Before you join the Active Duty Military, Reserve, or National Guard, you’ll need to take a standardized test called the ASVAB—Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.

The test measures your knowledge in eight areas:

• General Science - Life, earth, space and physical sciences

• Arithmetic Reasoning - Ability to solve basic math and word problems

• Word Knowledge - Ability to grasp the meaning of words through synonyms

• Paragraph Comprehension - Ability to understand written material

• Mathematics - Math concepts and applications

• Electronics - Electrical current, circuits, devices and electronic systems

• Auto and Shop - Car maintenance and repair, and wood and metal shop

• Mechanical - Principles of mechanical devices, structural support, properties of materials

The ASVAB is timed and takes about 3½ hours to complete. It’s a good idea to practice in advance, to get familiar with the process and to find any areas you might need to improve before you take the real exam.