Nothing, one is a computer based test and the other paper.

In my Kaplan 2011 ASVAB study book it says that the computer version is shorter, and you typically get more time per question.  Kaplan can be wrong though, they have many errors in their book .

The paper one is longer, I think it has around 300 questions or more.

The CAT-ASVAB, which is the computer, only has 145 questions. Also it is scored differently. The first question you get is of medium difficulty. If you get it right then you would get a question of hard difficulty for you next question and likewise if you get the medium wrong then your next question would be of easy difficulty. The computer keeps doing this throughout the entire test.
The hard questions are worth more points than the easy ones .
I took it last month and it took ne around 1hr and a half to complete it. Also you get your scores after you done.

Ohh another thing. The hard question are not really that hard. It's the same questions you would get in the paper version. But in the paper version it has hard-easy question mixed throughout the test and every question is worth the same amount of points. You don't get more points for getting a hard one on the paper test.

upon researching the topic I stand corrected. While they are both the same test, the administration is different.

1. What is the difference between the ASVAB and the CAT-ASVAB?
The straightforward pencil and paper test is just that?a set list of questions that the candidate answers and then waits for military processing personnel to correct and compute. The CAT-ASVAB not only corrects the answers immediately, it is also adaptive to the candidate's answers.
2. CAT-ASVAB: How does it work?
Students are seated in front of a computer station and terminal. The test is displayed on the screen. As the students answer the test questions, the program immediately scores and records the answers, including the subtests. When the candidates have completed the CAT-ASVAB, the AFQT (Armed Forces Qualification Test, the math and verbal sections of the ASVAB) and composite scores for all the services are already computed.
Advantage (Alleged):
The CAT-ASVAB bases the next question you answer on the ability level pattern you exhibited from the previous question's answer. In other words, if you answer the question correctly, you are given a harder question. If you answer the question incorrectly, you are then given an easier question. This process is continued for each subtest until you have completed the entire CAT-ASVAB.
Disadvantage:
Unlike the ASVAB, the CAT-ASVAB does not allow candidates to go back and change answers.
3. Scoring
The straightforward pencil and paper test ASVAB raw score equals the total number of questions answered correctly.
The CAT-ASVAB raw scores are not equal to the total number of correct answers. The CAT-ASVAB subtest scores are computed using formulas that take into account the difficulty level of the question and the number of correct answers. Because the test is adaptive, a process called "equating" is used to compute the standard scores, AFQT, and the service composites.

Although the CAT-ASVAB is designed so that individuals with no computer experience can take the exam, it is highly recommended that a candidate practice using a computer before taking the CATASVAB. A well?prepared candidate will always do better than one who is not.

Tip It is critical that you do well on either of these tests. The better your score, the more military career choices you will have. These exams are used to determine what military occupational specialties or opportunities you qualify for. They can literally limit your future in the military. This author strongly recommends that you study and practice before taking them.

It's just my opinion, but if I had a choice, I would always elect to take the paper test. Or, to put it more specifically, I would always elect not to take a computerized, adaptive test if I had the choice. That's because if you miss an early question, your score in that section is already shot: You won't ever be given the questions that are worth the most points.

As an example, let's say there are twenty questions in a section and you miss one. For a non-CAT test, you'd expect to get 95% of the total points for that section but, if it was a CAT test and you missed only the very first question, you might only get 70% of the total points in that section. (I'm using 70% as an example - the actual number would vary depending on how the test was constructed). Conversely, if you miss only the last question, you might get 99% of the total points.

Now, if the only possible reason for missing a question is not knowing that answer, that might be perfectly fair. However, I have been known to miss a random question every now and then, not because I didn't know the material, but because I misread or misunderstood the question. That being so, I prefer not being punished disproportionately for my occasional lapse.

Can't go back and make changes either, when the right answer hits you at a later time on the computer.

I miss a lot for not knowing the answers...lol but I hate it when I miss them for simply transposing the wrong letter onto the Scantron...that one sucks!

Ya, I have had many thoughts about the computer version.  I am not an expert on test design, but hypothetically it might be discouraging if you start with a medium question, get it wrong, go to easy, get it right, go to medium get it wrong, and then go back to easy in a never ending cycle.  Hopefully you know math well enough for that not to happen though.  I know this might actually never happen haha...there has to be some disadvantage to the adaptive questioning.

thanks i took the paper one and like i failed by 10 .

Mary,

That's ok... no sad face. Get a study guide, read, study, take practice tests... just prepare yourself a little more. Then when you go back, you'll be a little more confident, you can relax a little more since you will have already seen what its all about... you'll do fine. If this is something you want, don't give up. Never give up on something you want!! Its always worth working for!! Best of luck on a future test, you'll do fine.

Macie

Mary, like Macie says...study up a little more and you will knock the next one out of the park!