The primary entrance test for joining the U.S. military is the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), a multiple-choice exam covering subjects like arithmetic reasoning, word knowledge, mechanical comprehension, and technical subjects, typically taken at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) or a satellite testing location.
The ASVAB serves two purposes. A subset of the subtests are combined into the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score, which determines basic eligibility to enlist at all — each branch sets its own minimum AFQT score. Separately, different combinations of subtest scores create “line scores,” which determine which specific military jobs a candidate qualifies for, since certain specialties require minimum scores in relevant areas like mechanical or electronics knowledge.
Beyond the ASVAB, entrance also requires passing a medical examination at MEPS, along with background and eligibility screening covering things like age, citizenship or residency status, and any prior legal issues. Officer candidates typically take a different test appropriate to their commissioning path, such as the AFOQT for Air Force officer candidates.
Candidates who don’t score well enough for their desired job, or at all, can generally retake the ASVAB after a waiting period, and many recruits study specifically for the sections tied to the job they want, since a strong overall score doesn’t guarantee qualification for every specialty.