Carolyn C. Wheater

The officer candidate tests include the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT), and Aviation Selection Test Battery (ASTB). While these tests are different, they have a few similarities. All the tests, for example, include Verbal and Math subtests. Some tests include a General Science subtest, but others don’t.

The various officer candidate tests rely heavily on multiple-choice questions to test potential officers. In addition to just knowing the material, these tips can help as you face multiple-choice questions: Carefully read the question and all answer choices. Try to come up with your own answer before considering choices.

Building a strong vocabulary will greatly improve your chances of doing well on the verbal abilities sections of the officer candidate tests. Though the types of questions vary from test to test, these tips will give you an edge: Read widely — on a variety of topics. Look for contextual clues to determine a word’s meaning.

Your preparation for taking an officer candidate test largely depends on which test you’re planning to take. All branches of the U.S. military use the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) for enlistment, but applicants for officer training take different tests for different branches of the military.