative score is a percentile based on a combination of the following subtests:

    Mathematics Knowledge (MK)

    Paragraph Comprehension (PC*)

    Word Knowledge (WK*)

    * PC and WK are combined first to determine a scaled Verbal Expression (VE) score

  • GENERAL (G)

    The General aptitude score is a percentile based on a combination of the following subtests:

    Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)

    Paragraph Comprehension (PC*)

    Word Knowledge (WK*)

    * PC and WK are combined first to determine a scaled Verbal Expression (VE) score

  • ELECTRONICS (E)

    The Electronics score is a percentile based on a combination of the following subtests:

    Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)

    Electronics Information (EI)

    General Science (GS)

    Mathematics Knowledge (MK)

CAREER SLIDER

To see which careers you qualify for based on your individual composite scores, slide the bar back and forth.

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80/80 careers

99

  • CAREERS

    MINIMUM SCORE

HOW CAN I PREPARE? AIRMEN, COME READY.

Preparing for the ASVAB exam is similar to how you may get ready for the ACT or SAT. Familiarize yourself with the types of questions you’ll be asked, learn how the test will be administered, and, finally, understand how you’ll be scored. The number of questions on the ASVAB depends on whether you take the paper and pencil version or the computerized version (CAT) of the test. Reach out to your guidance counselor or recruiter for more information.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Practice for the ASVAB by answering sample questions.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? THE ASVAB IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

After you take the exam and receive your ASVAB scores, reach out to your recruiter or guidance counselor to discuss next steps, including whether or not you’re eligible to enlist in the Air Force, which careers align with your strengths and the process for enlisting.

  1. How long does my ASVAB score last?

    ASVAB scores are valid for up to two years after the date of testing.

  2. When can I retake the ASVAB?

    If you’re not satisfied with your test results, you must wait 30 days before you can retake the ASVAB. You must then wait another 30 days to take the test a third time. After your third attempt, you must wait six calendar months to retake the ASVAB a fourth time. Your scores may be used for enlistment for up to two years from the date of your last test.

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