ASVAB Premier PLUS For Dummies^®

ASVAB For Dummies®, Premier PLUS

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About the Author

Rod Powers joined the United States Air Force in 1975 intending to become a spy. He was devastated to learn that he should’ve joined the CIA instead because the military doesn’t have that particular enlisted job. Regardless, he fell in love with the military and made it both a passion and a career, retiring with 23 years of service. Rod spent 11 of those years as a first sergeant, helping to solve the problems of the enlisted corps.

Since his retirement from the military in 1998, Rod has become a world renowned military careers expert. Through his highly popular U.S. Military Information Website on About.com (http://usmilitary.about.com), Rod has advised thousands of troops about all aspects of U.S. Armed Forces career information.

Rod is the proud father of twin girls, both of whom enjoy successful careers in the United States Air Force. Rod currently resides in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he attempts to prove that there’s no such thing as too much sunshine. Even today, Rod tries to run his life according to long-lived military ideals and standards, but he gets a bit confused about why nobody will obey his orders anymore.

Dedication

To Jeanie and Chrissy — because everything is for you. Always.

Author’s Acknowledgments

I want to thank Angie Papple Johnston for reviewing the manuscript for technical accuracy.

Special thanks goes out to Tracy Boggier, my acquisitions editor; Vicki Adang, my project editor; and Amanda Langferman, my copy editor. A big thanks goes to Autumn Lindsey, who was my right-hand assistant with all the artwork and text revisions and reviews.

Finally, I send more special thanks to the recruiting commands of the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard for providing invaluable resource information.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

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Introduction

If you’re reading this book, there’s a good chance that you want to join the United States military. Perhaps it’s been your lifelong dream to drive a tank, fire a machine gun, or blow things up (legally). Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to cook for 2,000 people at a time. Possibly you were attracted to the military because of education and training opportunities, the chance of travel, or huge enlistment bonuses. In any event, by now you’ve discovered that you can’t just walk into a recruiter’s office and say, “Hey, I’m here. Sign me up!” These days, you have to pass the ASVAB.

The ASVAB (short for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is unlike any test you’ve ever taken. It covers standard academic areas, such as math and English, but it also measures your knowledge of mechanics, electronics, science, and assembling objects.

The good news is that you need to do well on some of the subtests but not all of them. The order of importance of the subtests depends on your career goals. In this book, you find out what you need to know to do well on all the subtests and then get the info to determine which subtests are important to you. I include charts and tables to help you figure out the subtest scores that individual military jobs require. In fact, this guide is the first to include this information, so you can use ASVAB For Dummies, Premier PLUS, to ace the subtests that make up the ASVAB and determine which subtests are important for your military-career goals.

About This Book

The paper enlistment version of the ASVAB and the computer version of the test have nine subtests, each of which is covered in its own chapter in this book. This book shows you what to expect on each subtest, offers strategies for studying each subject area, gives you test-taking (and guessing) tips, and provides three full-length sample tests that help you determine your strengths and weaknesses. These sample tests also help you prepare mentally for taking the real test — you can use them to get in the zone. I’ve thrown in an extra test, covering the four most important subtests of the ASVAB that make up the AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test) score at no extra cost.

I provide three additional computerized ASVAB-style tests at ASVAB For Dummies Online, which you can use to simulate taking the test in a real-life scenario. The companion website also contains the three ASVAB tests that appear in the book to give you ample opportunities to practice on your computer. You can find the computerized version of the book’s AFQT on the companion CD.

Although much of the material covered on the ASVAB is taught in practically every high school in the country, you may have slept through part of the info or performed a major brain-dump as soon as the ink was dry on your report card. So you also get a basic review of the relevant subject areas to help refresh your memory, as well as some pointers on where to find more information if you need it.

Conventions Used in This Book

The following conventions are used throughout the text to help point out important concepts and make the text easier to understand:

All Web addresses appear in monofont. Note: Some Web addresses may extend to two lines of text. If you use one of these addresses, just type the address exactly as you see it, pretending that the line break doesn't exist.

New terms appear in italics and are closely followed by easy-to-understand definitions.

Bold text highlights important points and the action parts of numbered steps, as well as correct answers.

What You’re Not to Read

This book has a number of sidebars (the shaded gray boxes) sprinkled throughout. They’re full of interesting information about the ASVAB and the topics you may find on it, but you don’t have to read them if you don’t want to — they don’t contain anything you simply must know to ace the test.

