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Thread: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

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    Default over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    ... and that doesn't count another 15% that fail the physical first ... for obesity etc.

    from

    (snip)"MIAMI – Nearly one-fourth of the students who try to join the U.S. Army fail its entrance exam, painting a grim picture of an education system that produces graduates who can't answer basic math, science and reading questions, according to a new study released Tuesday.

    The report by The Education Trust bolsters a growing worry among military and education leaders that the pool of young people qualified for military service will grow too small.

    "Too many of our high school students are not graduating ready to begin college or a career — and many are not eligible to serve in our armed forces," U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the AP. "I am deeply troubled by the national security burden created by America's underperforming education system."

    The effect of the low eligibility rate might not be noticeable now — the Department of Defense says it is meeting its recruitment goals — but that could change as the economy improves, said retired Navy Rear Admiral Jamie Barnett.

    "If you can't get the people that you need, there's a potential for a decline in your readiness," said Barnett, who is part of the group Mission: Readiness, a coalition of retired military leaders working to bring awareness to the high ineligibility rates.

    The report by The Education Trust found that 23 percent of recent high school graduates don't get the minimum score needed on the enlistment test to join any branch of the military. Questions are often basic, such as: "If 2 plus x equals 4, what is the value of x?"

    The military exam results are also worrisome because the test is given to a limited pool of people: Pentagon data shows that 75 percent of those aged 17 to 24 don't even qualify to take the test because they are physically unfit, have a criminal record or didn't graduate high school.

    Educators expressed dismay that so many high school graduates are unable to pass a test of basic skills.

    "It's surprising and shocking that we are still having students who are walking across the stage who really don't deserve to be and haven't earned that right," said Tim Callahan with the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, a group that represents more than 80,000 educators.

    Kenneth Jackson, 19, of Miami, enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school. He said passing the entrance exam is easy for those who paid attention in school, but blamed the education system for why more recruits aren't able to pass the test.

    "The classes need to be tougher because people aren't learning enough," Jackson said.

    This is the first time that the U.S. Army has released this test data publicly, said Amy Wilkins of The Education Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based children's advocacy group. The study examined the scores of nearly 350,000 high school graduates, ages 17 to 20, who took the ASVAB exam between 2004 and 2009. About half of the applicants went on to join the Army.

    Recruits must score at least a 31 out of 99 on the first stage of the three-hour test to get into the Army. The Marines, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard recruits need higher scores.

    Further tests determine what kind of job the recruit can do with questions on mechanical maintenance, accounting, word comprehension, mathematics and science.

    The study shows wide disparities in scores among white and minority students, similar to racial gaps on other standardized tests. Nearly 40 percent of black students and 30 percent of Hispanics don't pass, compared with 16 percent of whites. The average score for blacks is 38 and for Hispanics is 44, compared to whites' average score of 55.

    Even those passing muster on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, or ASVAB, usually aren't getting scores high enough to snag the best jobs.

    "A lot of times, schools have failed to step up and challenge these young people, thinking it didn't really matter — they'll straighten up when they get into the military," said Kati Haycock, president of the Education Trust. "The military doesn't think that way."

    Entrance exams for the U.S. military date to World War I. The test has changed over time as computers and technology became more prevalent, and skills like ability to translate Morse code have fallen by the wayside.

    The test was overhauled in 2004, and the study only covers scores from 2004 through 2009. The Education Trust didn't request examine earlier data to avoid a comparison between two versions of the test, said Christina Theokas, the author of the study. The Army did not immediately respond to requests for further information.

    Tom Loveless, an education expert at the Brookings Institution think tank, said the results echo those on other tests. In 2009, 26 percent of seniors performed below the 'basic' reading level on the National Assessment of Education Progress.

    Other tests, like the SAT, look at students who are going to college.

    "A lot of people make the charge that in this era of accountability and standardized testing, that we've put too much emphasis on basic skills," Loveless said. "This study really refutes that. We have a lot of kids that graduate from high school who have not mastered basic skills."

    The study also found disparities across states, with Wyoming having the lowest ineligibility rate, at 13 percent, and Hawaii having the highest, at 38.3 percent."(snip)


    I knew that Americans weren't getting their money's worth from the hundreds of billions per year spent on public education ... but this is downright shocking !

    ~
    Last edited by Melonie; 12-22-2010 at 03:39 PM.

