Introduced in 1968, the ASVAB, a multiple choice test administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, determines qualification for enlistment in the United States Armed Forces and was adopted by all military branches in 1976. It underwent a major revision in 2002. On Feb. 7, all sophomores and any upperclassmen pursuing military careers took the ASVAB at Newport.
The ASVAB, or Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, contains nine sections that take three hours to complete. The sections evaluate Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Assembling Objects (AO), Auto and Shop Information (AS), Electronics Information (EI), General Science (GS), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Mechanical Comprehension (MC), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), and Word Knowledge (WK).
In addition to evaluating aptitude for different military careers, the test provides information about civilian career paths and fulfills a possible graduation pathway for students who failed the PA State Keystone Examination. To qualify for this pathway, a student must have a 1500 on at least one Keystone test and have a minimum score of 31 on the ASVAB or earn 1200 on two Keystone sections and at least a 31 on the ASVAB to pass the pathway to graduation. This year, eleven seniors will use this pathway to meet graduation requirements.
The military also requires a minimum score of 31 to enter, but many branches like the Marines or Air Force require a higher score for specific careers.
The military instituted exams during WWI to evaluate the abilities of incoming soldiers, determine job placement, and select individuals for leadership positions. Over 1.5 million soldiers took the Alpha and Beta tests that would later become prototypes for tests given to specific military branches. By 1950, the branches combined testing into one exam, the Armed Forces Qualifications Test (AFQT), which still exists today.
For civilians and students, the most valuable part of the test is the career aptitude results. The report provides insight into skills not normally tested in a purely academic setting. Each report contains a code to access the career planning features at asvabprogram.com.
