• As a military recruiting tool that the U.S. Department of Defense uses to test potential recruits to determine their developed abilities (that is, to gauge what they already know about certain subjects); to measure their general learning ability and vocational aptitude; and to predict performance in certain academic areas.
• As a guide for high school and post-secondary school students, to help them decide on the career paths for which they might best be suited, whether in the military or in some other field.

Most sections of the ASVAB depend on your knowing about the subject from your high school courses or other reading.

Arranging to Take the ASVAB

If you are in high school, ask your guidance counselor about taking the ASVAB. Many high schools offer the ASVAB at a specific time during the school year. If you're on your own, go to the nearest recruiter of the branch of the armed services in which you're interested. There is no charge to take the ASVAB. Taking the exam doesn't obligate you to join the military, although you can probably expect a persuasive sales pitch for the many job opportunities available through the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard.

What the ASVAB Means for You

If you want to enter the military, your ASVAB score is very important. Your scores on certain subtests of the ASVAB determine whether you can get in at all. Once you're in, your scores on the various subtests determine which jobs, or Military Occupation Specialties, you'll be allowed to train for. For instance, if you want to learn to be a computer operator, you need good scores in Paragraph Comprehension, Word Knowledge, Mathematics Knowledge, General Science, and Mechanical Comprehension. The bottom line is that if you're looking toward a career with the armed forces, you want to score well on the ASVAB.

The ASVAB Career Exploration Program is intended for use with students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades, as well as students in post-secondary schools. It is a comprehensive career exploration and planning program that includes a multiple aptitude test battery, an interest inventory, and various career planning tools designed to help students explore the world of work. Results of the aptitude test and the interest inventory enable students to evaluate their skills, estimate performance in academic and vocational endeavors, and identify potentially satisfying careers. These results are integrated with work values to help students identify and prioritize possible career choices. Students are encouraged to consider their own work-related values and other important personal preferences as they explore the world of work and learn career exploration skills that will benefit them throughout their work lives.

In today's world, where there are hundreds of careers to choose from, it's a smart idea to spend some time looking closely at the options before you. The decisions you make can determine "what you are," professionally speaking. To make a good decision-that is, an informed decision-you need facts.

The career decisions you make in the next few months or years won't be the only career decisions you will make-people can have many careers over the course of a lifetime. But the decisions you make soon will be key ones. Therefore, it's important to start planning for your future now.

There are many excellent ASVAB Study Guides. They are great tools to use to give yourself "self-tests" to determine which subject areas you should study up on.  Check out our ASVAB Study Guides.

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