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    The surprising number is that only 15% fail the physical test. I already knew we had a whole lot of stupid in this country, i thought we had a lot more fatties too.

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    well, you may be right about that ... from the same link -

    (snip)"More high school graduates are going to college than in earlier decades, and about one-fourth are obese, making them medically ineligible.

    In 1980, by comparison, just 5 percent of youth were obese."(snip)

    The army is saying specifically that 25% of young people who apply to the military are medically ineligible due to obesity. But this leaves out other young people who choose to attend college or don't choose to apply to the military, which probably weights out to the 15% figure.

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    I bet you their solution is to lower their standards rather than address any of the problems.

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Naw the Military won't budge just on inertia alone.

    There is institutional knowledge in the Army about what happens.

    When McNamara was SecDef, he forced the Army to accept the mentally handicapped, to keep the numbers up during the Draft and the Viet Nam war.

    There are 4 stars on duty now that were butter bars then. They know better.

    Now Congresscritters and Senile-tors under pressure from their voting base may use the Armed Services Oversight committees to force the Military to accept marginal at best recruits. Why? Just to appease the masses, give them "opportunities"; the proverbial "three hots and a cot". Seen Congress do it time and again, to appease a voting block; and defense or readiness be damned.
    Last edited by ArmySGT.; 12-22-2010 at 09:06 PM. Reason: Grammar goblinz

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Here's another thing about the ASVAB. The maintenance section.

    If you grew up in a completely urban lifestyle and never worked on a car or did basic home maintenance that section is going to be confusing as hell. You may know quarts from cooking but, 10w-30 for winter and 10w-40 for summer, then 90w goes in differentials you may not know. Positives, negatives, grounds, amperage, ohms, polarity, in questions on electricity.

    This section tests your ability to fix something or think your way through to a repair. Urban lifestyles not exposed to this are at a loss.

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Quote Originally Posted by ArmySGT. View Post
    Here's another thing about the ASVAB. The maintenance section.

    If you grew up in a completely urban lifestyle and never worked on a car or did basic home maintenance that section is going to be confusing as hell. You may know quarts from cooking but, 10w-30 for winter and 10w-40 for summer, then 90w goes in differentials you may not know. Positives, negatives, grounds, amperage, ohms, polarity, in questions on electricity.

    This section tests your ability to fix something or think your way through to a repair. Urban lifestyles not exposed to this are at a loss.
    I'd flunk that part for sure!

    But usually I do very well on the other kinds of tests.


    As far as literacy and math skills go, I blame the increasing mass-hypnosis television is laying on young Americans. I suspect literacy levels have been steadily declining since WW II, as a direct result of this. Not only that, the number of literate people actually reading books has no doubt decreased drastically.

    If I do see people reading, it's almost always trash like Dean Koontz, etc.

    I remember very well being pissed off when we didn't have a television in the house for a few years, and when our viewing time was limited even when we did have a TV. Now I am everlastingly grateful to my mom for this.

    Though I wonder, if she tried the same thing today, and I complained at school, I bet the government would have come taken us away under suspicion of abusive behavior.

    You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.
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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    When I went in the navy, everyone knew the army took what the other services rejected. The entrance tests for the other branches (besides army) had stricter standards. This was especially true if you were a woman and enlisted in any branch.

    Now is another story. I recently watched a navy recruiting video online and they even have remedial classes for the military! Plus I've heard boot camp now is so easy and they rarely yell. This is what we need, a bunch of uneducated fat asses.

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Djoser View Post
    I'd flunk that part for sure!
    Me too. My answer for anything is "look it up on google".

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    <----------------- *intense Service rivalry.*


    Quote Originally Posted by Kellydancer View Post
    When I went in the navy, everyone knew the Army took what the other services rejected.
    Navy? Like with a cute little cereal bowl on your head and everything?

    JK

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Trem View Post
    The surprising number is that only 15% fail the physical test. I already knew we had a whole lot of stupid in this country, i thought we had a lot more fatties too.
    Actually it is the skinnies that fail more often. The PT test is three parts pushups, situps, then two mile run.

    The underweight fail because they can't do the minimum number of CORRECT repetitions. It is upper body strength and endurance. Push ups and sit ups both test this.

    Fatties fail runs because they lack cardio endurance and because they have more to carry.