If you’re taking the ASVAB for the purpose of enlisting in the U.S. military, you may even want to skip entire chapters, depending on your career goals. For example, if the military careers you’re interested in don’t require a score on the General Science subtest, you may want to skip that chapter and concentrate your study time on chapters that are required for your particular job choices.

Foolish Assumptions

While writing and revising this book, I made a few assumptions about you — namely, who you are and why you picked up this book. I assume the following:

You’ve come here for test-taking tips and other helpful information. You may be a nervous test-taker.

You want to take a few ASVAB practice tests to measure your current knowledge in various subject areas to help you develop a study plan.

You want the military job of your dreams, and passing the ASVAB (or certain sections of it) is of utmost importance. Or you’re in a high school that takes part in the ASVAB Career Exploration Program, and you want to know what to expect on the test.

How This Book Is Organized

This book isn’t organized to reflect the order in which the subtests appear on the actual ASVAB — rather, I organized it in the most logical fashion to help you study.

Part I: Making Sense of the ASVAB

If you have no clue about how the ASVAB is organized or what it covers, turn to Part I. This part also tells you how scores are calculated and how the military bigwigs use the scores to determine whether you qualify to join the military and which jobs you qualify for. Chapter 3 also contains some great study and test-taking tips.

Part II: Words to Live By: Communication Skills

If you already know that you need help on a particular language arts–related subtest, turn to Part II, where you can pump up your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.

Part III: Making the Most of Math:Arithmetic Skills

Maybe math wasn’t your best subject in school. Maybe you love math, but you’ve forgotten all those equations. In either case, this section is all about math. If you know you need to bone up on your mathematical skills, flip to Part III.

Part IV: The Whole Ball of Facts: Technical Skills

If you’re interested in pursuing a military job that emphasizes science and technology and you want to make sure that you’re going to nail the corresponding sections of the ASVAB, turn to Part IV.

Part V: Practice ASVAB Exams

This part gives you three different tests to figure out which areas you need to brush up on. Each test is a full-length sample test. Take the first one, and after that, check your answers. Then you can determine which subtests are a piece of cake and where you need the most help. Taking this approach lets you tailor a study plan to your individual needs. This part also includes a practice Armed Services Qualification Test (AFQT), made up of the four ASVAB subtests that determine whether you get into the military branch of your choice.

Part VI: The Part of Tens

This book is a For Dummies book, so it’s not complete without a Part of Tens. If you want to find out some of the most important information for doing well on the ASVAB and you like your info presented in easily digestible lists, turn to Part VI. This part gives you test­-taking tips.

Appendixes, ASVAB For Dummies Online, and the CD

If you want to check out different military jobs and see which subtests you need to do well on, turn to Appendix A. It shows you which subtest scores different military careers require. You can also find an appendix about what appears on the CD and at ASVAB For Dummies Online. The companion website contains all the practice ASVAB tests that appear in the book, as well as three additional computerized ASVAB-style tests. The tests have a timer, so you can take the tests like you would take the real ASVAB. You can also find 300 flashcards to improve your vocabulary. The CD contains the AFQT that appears in the book as well as some in-depth info on scoring. You can also navigate to the website from the CD.

Before you can take the tests found on the website or practice with the flashcards posted there, you need to register. On your first visit to ASVAB For Dummies Online, you need to enter your PIN code. You can find your PIN in the back of the book, or you can get your PIN by registering your e-book at dummies.com/go/getaccess. (If you have trouble with the PIN or can't find it, please contact Wiley Product Technical Support at 800-762-2974 or http://support.wiley.com.)

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout this book, you find icons that help you use the material in this book. Here’s a rundown of what they mean to you:

This icon alerts you to helpful hints regarding the ASVAB. Tips can help you save time and avoid frustration.

This icon reminds you of important information you should read carefully.

This icon flags actions and ideas that may prove hazardous to your plans of conquering the ASVAB. Often, this icon accompanies common mistakes or misconceptions people have about the ASVAB or questions on the test.

This icon points out information that is interesting, enlightening, or in-depth but that isn’t necessary for you to read.

This icon points out sample test questions that appear in review chapters.

Where to Go from Here

You don’t have to read this book from cover to cover to score well. I suggest that you begin with Chapters 1 and 2. That way, you can get a feel for how the ASVAB is organized (along with the most up-to-date changes on the test) and which subtests may be important for the military service branch and job of your choice. This plan of attack helps you set up logical and effective goals to maximize your study efforts.

