Chapter 3
Arming Yourself with a Study Plan
IN THIS CHAPTER
Ensuring you have enough prep time
Following a study plan
One of the easiest parts of prepping for the ASVAB’s Armed Forces Qualification Test is done: You bought this book. Now comes the hard part: studying to get the best possible score.
What the military really wants to know isn’t how much knowledge you already have stashed in your head (although it does use that information). Instead, the military’s big question is “Is this person trainable?” Everything in the military is set up to train a beginner, which you’ll see if you end up choosing a job that you know nothing about; even if you think you know a bit about it, each branch of the military has its own TTPs (that stands for tactics, techniques, and procedures) that you’ll have to learn from scratch.
The line scores the military uses to calculate your AFQT score will show them (and you) whether you’ll be a good fit for your chosen branch. Combine your AFQT scores with the scores you get on the other subtests, and the military can tell exactly where you’ll fit in. (You’re like a puzzle piece, and the entire test battery shows whether you’re part of the kitten’s face or the flowers in the top-left corner.) That’s why passing the Word Knowledge, Mathematics Knowledge, Arithmetic Reasoning, and Paragraph Comprehension subtests with flying colors is so important.
This chapter gives you a study plan you can customize based on how much time you have before you head to MEPS with your recruiter. After you have a timeline to follow for studying, read Chapter 4, which explains different study strategies that you can use to your advantage.
Do You Have Enough Time?
Your recruiter is going to schedule an appointment for you to take the ASVAB, but if it’s too soon, don’t be shy. Explain to your recruiter that you don’t want to postpone your enlistment by failing the test (or that you’d like to get the best score possible), so you’d like more time to study (see Chapter 2 to find out how long you have to wait to retest if you don’t meet the ASVAB’s minimum scores for enlistment). You can’t settle for an all-night cram session the night before you take the test — that’ll leave you frazzled and frustrated, and your scores will probably be lower than they would’ve been if you hadn’t studied at all.
Planning Your Study Strategy
Which areas are most important to you right now? If you often walk around with your nose in a book, you may not need to spend much time on Word Knowledge or Paragraph Comprehension. If you solve complex mathematical formulas for fun, it’s probably safe to say that you can do without studying for Mathematics Knowledge and Arithmetic Reasoning.
This study plan assumes that you have about two months to prepare for the ASVAB, but you can adjust it by shaving a week or two off each section so it reflects the right timeline. (Get used to shaving, too — you’ll be doing it every day while you’re in training. Even when you graduate, you’ll have to shave every day before you show up at work.)
If you’re studying for other subtests of the ASVAB, you can blend them into your study plan to replace the AFQT portions of the test where you already have strong skills. If you’re struggling with each of the AFQT subtests, it’s best to get these down before you move on to other subtests because the AFQT determines whether you’re even qualified for enlistment.
8 weeks out: Figure out what you need most
Take the first practice exam in Chapter 13 so you can see exactly where you need to focus your time. You may be a little better at math than you think you are, or you may need some practice figuring out the main idea of passages you’ve read.
When you take your first practice exam (and every practice exam after it, for that matter), make sure you’re in a quiet place without distractions. Keep some scratch paper handy, and put away your calculator — you won’t be able to use it when you take the ASVAB, so using it now will hurt you on test day.
Stick to the time limits given for each subtest — they’re printed on each one. The subtests in this book are designed to simulate the real ASVAB test, so the listed times are what you’ll be up against on test day. Flip back to Chapter 2 for a refresher on how much time you’ll have for each subtest, whether you’re taking the standard CAT-ASVAB or you’re among the minority taking the pencil-and-paper version. Take the time limits seriously now because the test proctors (and the computers) will take them seriously on test day!
Score each subtest according to the answers in Chapter 14. If you do very well, that’s great … but it doesn’t mean you can put away this book until the day before the test. Practicing the types of questions you see in Chapters 13, 15, 17, and 19, as well as in the four additional tests online, will help ensure that you score even better on test day.