    There is a right way and a wrong way to do the exercises. do it incorrectly and the rep doesn't count.

    For a push up, The head should be up, the body a rigid straight line and the hands can be greater or narrower than the shoulders width. Shoulders should be parallel with the arms at the bottom of the push up, one straight line across the body from elbow to elbow. At the top the elbows have to be straight and the arms locked. Thats one.

    For a sit up, you start at the vertical, the hands must remain clasped behind the head, the base of the neck must be a straight line down to the base of the spine or leaning forward. All the way down the elbows have to touch. The troop must then rise all the way back up and again; the base of the neck must be forward of the base of the spine. Thats one.

    For the run, you have to stay on the course, no one can push, pull, or carry you. They can pace and scream at you. you must finish before the maximum time for your gender and age category.

    After the PT test is a weigh in and a tape test for those over their maximum allowed weight for their gender and age category.
    Males are taped at the neck around the adams apple with the tape parallel to the floor and the waist at the belly button with the tape parallel to the floor. This is done three times each with an average taken. If there is a big discrepancy, it is done over again. Results a computed in a formula and the body fat percentage is determined. there are body fat maximums. If a soldier is above the maximum on two or more consecutive weigh ins they can be separated from the Service.



    I believe for an 18 year old male this means 42, 52, and under 15:54.


    Enjoy.

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Quote Originally Posted by ArmySGT. View Post
    <----------------- *intense Service rivalry.*



    Navy? Like with a cute little cereal bowl on your head and everything?

    JK
    You're right, I never thought of that. Unfortunately women don't get the sailor caps though. The female caps are much more nice.

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Quote Originally Posted by ArmySGT. View Post
    Here's another thing about the ASVAB.
    I never took the ASVAB, but found a practice test on line and was entertained:

    http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=67

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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Quote Originally Posted by ArmySGT. View Post
    There is a right way and a wrong way to do the exercises. do it incorrectly and the rep doesn't count.

    For a push up, The head should be up, the body a rigid straight line and the hands can be greater or narrower than the shoulders width. Shoulders should be parallel with the arms at the bottom of the push up, one straight line across the body from elbow to elbow. At the top the elbows have to be straight and the arms locked. Thats one.
    Nobody ever does pushups correctly, and the fucking macho dudes cheat just the same as all the rest, from what I've seen. Hell, I used to cheat myself, until a friend of mine caught me and showed me how I was doing them wrong. I wasn't really doing over a hundred pushups a set at all--after I corrected my technique it was about 60.

    Then I started doing Spring Break DJing, and one of the things I tried was different kinds of contests to keep the guys around until the Wet-T shirt contest at the end of the day. One of the contests I came up with was the Pushupathon, which everyone loved!

    I would carefully demonstrate the proper technique, keeping the body straight, going all the way up and and all the way down, and no 'dipping' with the chest. Never worked.

    All of them always cheated. If they were really bad I would disqualify them, whether they were the last guy left or not, which led to some heated disputes with the macho fuckers, but tough shit...
    You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.
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    Default Re: over 1 in 4 new high school grads fails US Military Entrance exam ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Djoser View Post
    Nobody ever does pushups correctly, and the fucking macho dudes cheat just the same as all the rest, from what I've seen. Hell, I used to cheat myself, until a friend of mine caught me and showed me how I was doing them wrong. I wasn't really doing over a hundred pushups a set at all--after I corrected my technique it was about 60.

    Then I started doing Spring Break DJing, and one of the things I tried was different kinds of contests to keep the guys around until the Wet-T shirt contest at the end of the day. One of the contests I came up with was the Pushupathon, which everyone loved!

    I would carefully demonstrate the proper technique, keeping the body straight, going all the way up and and all the way down, and no 'dipping' with the chest. Never worked.

    All of them always cheated. If they were really bad I would disqualify them, whether they were the last guy left or not, which led to some heated disputes with the macho fuckers, but tough shit...
    Oh I know how bad it can suck........... except at schools that cheating don't fly. Used to doing 75 then rest; and the instructor telling nice effort you have 41. Fffffffffffffffffuck.

    Promotion is tied to the PT score. Physical fitness is one category in which you can gain promotion points or lose them.

    minimum PT score is 210 or 70 points in each category, then the promotion points build on a scale from there. 300 points is the maximum. There is an extended scale because every now and then along comes a fucking machine that laughs at this test.

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