You may want to start by taking one of the practice tests in Part V. By using this method, you can discover which subjects are easier and in which subjects you need help. If you choose this technique, you can use the other practice tests to measure your progress after reading through and studying the subject chapters. I wish you luck on taking this test, and if you’re one of the folks who wants to join the military, I hope your journey is successful!

Chapter 1

Putting the ASVAB under a Microscope

In This Chapter

Checking out the different versions of the ASVAB

Figuring out what each subtest covers

Computing the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score

Taking the ASVAB again

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) consists of nine individual tests (ten for Navy applicants who test at a Military Entrance Processing Station, or MEPS) that cover subjects ranging from general science principles to vocabulary. Your ASVAB test results determine whether you qualify for military service and, if so, which jobs you qualify for. The ASVAB isn’t an IQ test. The military isn’t trying to figure out how smart you are. The ASVAB specifically measures your ability to be trained to do a specific job.

The famous Chinese general Sun Tzu said, “Know your enemy.” To develop an effective plan of study and score well on the ASVAB, it’s important to understand how the ASVAB is organized and how the military uses the scores from the subtests. This chapter describes the different versions of the ASVAB, the organization of the subtests, how the AFQT score is calculated, and the various service policies for retaking the ASVAB.

Knowing Which Version You’re Taking

The ASVAB comes in many flavors, depending on where and why you take it. You’d think that after more than 25 years in existence, the test could’ve been whittled down to a single version by now. But don’t get too confused about the different versions. Table 1-1 boils down the choices.

For people taking the enlistment version of the test, the vast majority of applicants are processed through a MEPS, where they take the computerized format of the ASVAB (called the CAT-ASVAB, short for computerized-adaptive testing ASVAB), undergo a medical physical, and run through a security screening, many times all in one trip. However, applicants may instead choose to take the paper and pencil (P&P) version, which is generally given by non-MEPS personnel at numerous Mobile Examination Test (MET) sites located throughout the United States.

Mapping Out the ASVAB Subtests

The computerized format of the ASVAB contains ten separately timed subtests, with the Auto & Shop Information subtest split in two (also, one small subtest is geared to Coding Speed for a few Navy jobs; I don’t include this subtest in the practice tests in this book because very few people test for these jobs). The paper format of the test has nine subtests. The two formats differ in the number of questions in each subtest and the amount of time you have for each one. Table 1-2 outlines the ASVAB subtests in the order that you take them in the enlistment (computerized or paper) and student (paper only) versions of the test; you can also see which chapters to turn to when you want to review that content.

Deciphering ASVAB Scores

The Department of Defense is an official U.S. Government agency, so (of course) it can’t keep things simple. When you receive your ASVAB score results, you don’t see just one score; you see several. Figure 1-1 shows an example of an ASVAB score card used by high school guidance counselors (for people who take the student version — see “Knowing Which Version You’re Taking” for details).

Figure 1-1: A sample ASVAB score card used by high school guidance counselors.

Figure 1-2 depicts an example of an ASVAB score card used for military enlistment purposes.

So what do all these different scores actually mean? Check out the following sections to find out.

Defining all the scores

When you take a test in high school, you usually receive a score that’s pretty easy to ­understand — A, B, C, D, or F. (If you do really well, the teacher may even draw a smiley face on the top of the page.) If only your ASVAB scores were as easy to understand.

In the following list, you see how your ASVAB test scores result in several different kinds of scores:

Raw score: This score is the total number of points you receive on each subtest of the ASVAB. Although you don’t see your raw scores on the ASVAB score cards, they’re used to calculate the other scores.

You can’t use the practice tests in this book (or any other ASVAB study guide) to calculate your probable ASVAB score. ASVAB scores are calculated by using raw scores, and raw scores aren’t determined simply from the number of right or wrong answers. On the actual ASVAB, harder math questions are worth more points than easier questions.

Figure 1-2: A sample ASVAB score card used for military enlistment purposes.

Standard scores: The various subtests of the ASVAB are reported on the score cards as standard scores. A standard score is calculated by converting your raw score based on a standard distribution of scores with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10.

Don’t confuse a standard score with the graded-on-a-curve score you may have seen on school tests — where the scores range from 1 to 100 with the majority of students scoring between 70 and 100. With standard scores, the majority score is between 30 and 70. That means that a standard score of 50 is an average score and that a score of 60 is an above-average score.

