The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) usually takes about two hours to complete. It is made up of of ten subtests. Most people take the ASVAB on a computer, which speeds up the process. However, each computer-administered test will include extra “tryout” questions in two to four of the subtests. These questions do not affect your score. They are used to develop future versions of the ASVAB. Time is added to the subtests that contain tryout questions. There are ten subtests on the ASVAB:
- The Arithmetic Reasoning (AR) subtest contains fifteen questions and lasts 55 minutes. It is a series of arithmetic word problems. With tryout questions, the test will last 113 minutes.
- The Math Knowledge (MK) subtest consists of 15 questions and lasts 23 minutes. It covers high school-level math concepts. You cannot use a calculator on the ASVAB. If the MK subtest includes tryout questions,
- The General Science (GS) subtest consists of fifteen questions and lasts ten minutes. If you are given tryout questions for this subtest, you will have twenty minutes total.
- For the Word Knowledge (WK) subtest, you will be given fifteen questions and nine minutes in which to answer them. If tryout questions are included on this subtest, you will be given 18 minutes.
- The Paragraph Comprehension (PC) subtest is ten questions and lasts 27 minutes. If you are given the additional tryout questions, this subtest will last 75 minutes.
- The Electronics Information (EI) subtest includes fifteen questions and lasts ten minutes. When the fifteen tryout questions are included, this subtest lasts 21 minutes.
- The Auto Information (AI) section is ten questions, to be answered within seven minutes. If tryout questions are added to this subtest, you will have 18 minutes.
- The Shop Information (SI) subtest has ten questions and lasts a mere six minutes. However, if there are tryout questions for this subtest, it will last 17 minutes.
- The Mechanical Comprehension (MC) subtest contains fifteen questions and lasts 22 minutes. When tryout questions are added to this subtest, it lasts 42 minutes.
- Finally, the Assembling Objects (AO) subtest contains 15 questions, and takes 17 minutes. If the AO subtest includes tryout questions, it will last 36 minutes.
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