Turn your head and cough, maggot!
January 19, 2012 2:02 PM Subscribe
Attention all military personnel! I'm enlisting in the Marine Corps and will likely be sent to the local MEPS in the next month or so. What should I expect?
I vaguely know that I will be subjected to a medical exam, psychological interview, and the ASVAB. Can you tell me what each one specifically entails, and how I can come fully prepared?
How rigorous is the physical? Will the psychologist ask me about my mother? I got an 89 on the practice ASVAB (which I didn't study for—can you recommend a good study guide?); is that a good indicator of my probable score on the official test?
I vaguely know that I will be subjected to a medical exam, psychological interview, and the ASVAB. Can you tell me what each one specifically entails, and how I can come fully prepared?
How rigorous is the physical? Will the psychologist ask me about my mother? I got an 89 on the practice ASVAB (which I didn't study for—can you recommend a good study guide?); is that a good indicator of my probable score on the official test?
I've been told by my friend, who recently enlisted, that they are very strict about hygiene during the medical. This means washing your hands after the urine test, etc.
posted by gman at 2:48 PM on January 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by gman at 2:48 PM on January 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I went through MEPS back in November of 2003.
From what I remember, the physical involved two parts - an individual setting where the doctor does the turn your head & cough bit, and another part (jokingly referred to as the underwear Olympics) where a bunch of guys in their skivvies are in a room & the doctors examine you en masse (for stuff like crooked spines, ankle that won't bend enough, flat feet, etc.).
I don't remember much about a psychological interview. I remember getting interviewed, but it was by military personnel & not psychiatrists. Then again, who is to say that it only constitutes a psychological interview if a shrink does it? I'm not a psychiatrist, so I have no friggin' idea.
The ASVAB was computerized from what I remember. I don't really remember how much time it took (except for a while) or how many questions there were (a bunch). Unfortunately I can't recommend a study guide for you. I got a 99 on the practice test, and a 99 on the real thing but never studied a bit. Wherever you are, your local public library should have some available for checkout. N.B. - overall score is important, but so are component scores which can affect your selection of what MOSs are available. For example, anything to do with IT, avionics, electronics, etc., will likely require a pretty good GT score.
Overall advice beyond that - expect to be bored a lot. I remember having a lot of down time to read in. You'll get lots of practice at waiting to hear your name called ("Applicant Smith, report to the front desk"). You'll be mixed in with applicants for all the other branches. Expect to get up ass early in the morning (I remember wakeup call at MEPS was usually around 0300). Do not dare lie on your paperwork. You might be able to fudge things a bit (e.g. say you've only smoked pot four times if you've smoked a dozen times).
I would be interested to hear what it's like going through MEPS now that Don't Ask Don't Tell has been repealed. I remember getting asked questions about "Are you a homosexual" "Are you sure you're not a homosexual" etc.
You'll likely go to MEPS twice, once to join the DEP (delayed enlistment program) and once to actually ship to the appropriate MCRD. Bring a book with you the first time, but don't bring one the second time, it's just more crap you're going to have to worry about when you get to the depot and you suddenly have a dozen drill instructors yelling at you to empty your pockets.
Feel free to memail me if you have further questions.
posted by AMSBoethius at 4:28 PM on January 19, 2012
From what I remember, the physical involved two parts - an individual setting where the doctor does the turn your head & cough bit, and another part (jokingly referred to as the underwear Olympics) where a bunch of guys in their skivvies are in a room & the doctors examine you en masse (for stuff like crooked spines, ankle that won't bend enough, flat feet, etc.).
I don't remember much about a psychological interview. I remember getting interviewed, but it was by military personnel & not psychiatrists. Then again, who is to say that it only constitutes a psychological interview if a shrink does it? I'm not a psychiatrist, so I have no friggin' idea.
The ASVAB was computerized from what I remember. I don't really remember how much time it took (except for a while) or how many questions there were (a bunch). Unfortunately I can't recommend a study guide for you. I got a 99 on the practice test, and a 99 on the real thing but never studied a bit. Wherever you are, your local public library should have some available for checkout. N.B. - overall score is important, but so are component scores which can affect your selection of what MOSs are available. For example, anything to do with IT, avionics, electronics, etc., will likely require a pretty good GT score.
Overall advice beyond that - expect to be bored a lot. I remember having a lot of down time to read in. You'll get lots of practice at waiting to hear your name called ("Applicant Smith, report to the front desk"). You'll be mixed in with applicants for all the other branches. Expect to get up ass early in the morning (I remember wakeup call at MEPS was usually around 0300). Do not dare lie on your paperwork. You might be able to fudge things a bit (e.g. say you've only smoked pot four times if you've smoked a dozen times).
I would be interested to hear what it's like going through MEPS now that Don't Ask Don't Tell has been repealed. I remember getting asked questions about "Are you a homosexual" "Are you sure you're not a homosexual" etc.
You'll likely go to MEPS twice, once to join the DEP (delayed enlistment program) and once to actually ship to the appropriate MCRD. Bring a book with you the first time, but don't bring one the second time, it's just more crap you're going to have to worry about when you get to the depot and you suddenly have a dozen drill instructors yelling at you to empty your pockets.
Feel free to memail me if you have further questions.
posted by AMSBoethius at 4:28 PM on January 19, 2012
You definitely want to get your ASVAB score up, so you have a choice of jobs. Procuring a study guide is a good idea. Processing is mostly boring. It has been a long time for me, and I remember almost none of it.
posted by procrastination at 6:50 PM on January 19, 2012
posted by procrastination at 6:50 PM on January 19, 2012
Response by poster: Yeah, I'd like to improve my ASVAB score. I'm pretty sure that I aced the vocabulary and paragraph comprehension sections. The math caught me with my pants down; I apparently lost my grip on such complex maneuvers and spilled my ink everywhere. So I hope to wash my hands of that score and do better on the official test.
I'm curious as to how the practice test translates to the official one, which, per procrastination's link, has more modules. I wasn't tested on mechanical knowledge, general science, coding speed, etc. I want an MOS in the 300 class anyway, so a high score isn't crucial.
I appreciate the input, everybody. I may just take you up on your offer for further advice, AMSBoethius.
posted by troll at 6:28 PM on January 20, 2012
I'm curious as to how the practice test translates to the official one, which, per procrastination's link, has more modules. I wasn't tested on mechanical knowledge, general science, coding speed, etc. I want an MOS in the 300 class anyway, so a high score isn't crucial.
I appreciate the input, everybody. I may just take you up on your offer for further advice, AMSBoethius.
posted by troll at 6:28 PM on January 20, 2012
FWIW I want to bandwagon on procrastination post on score - I haven't been MEPS since 2003, but I would still focus on the ASVAB, you never know a few years down the road when the score may limit your change in MOS. I have E-4/5s in my shop who ended up taking the test again to help with advancement.
posted by aggienfo at 11:16 PM on January 20, 2012
posted by aggienfo at 11:16 PM on January 20, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Make sure you know what job in the Marines you want. I had no idea and ended up a field radio operator, which was fine, but not very practical in the real world.
I remember the physical being fairly rigorous. You have to take a urine test, so make sure you have to go when the time comes. Drinking water helps. Don't lie about anything that might be wrong with you because they will find out, if not then than at some point down the road.
The people there are pretty brusque, or at least they were when I went, but they have to do this for a living (which I don't think would be pleasant) so don't take it personally. Actually, that's good advice for life in the military too.
This happened to me over tens years ago, so I don't recall too much, but that's my advice. Good luck and congratulations on not joining the Army.
posted by Fister Roboto at 2:12 PM on January 19, 2012