Conestoga juniors took the ASVAB test on Jan. 14.

The ASVAB test is a standardized test that is commonly used by the military to determine what branch would best fit students strengths. Conestoga uses this test as a way to see students' individual strengths and areas of interest. “It measures skills in academic and technical areas and provides data that can be used to guide career conversations and post-secondary decision-making,” explained school counselor Laurel Kreifels.

The ASVAB test is not required for students to take but can be taken if joining the military might be a possibility in the future. According to Kreifels, Conestoga has its Juniors take the test (with the option to retake it during Senior year) to act more like a tool to support career exploration and individualized planning. Students are able to use their results [from the ASVAB] to identify strengths which can be applied to post-secondary pathways including: college, technical training, apprenticeships, and military.

Besides military use, the ASVAB test can be used as a tool to help students connect their abilities and skills to real-world careers. As Kreifels said, “The results support discussions around career clusters, CTE programs, dual credit opportunities, and future course work”. This test can be very beneficial to students, especially to the ones who might be a bit indecisive on what they are going to do after high school. This test can act as a guidance to students to explore options that fit their strengths.

For future Juniors who will be taking the ASVAB test, Kreifels recommends that students get lots of rest, show up with confidence, and have a positive mindset about this test. View the test as a starting point for meaningful career conversations rather than a pass/fail test. As for current Juniors, look at this test as practice before taking the ACT test in spring.