Written by Fernando Cardona & Eloísa Thomas
Congrats!! You’ve decided to enlist in the military. Now you’re probably wondering if taking an ASVAB prep course is really worth it. As you surely know, there are different entry requirements for each branch of service. In each Force, your ASVAB results will determine which jobs you can apply for.
In addition to performance on the ASVAB, the enlistment process needs you to approve a physical exam and meet certain weight limits. While it is perfectly possible to prepare yourself and get a good-enough score, seeking extra help has many benefits. Today, we will give you 6 reasons to take an ASVAB prep course.
1. Improve your score
The purpose of a good prep course is to guide students in helping themselves, improving their chance of getting a better score. With a guided course, you’ll learn to study independently and understand your weaknesses. Furthermore, a good tutor will offer you, at least to some extent, personalized support. Of course, this support can take many forms, but clearly the greatest responsibility lies with the student.
As a student, you must make a commitment to implement the course recommendations in order to achieve your goals. Think of your ASVAB prep course as a road map that will guide you on the path to entering the military. This route map will be available anytime you need it.
The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score is derived from four of the nine ASVAB subtests: Paragraph Comprehension (PC), Word Knowledge (WK), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), and Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) “
2. To expand your MOS options
In the Armed Forces, after basic training recruits receive formal academic instruction or technical training in a given work area. In fact, there are more than 150 different jobs or Military Professional Specialties (MOS) in the Armed Forces.
To be eligible in your chosen specialty, you need to meet several requirements. The first thing to look at are the current MOS needs of the Force you want to enlist into. Also, both your physical qualification and aptitude scores will also be taken into account. Keep in mind, that your aptitude qualification towards a specific MOS is determined by your recruiter through your AFQT score. The AFQT score defines whether or not you can access your desired MOS. This is calculated using only 4 ASVAB subtests. If your AFQT score is too low, you won’t be able to enlist even in the lowest rank available. On the other hand, a good AFQT score will give you the option to get into your chosen specialty with ease.
3. Find study materials made for the ASVAB
The great thing about prep courses is that you can access extra content based on the ASVAB exam. This allows you to optimize your study time and only review the content needed for the test.
It often happens that with some subjects, such as math, there is a lot of material adapted to other tests like the SATs. Although the topics are similar, these other tests require more complex knowledge and by studying this material you will lose time that you could invest in specific content from the ASVAB exam.
4. Have Simplified Explanations About Difficult Topics
Although studying alone can be very useful, a good ASVAB prep course will make it easier to solve the most difficult problems. In addition to presenting simplified explanations, it will show you several ways to solve the same problem. This is very useful since many times textbooks only present a single solution. Having a second option will allow you to save time on the day of the exam.
5. Optimize your time
If you have never taken the ASVAB, you may not have enough time to complete it on the day of the exam. Don’t worry! During the prep course, you’ll have access to tips and tricks to optimize time. This way, you’ll know what aspects to focus on while you do the test and you won’t lose valuable minutes in the less important sections. Many times, that time can be the difference between a mediocre score and the one you need to access the specialization of your dreams.
6. You’ll be more relaxed the day of the exam
Although it’s natural to feel nervous before facing an exam, sometimes these nerves can be detrimental to your score. In fact, many students suffer from fear of exams and this condition has been increasing in recent times. The pressure to pass and the fear of failure may be so high that some students abandon their dreams.
Gaining confidence is one of the best reasons to take an ASVAB prep course. While you go over the materials of the course, your mentor’s advice will make it easier to start and slowly face scary situations, like the final test! Step by step, students develop more confidence in their abilities, which will result in a higher score the day of the actual test.
Would you like to boost your success chances when you take your ASVAB test? Then enrolling in a good prep course will be your best option.