Anyone preparing to take the ASVAB for the first time benefits from knowing what each section covers before test day. This overview provides a brief rundown of every section and the subject matter it addresses.
Before the individual sections, it is worth understanding the AFQT — the Armed Forces Qualification Test. The AFQT is technically a subset of the broader ASVAB and comprises four sections: arithmetic reasoning, word knowledge, paragraph comprehension, and mathematics knowledge. These four sections are evaluated in isolation to determine whether an applicant qualifies for military duty. The remaining sections are geared toward assessing an individual’s potential for various vocational roles within the military.
The ten sections of the test in order include:
- General Science. Strong performance in the general science section draws heavily on high school biology and physics. Questions focus on technical science topics, and the section contains 16 questions with an 8-minute time limit.
- Arithmetic Reasoning. The second section of the ASVAB is exactly what its name suggests: 16 arithmetic word problems with a 39-minute time limit.
- Word Knowledge. Familiarity with synonyms and antonyms is central to this section, which consists of 16 questions with an 8-minute time limit. Questions measure the ability to understand word meanings through synonym and antonym matching.
- Paragraph Comprehension. The military places significant value on service members who can read, understand, and follow written instructions. This section presents 11 questions covering several written passages, with a 22-minute time limit.
- Mathematics Knowledge. With 16 questions and a 20-minute time limit, the mathematics knowledge section is largely a review of mathematical concepts such as calculating interest and demonstrating an understanding of ratios.
- Electronics Information. This section can be quite difficult for applicants unfamiliar with electric circuits and electrical systems. It runs 8 minutes and consists of 16 questions.
- Automotive Information. Mechanical aptitude carries considerable weight in military placement. The automotive information section assesses knowledge of topics related to automobiles and automotive mechanics across 11 questions in a mere 7 minutes.
- Shop Information. The shop information section is another relatively short one at only 6 minutes and 11 questions. It further assesses mechanical inclination, covering the identification of tools as well as wood and metal working.
- Mechanical Comprehension. The mechanical comprehension section allows 20 minutes for 16 questions. Questions focus on mechanical concepts such as simple machines like levers, as well as more complex mechanical systems.
- Assembling Objects. The assembling objects section gauges the ability to quickly assess visual space and make sound decisions based on that assessment. This section is 15 minutes long and contains 25 questions.
*Question and answer numbers are based on the CAT ASVAB test.