ASVAB by Madison Whitaker
On Friday, November 13 all Juniors who are interested in taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test need to know this important information. Not sure what this test is? At Foran, about ten students take it every year. It is a very important test for those students who are interested in entering the military. The branches of service have certain scores they would like to see for applicants. It varies between Army, AirForce, Marines and Navy. Also, the ASVAB Career Exploration Program includes tests and activities that help you identify your interests and provide information about some skills such as your verbal skills, math skills and science skills. This test is split into three different parts. For example, there is a world knowledge section which covers basic English knowledge and skills. There is also a math section and a general science section. This program can also help you find out how your interests and skills relate to the demands of more than 400 occupations to start making your educational and career plans. You can benefit from this program whether you plan on going to college after high school or enter the workforce right away. Senior Ethan Kanlong who recently took the ASVAB test said,”It was a four hour test. I didn’t do anything the first time I took it, but the second time, I went to MEPS in Springfield, Massachusetts to take it.” We asked him what he did to prepare for the second test and Ethan said, “Before the second test, I studied a lot more. Also there are some apps and books you can buy to study for that specific test.” One way of practicing for this test is going to this website: http://www.asvabprogram.com/ Some advice that Ethan has for anyone who plans on taking the test is, “Study and plan ahead. I already have my entire military career planned out as much as I can anticipate. Also, make sure you have a recruiter that is good and honest. I am lucky enough to have an awesome recruiter, but to a lot of offices, they have a quota of recruits they have to meet each year so you could be just a number to them, and they will tell you what you want to hear to get you to join, but a good recruiter will tell you the truth so you know what you are signing up for.” If you have any other questions or concerns about the ASVAB test, see Mrs. Pellegrino in the Media Center for more information or Mrs. Litzie in guidance. Good luck to any junior interested in taking the test.
