Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

Before you join the National Guard, you’ll need to take a standardized test called the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

Every applicant is required to take the ASVAB. It is designed to help determine your strengths, so we can find where you’ll fit best and be most likely to succeed. Your test scores can have an impact on your Military Occupational Skills (MOS) and whether or not you can attend certain special schools. The test measures your knowledge in eight areas:

1. General Science: Life, earth, space and physical sciences
2. Arithmetic Reasoning: Ability to solve basic math and word problems
3. Word Knowledge: Ability to grasp the meaning of words through synonyms
4. Paragraph Comprehension: Ability to understand written material
5. Mathematics: Math concepts and applications
6. Electronics: Electrical current, circuits, devices and electronic systems
7. Auto and Shop: Car maintenance and repair, and wood and metal shop
8. Mechanical: Principles of mechanical devices, structural support, properties of materials

The ASVAB is timed and you have up to 3 ½ hours to complete this multiple-choice test. You may take the exam at your school, at one of over 14,000 Military Entrance Testing Stations (METS), or at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) in your area.

It is recommended to practice in advance, to get familiar with the process and to discover areas you might need to improve on before taking the real exam. If you're interested in taking the ASVAB Practice Test or would like more information visit the Department of Defense’s ASVAB Career Exploration Program site, or contact your local recruiter.