Percentile scores: These scores range from 1 to 99. They express how well you did in comparison with another group called the norm. On the student version’s score card, the norm is fellow students in your same grade (except for the AFQT score).

On the enlistment and student versions’ score cards, the AFQT score is presented as a percentile with the score normed using the 1997 Profile of American Youth, a national probability sample of 18- to 23-year-olds who took the ASVAB in 1997. For example, if you receive a percentile score of 72, you can say you scored as well as or better than 72 out of 100 of the norm group who took the test. (And by the way, this statistic from 1997 isn’t a typo. The ASVAB was last “re-normed” in 2004, and the sample group used for the norm was those folks who took the test in 1997.)

Composite scores (line scores): Composite scores are individually computed by each service branch. Each branch has its own particular system when compiling various standard scores into individual composite scores. These scores are used by the different branches to determine job qualifications. Find out much more about this in Chapter 2.

Understanding the big four: Your AFQT scores

The ASVAB doesn’t have an overall score. When you hear someone say, “I got an 80 on my ASVAB,” that person is talking about the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score, not an overall ASVAB score. The AFQT score determines whether you qualify even to enlist in the military, and only four of the subtests are used to compute it:

Word Knowledge (WK)

Paragraph Comprehension (PC)

Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)

Mathematics Knowledge (MK)

Doing well on some of the other subtests is a personal-choice type of issue. Some of the subtests are used only to determine the jobs you qualify for. (See Chapter 2 for information on how the military uses the individual subtests.)

Figure out which areas to focus on based on your career goals. If you’re not interested in a job requiring a score on the Mechanical Comprehension subtest, you don’t need to worry about doing well on that subtest. So as you’re preparing for the ASVAB, remember to plan your study time wisely. If you don’t need to worry about mechanics, don’t bother with that chapter in this book. Spend the time on Word Knowledge or Arithmetic Reasoning. Keep in mind, though, if you don’t have a desired job or aren’t sure about your options, it’s best to study this book and take the practice tests, focusing on all areas of the ASVAB. Doing well on each subtest will broaden your available job choices and make you a more desirable candidate.

Calculating the AFQT score

The military brass (or at least its computers) determines your AFQT score through a very particular process:

1. Add the value of your Word Knowledge score to your Paragraph Comprehension score.

2. Convert the result of Step 1 to a scaled score, ranging from 20 to 62.

This score is known as your Verbal Expression or VE score.

3. To get your raw AFQT score, double your VE score and then add your Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) score and your Mathematics Knowledge (MK) score to it.

The basic equation looks like this:

Raw AFQT Score = 2VE + AR + MK

4. Convert your raw score to a percentile score, which basically compares your results to the results of thousands of other ASVAB test-takers.

For example, a score of 50 means that you scored better than 50 percent of the individuals the military is comparing you to.

Looking at AFQT score requirements for enlistment

AFQT scores are grouped into five main categories based on the percentile score ranges in Table 1-3. Categories III and IV are divided into subgroups because the services sometimes use this chart for internal tracking purposes, enlistment limits, and enlistment incentives. Based on your scores, the military decides how trainable you may be to perform jobs in the service.

Table 1-3 AFQT Scores and Trainability
Category	Percentile Score	Trainability
I	93–99	Outstanding
II	65–92	Excellent
III A	50–64	Above average
III B	31–49	Average
IV A	16–30	Below average
IV B	10–15	Not trainable
V	0–9	Not trainable

The U.S. Congress has directed that the military can’t accept Category V recruits or more than 4 percent of recruits from Category IV. If you’re in Category IV, you must have a high school diploma to be eligible for enlistment. Even so, if you’re Category IV, your chances of enlistment are small and mostly limited to the Army National Guard.

Depending on whether you have a high school diploma or a GED, the military has different AFQT score requirements. Check out Table 1-4.

The Navy has been known to raise its minimum AFQT requirements to 50 for females (just to qualify for enlistment) when it receives too many female applicants. Because of the limited number of females that it can house on ships, the Navy restricts the number of women who can enlist each year.

Checking out the military’s AFQT requirements for special programs

Achieving the minimum required AFQT score established by an individual branch gets your foot in the door, but the higher you score, the better. For example, if you need a medical or criminal history waiver in order to enlist, the military personnel who make those decisions are more likely to take a chance on you if they think you’re a pretty smart cookie than if you barely made the minimum qualifying score.

