One thing you need to understand is that your entire career will involve testing and studying. It doesn't begin and end with the ASVAB. You will test at the end of basic training, at the end of your technical training for your field, at the end of your hands-on training while you're at your first assignment, for promotions and more! Use these strategies now and remember them for later in your career. In order to be successful in your career, you need to know how to develop great study habits!
Recognize your Learning Style
I have a friend who is a writer who is planning on doing a guest post here soon to help you dive into this more. To give you a brief run-down; we all have different learning styes. Some of us learn by reading it, some of us learn by listening to it, some of us learn by seeing it, and some of us learn by doing it.
My very best advice is to know yourself and know what works for you. How do you learn the best? I learn through a combination of different things; writing and taking notes, watching videos, hands-on when possible and I utilize flash-cards a lot to help review and keep things fresh. I can't just read it and retain the info, I have to use other methods to help retain what I read.
Pick a Great Study Guide (or two)
You will need a great study guide or two. Don't just grab whatever you see on the shelf, really look at what they have to offer. The best guide in my opinion after reading reviews and looking at the guides in person, is the "Kaplan Premier Study Guide 2016". It has extensive info on all the sections, comes with pre-made flashcards, online access and 6 tests total. It is very detailed and comprehensive.
**One thing I want you to realize is that this guide's math section in my opinion was much more difficult than the ASVAB itself, so if you aren't getting perfect scores on the practice exams, don't get discouraged!** If you struggle with the math, I recommend checking out "AFQT for Dummies", and I thought the math in it was more similar to what was on the actual test.
Understand your Timeline
Focus most on the AFQT- that is the Math, Arithmetic, Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comp. These are the absolute most important because they determine whether or not you are eligible to enlist in your branch of service. Take the diagnostic test, determine which sections you struggle with the most, and study those first.
If you don't have an ASVAB test date or haven't talked to a recruiter yet, you have the luxury to really dig in. I suggest taking the diagnostic, making a list of each section and ranking them, the first being the one you did the worst on and the last being the one you did best on, and study them in that order. In other words, study your worst subjects first, and leave the ones you're good at for last.
Word Knowledge and Paragraph Comp
First off, study what is in your study guide. However, I will tell you right now that what is in any study guide will likely not be enough to get you an amazing score. If you want to excel, reach out to other resources.
I used an app on my phone called "Magoosh Vocabulary Builder". It is not designed for the ASVAB, but it has some similar words and it's FREE. Focus on the "Basic" and "Intermediate" categories only. I didn't use the "Advanced" category at all. I used the "General/GRE" section the most but honestly the "SAT" words and the "TOEFL/English Learner" sections wouldn't hurt.
For paragraph Comp, you're just going to have to practice. Read carefully and understand the "overall point" of the material. There is no way to study for it other than to practice. Read some non-fiction articles and think critically about what the overall message was as well as the author's tone. Learn how to skim for facts after you've read it so that you can find key info quickly. It just takes practice.
Mathematics and Arithmetic
The very best tips I can offer are to utilize YouTube tutorials and if at all possible, find a friend who is really good at math or even invest in a tutor if you can. I am lucky enough to have a husband who loves math, so I picked his brain a LOT. It was very helpful when a written explanation just didn't make sense to me. He could often explain it a different way and then it would seem so simple. Just studying the study guide probably won't be good enough if you struggle with math. Utilize additional resources to help you understand.
With that being said; practice, practice, practice!!!! Figure out the types of problems you struggle with the most and practice until you understand! With math, you can't just learn it and then remember it. You have to practice it a lot to help retain how it is done.
Check out Khan Academy. It's free and it's a great way to review several different subjects. In addition to math, they also have science review and English sections.
All other Sections
Unless you have a specific career in mind, think of the other sections as secondary to your AFQT sections. You still want to try and do well because it opens up so many career options for you. I qualify for almost all the jobs in the Air Force and that opens up a world of opportunity for me.
For the most part, the Kaplan guide will prepare you for the other sections of the ASVAB very, very well. However, when you run up against something that really throws you off, look it up online. The internet is full of great resources. I struggled with the Auto shop section and YouTube was my saving grace. I previously had VERY limited knowledge of cars but now I understand the basics of all the major systems that allow a vehicle to operate. If I can go from zero knowledge to scores in the 90's, I promise that you can as well.
For things like electronics and auto shop, see if someone proficient in those can show you some things hands-on. For instance, I opened up the hood of my car and my husband told me in detail what everything was and even while we were driving around, I'd review how the car actually works and how the engine functions.
I struggle with Electronics. Luckily, that is my husband's field, so I picked his brain on that just like I did for math. I also watched a lot of YouTube videos and studied the info until I had a basic grasp. Talking to someone about it out loud helped me remember it better than just reading about it.
Here are some good starting-points for understanding some of the more technical aspects of the ASVAB. You'll see some of these are kinda geared towards kids and you know what?? If they help you understand the concepts, watch them! I cannot stress how much I utilized videos online.
Four-Stroke Engine Cycle
Major Auto Systems
Basics of Electronics
Simple Machines
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