Details About The General Science Test of ASVAB

Importance of General Science ASVAB Test

Every year, thousands of school students as well military aspirants take the ASVAB test as a career exploration and self assessment tool, as well as a part of the military enlisting process. The test is a battery of varied subtests that evaluate and measure the candidates’ abilities, skills, and aptitudes in various core areas, including the General Science. Read on to find out why and how this test section is important in ASVAB.

For more information on this test, refer to the official websites:

• http://official-asvab.com/
• http://www.asvabprogram.com /

ASVAB Test Content and Subtests

In general, this exam is administered either as a paper and pencil-based version (P&P-ASVAB) or as a computerized, adaptive version (CAT-ASVAB). However, the test content is the same across both the versions, with multiple subtests that evaluate the candidates’ skills and knowledge in the following core areas:

• Mathematical
• General and Technical Science
• Spatial
• Verbal

The number of subtests, however, varies in both the versions of the ASVAB exam – ten subtests as follows are administered in the CAT-ASVAB, while in the P&P-ASVAB, the AI and SI subtests are clubbed into one single subtest Auto and Shop Information (AS). Yet, the General Science test is common across both the versions of ASVAB.

It should also be noted that the test content and subtest remain the same across all the branches of US military services.

The ASVAB General Science Test

There are multiple subtests from various core areas included in this test to ensure that the candidates are tested in all the relevant areas that provide clues to their eligibility to military and non-military career options. The section of the exam, for example, tests and evaluates the candidates’ abilities and skills in the physical and biological areas relevant to various career options.

As like all the other ASVAB subtests, the General Science section also consists of multiple choice questions. For sample questions, you can refer to the official ASVAB website: http://official-asvab.com/questions/app/question_gs1_app.htm.
The number of questions in this subtest differs according to the version of the test administered. While the CAT-ASVAB has 16 questions, the P&P-ASVAB version has 25 questions. However, just like other subtests in the CAT-ASVAB, the time allowed for the subtest in each of these versions is also different – 8 minutes in the CAT-ASVAB and 11 minutes in the P&P-ASVAB respectively. It can also be completed well ahead of the time limit, depending on the pace of the candidate.

You can find the time limits for every individual subtests and the corresponding number of questions in each at: http://official-asvab.com/docs/asvab_fact_sheet.pdf.
Also, as the ASVAB standard scores are used both for classifying candidates into the best suitable job roles within the appropriate armed force branches, the scores of all subtests, including that of General Science subtest, are critically important. For example, to join a career in the Science and Technical domains, the score of this section is always considered.