Individual branches of the military tie many special enlistment programs to minimum AFQT scores:

Army: The Army requires a minimum AFQT score of 50 to qualify for most of its incentive programs, such as a monetary enlistment bonus, the college-loan repayment program, and the Army College Fund.

Marine Corps: Like the Army, the Marine Corps requires a minimum AFQT score of 50 for most of its incentive programs, including the Geographic Area of Choice Program, the Marine Corps College Fund, and enlistment bonuses.

Navy: Applicants who want to participate in the Navy College Fund or college loan repayment program need to achieve a minimum score of 50.

Enlistment programs are subject to change without notice based on the current recruiting needs of the service. Your recruiter should be able to give you the most up-to-date information. Or visit usmilitary.about.com.

If you don’t know which kind of job you want to do in the military, the ASVAB helps you and the military determine your potential ability for different types of jobs. If you’re in this situation, review all the chapters in this book, brushing up on the basic principles of everything from science to electronics, but focus on the four subtests that enable you to qualify for enlistment: Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Mathematics Knowledge. Following this plan ensures a relatively accurate appraisal of your aptitude for various military jobs.

Do-Over: Retaking the ASVAB

An AFQT score of less than 10 is a failing score, but no branch of the service accepts that low of a score anyway. Therefore, you can fail to achieve a score high enough to enlist in the service branch you want, even if you pass the ASVAB. This means you need to work on one (or more) of the four core areas: Mathematics Knowledge, Arithmetic Reasoning, Paragraph Comprehension, and Word Knowledge. Parts II and III of this book are specifically designed to help you improve your scores on these four subtests.

When you’re sure that you’re ready, you can apply (through your recruiter) to take the ASVAB. After you take an initial ASVAB (taking the ASVAB in high school does count for retest purposes), you can retake the test after one month. After the first retest, you must again wait one month to test again. From that point on, you must wait at least six months before taking the ASVAB again.

You can’t retake the ASVAB on a whim or whenever you simply feel like it. Each of the services has its own rules concerning whether it allows a retest, and I explain them in the following sections.

ASVAB tests are valid for two years, as long as you aren’t in the military. In most cases, after you join the military, your ASVAB scores remain valid as long as you’re in. In other words, except in a few cases, you can use your enlistment ASVAB scores to qualify for retraining years later.

U.S. Army retest policy

The Army allows a retest in one of the following instances:

The applicant’s previous ASVAB test has expired.

The applicant failed to achieve an AFQT score high enough to qualify for enlistment.

Unusual circumstances occur, such as if an applicant, through no fault of his own, is unable to complete the test.

Army recruiters aren’t authorized to have applicants retested for the sole purpose of increasing aptitude area scores to meet standards prescribed for enlistment options or programs.

U.S. Air Force retest policy

For the U.S. Air Force, the intent of retesting is for an applicant to improve the last ASVAB scores so the enlistment options increase. Before any retest is administered, the recruiting flight chief must interview the applicant in person or by telephone and then give approval for the retest.

Here are a few other policies to remember:

The Air Force doesn’t allow retesting for applicants after they’ve enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP).

Current policy allows retesting of applicants who aren’t holding a job/aptitude area reservation and/or who aren’t in DEP but already have qualifying test scores.

Retesting is authorized when the applicant’s current line scores (mechanical, administrative, general, and electronic) limit the ability to match an Air Force skill with his or her qualifications.

U.S. Navy retest policy

The Navy allows retesting of applicants

Whose previous ASVAB tests have expired

Who fail to achieve a qualifying AFQT score for enlistment in the Navy

In most cases, individuals in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP) can’t retest. One notable exception is the Navy’s DEP Enrichment Program.

U.S. Marine Corps retest policy

The Marine Corps authorizes a retest if the applicant’s previous test is expired. Otherwise, recruiters can request a retest if the initial scores don’t appear to reflect the applicant’s true capability, considering the applicant’s education, training, and experience.

For the Marine Corps, the retest can’t be requested solely because the applicant’s initial test scores didn’t meet the standards prescribed for enlistment options or programs.

U.S. Coast Guard retest policy

For Coast Guard enlistments, six months must have elapsed since an applicant’s last test before he or she may retest solely for the purpose of raising scores to qualify for a particular enlistment option.

The Coast Guard Recruiting Center may authorize retesting after one calendar month has passed from an initial ASVAB test if substantial reason exists to believe the initial test scores or subtest scores don’t reflect an applicant’s education, training, or experience.