Why the excuse ‘I’m not smart enough for the ASVAB’ is just an excuse

As an ASVAB tutor, I have heard many excuses as to why students are not doing well on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery or just the ASVAB exam. The list of excuses goes from everything to “I’m too lazy to study” or “I forgot everything I learned in high school” and while they may be true, they can also be rectified. However, here is an excuse that I heard recently.

I’m not smart enough to take the ASVAB

This is absolutely NOT true. The ASVAB is an exam offered annually to 14,000 potential candidates. Given the wide range of backgrounds and education, ASVAB is not designed to test it on the level of something astronomical like nuclear physics.

This is a test designed to test you on high school standards for math, science, reading, verbal proficiency, and more. And since the level of education varies with each high school across the country, this exam is designed to assess averages

I have worked with many potential candidates on their test-taking strategy and ability. Some of them may not be the brightest, but that’s not what the military is after. These students were motivated and worked hard. They applied the ‘average’ brain to this ‘average’ test and managed to score good enough to qualify for the chosen jobs, fees and MOS.

So why are you different? If this is something you really want to do, then do it and put your mind to it. If you study and prepare properly, YOU WILL GET a qualifying score.

Make sure you have an adequate and consistent study schedule, with plenty of time to study. Divide the desired topics into subtopics and focus on one concept per day. As you study each topic, be sure to take notes and practice problems to ensure you have a means of review in the future.

If you find that studying on your own is not enough, GET A TUTOR. Don’t let a lack of knowledge get in the way of your future. Find someone who is qualified to help you with the individual topics and ask them to teach you the information to the point where you feel confident in solving the practice problems on your own.

If you work very hard using the above methods, you will find that your practice scores go up and up. And remember, you don’t have to score 100% to qualify. An AFQT of 50 is sufficient for most branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.