The ASVAB stands for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a standardized test used to rate an individual’s aptitude for service in the United States Armed Forces. It helps recruitment officers determine an individual’s suitability for particular branches of service or military jobs. It is used by the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard.

It is NOT an intelligence test but rather a test of one’s individual strengths and weaknesses in areas such as math, science, and reading, as well as one’s current knowledge of specific mechanical, electronic, automotive, and shop concepts. The ASVAB has both a paper and pencil version and a computer adaptive (CAT) version. The vast majority of recruits take the CAT-ASVAB.