• Before you can enroll in the Marines, you must meet the requirements.Marines attacking image by patrimonio designs from Fotolia.com
  
  The United States Marine Corps is like any other branch of the U.S. military in that there are certain prerequisites a recruit must meet before he or she is accepted. The Marine enrollment requirements are a series of tests that check for physical fitness, educational background, and mental aptitude. Once you have cleared the basic enlistment requirements, you are then invited to sign on as an official U.S. Marine recruit.
  
  

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test

• The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test is normally administered to high school students considering a career in the military. The test is broken down into components such as mathematics skills, auto mechanic ability, vocabulary and grammar, and logical thinking. There are 10 separate sections that carry their own score, then an overall score is reached using the composite of the 10 results. The test is used by the Marines to determine where a recruit has the strongest aptitude and what function he or she can best serve. Recruits cannot pass or fail this test; it is used for placement only.
  
  

Age Requirements

• The Marines will accept women or men who are ages 17 to 29 inclusive.
  
  

Educational Requirements

• In order to be considered for the Marines, each recruit must have a high school diploma or equivalent GED certificate.
  
  

Service Requirements

• All recruits must commit to an initial active duty contract of four years. After the four years are up, recruits can choose to reenlist or pursue other interests.
  
  

Fitness Requirements

• A Marine recruit must pass a physical fitness evaluation before he or she can enlist. Men are required to do two pull ups, 44 ab crunches within two minutes, and run 1 1/2 miles in less than 13 minutes and 30 seconds. Women must be able to hold a flexed arm hang for at least 12 seconds, perform 44 ab crunches in two minutes and run one mile in 10 minutes and 30 seconds or less.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• All Marine recruits can be no taller than 6 feet 8 inches. Men must be no less than 5 feet tall, and women must have a minimum height of 4 feet 10 inches. Men can weigh no less than 100 pounds and no more than 255 pounds, while women can weight no less than 90 pounds and no more than 227 pounds.