Enrolling in the military is a challenging and competitive process. The candidates who do not have a high school diploma have a considerable disadvantage when applying to join the military. So can you join the military with a GED?
Fortunately, candidates may use GED as a workaround instead. Candidates often use The GED certificate to enroll in the military.
Table of Contents
Can You Join The Military With A GED?
What Is GED?
Upon graduation, a student will receive a High School diploma. There are, however, some instances where students are close to completing their plan, but not completely. In this case, students can take tests to prove that they have achieved an academic level equivalent to a high school one. They are called the GED test.
The test will test knowledge in four areas:
- Mathematical thinking
- Logical Reasoning
- Natural Sciences
- Social science
Candidates must complete all four exams to be GED certified. Each test lasts at least 1 hour. Candidates can register for each one individually or register to take all four exams at the same time.
Benefits Of GED
After passing the GED test, you will be a qualified high school student to join the military. It is accepted in all branches of the US military when they recruit.
You might be interested in Took drug test Friday when should I know results.
Who Can Register For The GED Exam?
To be registered for the exam, you cannot register without a high school completion or the equivalent.
Criteria For Joining The Army Of People With GEDs
Candidates must meet age, height, weight, nationality, and tattoo requirements to serve in the military.
Candidates can enroll at a college and complete 15 credits locally. At that time, the candidates will be classified into the first tier registrant when joining the military, thereby increasing their chances of being recruited.
What branches of the military can you join with a GED?
United States Army
To join the military, you don’t need a high school diploma or a university diploma. Instead, you will need other certificates (medical and related certifications).
The military registrants can divide into three tiers:
- Level 1: Those who graduate from high school or university students who have a GED certificate and completed 15 college credits.
- Level 2: GED holder without a high school or university diploma.
At this level, a recruit entering the army with a GED certificate must take an ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test to be recruited. This test’s primary purpose is to assess whether a candidate is qualified to serve in the military. At the same time, this test will also help determine the candidate’s position in the military. Candidates with a university diploma must achieve at least 31%. Conversely, this figure is 50% for GED holders without a high school diploma or university diploma.
- Level 3: Person without a diploma or GED certificate
The United States Navy
The United States Navy accepts candidates with a GED certificate as long as they meet the special Navy requirements.
First, candidates must complete 15 credits of college to join level 1. Then they have to take the ASVAB exam. This test is rigorous, requiring the contestants to have seriousness and careful planning to meet the Navy’s point threshold.
The ASVAB test includes:
- Reading comprehension
- Mathematical reasoning
- General scientific knowledge.
During the test, candidates will not be able to use electronic devices such as computers. The exam will rank candidates based on their scores from high to low, so score a to rank as high as possible to maximize your chance.
The United States Air Force
Can you join the airforce with a GED? The Air Force’s requirements for candidates with GED degrees are not different from those of the US Navy. However, the candidates’ needs will be stricter because each year, the US Air Force recruits only 1% of the candidates.
The United States Marine Corps
GED certification is the primary criterion to participate in the United States Marine Corps. Currently, US Marine Corps does not agree only 5% of candidates who do not have a high school diploma or university degree.
To be considered for admission to the US Marine Corps, candidates must complete the ASVAB test with a score above 50%.
The United States Coast Guard
Like all military branches, contestants must meet the requirements to legally and physically serve the military.
Like other military branches, the government divides Coast Guard into three levels. All candidates are also split into these groups. Similarly, candidates must pass the ASVAB test with a score of 31% or above (for candidates with a high school diploma or university diploma) and 50% or above ( for GED-holder test-takers without a high school or university certification).
The Bottom Line
In short, the higher your score on the entrance tests and the more credits you complete at university or college, the higher chance you join the military. On the other hand, you will need a GED certificate in the absence of an undergraduate degree to apply to a military school. Besides, you need to go through tests with different criteria to win. Jobandedu also wish you the best! Go for our Job Application section to learn more in-depth writings!
