An Opinion By Emely Villanueva
Earlier this month, Pueblo High School seniors took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test (ASVAB). Some may ask what the ASVAB is and why students are required to take it. The ASVAB, although administered by the military, is a test that measures students’ strengths and weaknesses for potential future success in verbal, math, science, and technical, and spatial domains.
The ASVAB, first introduced in 1968 and adopted by all branches of the military in 1976, is used to rank the best categories for occupational and academic success in the military. This, however, does not mean that students are signing up to be in the military. The ASVAB can help with placing students in the different military branches. Here at Pueblo High School, College and Career Center director Dr. Avila is hoping that the test will help seniors further expand their career exploration. The better students’ ASVAB results are, the broader students’ career options become available.
The ASVAB is currently offered at 14,000 schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide. The test is offered, developed, and maintained by the Defense Department. The ASVAB has two scores. One score determines if students are eligible to join the military; students will need to score 31 to enlist; the second score, “a line score”, determines a student’s job eligibility in 10 different categories. The ASVAB also helps students with their test-taking skills by using critical thinking skills and common test skills of answering every question as they have a 25% chance of getting the answer correct.
The ASVAB helps seniors explore not only career options but also steers them in a direction they didn’t know they could have. Many Pueblo students are often lost after graduating high school. They feel lost in the sense that they feel a college or university is not an option for them. The ASVAB, however, opens new options for them as now they feel a new path has opened. Joining the military can give students a sense of belonging and accomplishing a goal for themselves and their country after completing high school.
Although, many students find it “stupid” or “useless” to take the ASVAB, requiring seniors to take the test should not make them feel that it is a punishment. Instead, students should keep an open mind about ASVAB because it offers students another opportunity for test taking skills. It opens opportunities to students considering the military and preparing these students for this path with their ASVAB results. Pueblo wants to open newer opportunities to students in career opportunities and military options.
In fact, many countries require their students to serve from one to four years, and they all require some version of a military test to place them in the corresponding branch of government. Here in the United States, the ASVAB helps students realize their strengths and weaknesses which helps them within their futures. The ASVAB also helps Pueblo’s overall “grade”; currently, Pueblo earned a “B” for the first time in its history, so students should feel the need to take the test as a duty to give back to their community.
If students are interested in taking the ASVAB, and if they missed the original testing date, there will be other opportunities to take the test in the spring. Please support your Pueblo community and yourself by taking the ASVAB. Students should see Mr. Avila or their counselor for more information.