Before you can enter any branch of military service, you must meet minimum score requirements. The Armed Forces Qualification Test is part of the ASVAB; the battery of tests typically consists of eight or nine parts. For the part of the test called the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), minimum scores are 31 for Army and Marine acceptance, 35 for Navy and 36 for Air Force. Recruits hoping to join the Coast Guard must score at least a 45.
ASVAB topics include mathematics, reasoning and vocabulary knowledge and your ability to understand sentence and paragraph structure and formation. You also will be tested on general science, mechanical comprehension and electronics information and auto and shop information.
Prepare for the test by practicing your math and English skills. Review basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division as well as basic algebra, geometry and word problems. Know your English grammar basics such as the difference between a subject, a verb and a direct object. Practice diagramming sentences to make sure your grasp of sentence structure is complete. Practice as often and as much as you can in the weeks or days prior to your test to understand the concepts involved and to identify and focus on your problem areas.
The day before your test, try to relax. Get plenty of sleep the night before your test and try not to focus on anything except your test. To prepare for such concentration, take practice tests at home or school, using the same time limits you're given for the test so that you can pace yourself. Engage in longer study sessions rather than breaking them up into small chunks of time so that your brain becomes accustomed to the need to focus for longer periods.
You'll be given multiple choice options for your answers on the ASVAB test. Read through every possible answer before choosing one. If you can't choose one immediately, narrow down your possibilities by eliminating answers that you know are not correct. Resist the urge to go back and change your answer on a question unless you're positive of the correct one.