How NOT To Forget Key Information During Your ASVAB Exam

Are you preparing to pass the ASVAB exam? You know there's a lot of pressure to do well, and the resulting stress could cause your mind to go blank. Obviously, that's not helpful. Read on to discover a highly effective (and legitimate) way to ensure that you have the key information you need at your fingertips during the ASVAB test.

I'm going to show you a test preparation strategy that can help you stay focused and calm during your ASVAB test, especially given the special challenges of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.

What special challenges? How about the fact that there are NINE subtests, most of them in very different areas. Cramming for one subject is hard enough. Cramming for nine is nearly impossible.

Fortunately, several of the test are somewhat related, and there are some areas that require different strategies. But if you use the strategy in this article in just two or three key areas, it can make a big difference.

The strategy

I discovered this strategy way back in high school and have taught it to thousands of students over the years since that time. My own weak area was math, and the biggest challenge was to remember all those formulas, especially during tests.

And since math, both basic knowledge, including algebra and geometry, and arithmetic reasoning, i.e., simple word problems requiring simple calculations, make up two of the nine subtests, you can get quite a bit of mileage out of this strategy even if you do it just for math and arithmetic.

However, there are a few other areas that might benefit from it, specifically the subtests for General Science, Electronics Information, Mechanical Comprehension, and Auto & Shop Information, especially if these areas are important to your specific career goals in the Armed Forces.

So here's how it works:

Step 1: Make a master list

As you prepare for the test, one subtest area at a time, make a running list, sorted by subtests, of any information that you'll need that you think you might forget if you got too stressed.

So for math, just write down all the math formulas (i.e., algebra and geometry) and related principles you want to be sure to remember, and stash them in a safe place.

Do the same for science, electronics, auto & shop, and mechanical comprehension.

What about word knowledge? That's an area where this technique doesn't work too well. Just use your usual study strategies. However, if you have some words that you tend to mix up, you can add them to the list.

The remaining two ASVAB subtests require different test preparation skills, so they don't lend themselves to this particular strategy.

Step 2: Organize and study your lists

Organize the information into logical sequences and study it thoroughly. Learn it by heart. Review it often.

Step 3 Part 1: Write it down

On the day of your ASVAB exam, the proctor will provide you with all the scratch paper you may want. Ask for it, and then, before you even look at the test, take a sheet of that paper and... write down all the things you have memorized, especially the math formulas and principles, and the key principles of the other areas.

Important note: Don't spend more than a minute or two on this step. In fact, you may want to practice writing this information down quickly before you even get to the actual test.

Step 3 Part 2: Strategizing your "writing it down" time

The ASVAB test with its subtests will make writing your information down more challenging than it would be in a single subject exam, so you will need to strategize.

The first test, the General Science test, doesn't give you much time to work with, so you may want to jot down just any general science VIP notes you may have and take care of that section.

Then, before the second section, arithmetic, create your "cheat sheet" for the math and arithmetic material. You'll have a bit more time here, but don't go overboard. Keep it to a minute or so.

Fortunately, formulas don't take very long to write down. And don't stress if you can't remember them all right then and there. Just do your best.

Since the electronics, shop, and mechanical subtests don't come up until later, you'll be able to create any cheat sheets, if you have them planned out, for those areas as you have time. Keep it brief, though.

Step 4: Refer to your legitimate "cheat sheets" as needed

Once you have it all written down, you can refer to the information as needed. It's right there, in writing, and it won't go anywhere, which should greatly reduce your stress.