The Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) is made up of four parts that make up the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The ASVAB determines an individual’s knowledge, aptitude, and stress reactions, whereas the AFQT is a metric used to determine suitability for a military career. The ASVAB and AFQT differ in that the former can provide information about what types of careers an individual might be well suited to, whereas the latter is used to determine whether someone can be considered for military service in the United States.
The ASVAB is administered the military in the United States through the Military Entrance Processing Command. High school students are most likely to take this battery of tests, but it is also open to older people who are otherwise eligible for enlistment. The ASVAB’s primary purpose is to determine military readiness, though it can also reveal aptitude for other endeavors. In 1968, some branches of the military began using the ASVAB and AFQT, and 1976, all branches had adopted it. Since then, it has undergone several revisions.
The ASVAB has nine sections, but only four of them are used to determine AFQT results. The AFQT tends to rely on the core subjects of math, reading comprehension, and vocabulary, though sections are added and removed from time to time. The ASVAB’s math sections are divided into two sections: mathematical knowledge and reasoning, both of which are used to calculate the AFQT.
The ASVAB and AFQT are scored using a percentile system, with a 50 representing a score that is better than precisely half of test takers and worse than the other half. Though it involves the ASVAB scores obtained for mathematic knowledge and reasoning, vocabulary, and reading comprehension, the formula for calculating the AFQT score is a little more complicated. To be considered for enlistment, each armed service has its own set of requirements, which typically range from 31 to 55. Applicants with general education development (GED) degrees rather than high school diplomas are required to have a higher score in some branches.
Both the ASVAB and the AFQT can be used to assess general aptitude, but only the latter is required to enlist in the US military. Many high school students take the ASVAB to determine their aptitude for a variety of civilian occupations and never use their AFQT score. In other cases, the AFQT score is critical, as it is one of the main factors used to determine whether or not someone is eligible to enlist.