If your scores aren’t so hot in one or more areas, now you know where you need to focus. A great way to start: Make flashcards that help you remember important information. Read the sections in this book that explain the areas you need to improve, and then work out the practice questions that show up in the “Subtest” chapters. Review the answer explanations as you check your work to understand how to arrive at the correct answer (even if you got the answer right). Once you join the military, you’ll hear more than a few people say, “Even a busted watch is right twice a day,” and that applies here, too — it’s not enough to land on the right answer. You need to know how to get there.
6 weeks out: Take another test
Take one of the online practice tests rather than one of the tests in the book. The online tests are designed to give you a feel for what you’ll experience when you take the computerized ASVAB at MEPS.
The test bank will automatically score your test, and your results will show you which topics you need to spend the next couple of weeks studying. Compare your scores to what you earned on the first practice test to see how far you’ve come, and see whether you’re ready to focus on another area.
Give it a week, and then take the practice test in Chapter 15. Score that based on the answers in Chapter 16, and do the same thing you did after the online test: Choose the subject you want to improve in and focus on it for another week.
If you’re struggling in one area, call your recruiter and see whether he or she can set up a study session with you and other recruits. You can also enlist the help of a friend or family member who’s stronger in those areas than you are.
4 weeks out: Surprise! Time for another test
The tests in this book serve a few purposes — and one of them is to show you how much progress you’ve made since the last time you took one. You’re only a month out from taking the ASVAB, so now it’s time to zero in on the area where you need to make the most improvement. Take the practice test in Chapter 17 and score it with the answers in Chapter 18. In a week, take another online practice test, too.
Which area was the worst? Don’t forget to take into account whether you’re struggling to find the right answers or spending too much time on one type of question. That’s what you need to focus on for the next week.
When you take the next online practice test, you can reevaluate your needs and figure out where to go next (or whether you should keep plugging away at your archenemy on the AFQT, whether it’s English or math). If you’re working on two subjects, alternate so you don’t wear yourself out. There’s nothing wrong with taking a break from one and switching to another!
2 weeks out: Five tests down (and three to go)
Take the practice test in Chapter 19 and score it with the answers in Chapter 20. You’ve been studying pretty intensely, and by now you should have a good idea of how well you’ll score on the AFQT portion of the test. If you’re looking for a specific job (you can find out what you need to score for your dream job by checking out the appendix in this book), now is the time to hit harder if you don’t have a firm grasp on one of the AFQT subjects.
If you haven’t already, review the online cheat sheet for this book (go to www.dummies.com and search for “ASVAB AFQT cheat sheet”) to check out the qualifying AFQT scores for each branch and to look over some of the basic concepts that’ll help you on the test. Information about minimum AFQT qualification scores for each branch is also in Chapter 2.
1 week out: Crunch time
You’re a week out from taking the actual ASVAB, so take one of the two remaining online practice tests to simulate what it’s really going to be like. Focus all your attention on each question, and keep an eye on the clock. The military always says, “Train as you fight,” which means you need to put yourself in a realistic situation while you’re practicing for the real deal. By focusing on the online practice tests, you’re doing exactly that.
You should see some big improvements at this point (go back and check out your scores from the first practice test you took!). Rank your scores on each section so you can choose which two subjects to focus on this week. Revisit the flashcards you made (or make new ones), call your recruiter or your study buddy, and ask everyone you know to quiz you.
Wait a couple of days, and then take the final online practice test. Try to take it a few days before you go to MEPS — you’ll need that time to review everything you need to remember.
The day before the test: Last-minute prep
Before your final study session, gather everything your recruiter has told you to bring to MEPS on test day (see Chapter 4). That way, you can use the afternoon and evening to relax (yeah, right!) and mentally prepare yourself for the big day.
When you do settle in to study, review all the notes you’ve taken and flip through this book to refresh your memory. Don’t be hard on yourself, though. You’re as prepared as you’ll ever be! Also review the last few pages of Chapter 4, which explain what to expect on test day, how to go in prepared, and what to do as you take the ASVAB.
The day before the test is important for more than just studying, too. You’ll perform best on the ASVAB if you drink plenty of water, enjoy your day, and get at least eight hours of sleep.