ASVAB Test

Transcription

Dennis Boston: My name is Dennis Boston. I'm the test control officer here at the Boston MEPS. Every applicant entering into the Military has to take an ASVAB test, and chances are that's the first contact the applicant has had with the MEPS is coming to the testing section.

Chuck Shaw: My name is Chuck Shaw, and I'm the education services specialist here at the Boston MEPS. My goal is to market the ASVAB Career Exploration program out to the 419 schools that we have in our area. The ASVAB itself is similar to the standardized test in that it is timed. It is a set of timed tests. But it is, in fact, an aptitude test rather than an achievement test, and it measures potential to learn rather than what you've learned up to this point. What they're looking for is to match individuals in the Service with the right kind of occupations that's going to make them more efficient and provide the best person for the Service, and we're doing much the same thing with the career exploration.

Speaker 3: When I was looking at most of the jobs that were available with the scores that I got on my ASVABs, that would seem like a good job to go along with what I've learned.

Speaker 4: It is. It's a very interesting job. OK, Mr. Wood, could I have you read now each one of these statements? Print your name. "Yes" or "no" by each statement.

Dennis Boston: The ultimate goal of the ASVAB is to get an AFQT score for that applicant. Each individual Service will take that score, and they have criteria, which an applicant has to meet to qualify for a specific job.

Speaker 5: When you're done with that, you're going to click "next," and the test will begin. You have scratch paper. You have a piece of — you have a pencil. If you need any help or any more paper at all, you're going to hit that red "help" button, then raise your hand, OK?

Chuck Shaw: When we take the program out in the schools, it isn't just to try and get everybody to enlist in the Services, that we're providing a product of services that go well beyond that. That when we talk to the counselors and the administrators, a lot of them don't realize that the program is free.

Dennis Boston: The test administrators that work here at the Boston MEPS are instructed to almost put the applicant at ease to try to get them to relax, to do the best that they can do on the particular test.

Chuck Shaw: We talk to them about work values, what's important to them, what they want to get in return from choosing a particular occupation. And then we bring all of that together and use that to help them plan their career and show them how to work with, in terms of, the money and the time that it's going to take to complete their education. I think the ASVAB program, because of the aptitude element that we have with it is — it stands head and shoulders above most of the other stuff that I've seen out there.

Transcription

MASTER SERGEANT AUDREY TURNER:​ Hi!  How did everything go?

F: ​Great.

AT:​ Good, good, have a seat, have a seat.  Congratulations, you’ve passed.  Makes you eligible for that next step.

AT:​ So when you come up to MEPS, liaisons will look at three main factors to determining what an applicant may qualify for.  We’re gonna look at your physical that you’ve done at MEPS.  We’re gonna look at your background information.  And we’re gonna look at your ASVAB scores.  That test is actually small different tests all combined to make your ASVAB score.

LIEUTNANT COMMANDER EMMANUEL MAMARIL:​ That test score could then help determine what job opportunities are available for the applicants.  Service liaisons that serve at the MEPS assist the applicants with job negotiation and identifying what it is that the applicant would like to do.

CAMERON MASTERSON:​ I learned about being an aviation mechanic through MEPS.  When I came here, they gave me a list of jobs.  They said I could either be a diesel mechanic, or an aviation mechanic.  I’ve wanted to do this, cause I’ve been doing mechanics with my grandfather since I was like five.  It’s just something I wanted to do to make him proud.

EM:​ If an applicant has a job that they’re interested in that’s in the civilian world, most likely there is a parallel or equivalent job in the United States Military.

AT:​ Cause we want to make sure that we can find a job for you that you’re gonna be happy and satisfied doing.  But overall, we want to make sure our applicant feels confident when they leave MEPS.  We’re there to celebrate and cheer with you on your success after graduating basic training and all the other things you do along your way.