1,001 questions about the ASTB (post your scores & ask your questions here!)

[tdubb90]

I'll be taking the ASTB for a second time tomorrow after scoring a 4, 5, 5, 43 the first time. I've been studying atrickpay's personal guide hard, along with the ARCO military flight aptitude tests book and the Marine gouge. I'm also using the Barron's which is the only thing I studied with the first time around.

I feel like I know everything pretty well, but I'm just wondering if there's anything else I should take a look at for last minute knowledge?

 

[GreenLantern330]

Some people suggest the FAA handbook. I haven't taken it yet but that's been included in my study guide along with everything else you mentioned. Good luck!

 

[SLH350]

Just got done with mine.

7/8/7 60

I found out i was taking it 4 days ago so I'm pretty happy considering I only had a few days to prepare. I would definitely recommend reading through the FAA handbook, I pretty much just skimmed it and I missed a few because of it.

-Also, in regards to the spacial apperception. Practice as much as you can but realize none of the study materials available mimic the test perfectly, so don't get cocky. On the real test there are varying degrees of bank and a LOT more diagonal angles that make it a bit more tricky than all the practice tests I used.

 

[clonedintoevil]

Just took the astb aug 17 and I drew form 4....major let down right off the bat.

I scored a 48 5/6/5 if I remember correctly.

Graduated from a liberal arts university with a degree in social science education. So, as you can see the last time I studied any sort of algebra or geometry was about 4 years ago....Nonetheless I took about 3 weeks to study and was shocked to see none of the stuff I studied was in that math section and was disappointed right off the bat knowing that the math section is the "be all end all" section. Whats in the math section you may ask? Anything and everything, lots of fractions, lots of variables, and some word problems. I studied the user created guide that is linked on this forum (apologies to forgetting the user who submitted it) and the "Barrons" book. Both had great information and were a great place to start but I think an SAT math prep book may be more useful. Form 4 was terrifying and it was the worst way to start the test, all confidence went out the door.

Spend lots of time practicing your time window to take each section. It is very easy to find yourself running out of it and then guessing on things that, if you had saved yourself the time, could figure out....that may be the most important message of all.

I put in for NFO and Intel and I pray everyday that something will open up and these scores will suffice. Thanks for the support and good luck to all those trying.

 

[tdubb90]

So I was scheduled to take my PFT and ASTB on the 16th; ran a 275 on the PFT which I was pretty happy with considering my awful 3-mile time, and then found out I would be taking the ASTB the next day because my OSO had to leave. Which was awesome because I got another night to study and didn't have the stress of the PFT to worry about, however I didn't get much in because I worked until 10 that night. Anyways I took form 4 the next day and scored a 5/6/6/45. Hardly an improvement off of the first time, but good enough to earn an air contract. Now I just have to await acceptance to OCS, which I'm confident will happen.

I had form 5 on my first try and I would say it was only tougher on the math section. The mechanical stuff seemed to be much harder on 4 and the paragraph comprehension was less straight forward, I swear there were a few where not a single answer was correct. Spatial was about the same, but I think I did okay the first time. What really saved me was the aviation/nautical section that had hurt me before because I had only used Barron's; atrickpay's guide was really a lifesaver and the ARCO book did a pretty good job as well. There were still some avi/nautical things that I had absolutely no clue on, I just can't remember what they were now because I haven't been able to get on here in the past few days and I've lost it. My guess is the FAA book would have covered all of that though.

 

[Sonog]

I scored a 7/6/8 59 on the ASTB and I am in the initial stages of putting an application for NA/NFO for the first time (I already applied for Marine OCC and was non-select). I have a 2.6 gpa with an engineering degree from an elite school and I didn't find the ASTB to be that difficult, but I had a hard time gauging what I could have possibly gotten wrong. A 2.6 isn't the best even from a top tier school and a tech degree, so I would have liked my ASTB to be higher. Even still, is the best strategy to go to the boards and see what happens with my current score? Then only retake if not pro rec'd?

 

[GreenLantern330]

Yes. You never know if they like the rest of your package and decide to select you. Worst that can happen is a non-select and then you just work on getting a higher ASTB/improving your package all around. Best of luck!

EDIT: Your score is really good too. Most people say 7s and 60s are competitive, but you're pretty darn close!

 

[AshleyinHB]

I took my ASTB on the 23rd of Aug for the first time and I just received my scores. I got a 46 4/5/4.... bad scores, huh? Slightly discouraged because I did study a lot for the exam and put my heart into this. Not exactly sure where I went wrong and with what. I just know I'm a horrible test taker! I even practiced taking the practice exams in a timed environment and went to the library everyday.

Any advice out there for someone who really wants to do something with the Navy (ideally fly)?

 

[craftingraptor]

I took my ASTB on the 23rd of Aug for the first time and I just received my scores. I got a 46 4/5/4.... bad scores, huh? Slightly discouraged because I did study a lot for the exam and put my heart into this. Not exactly sure where I went wrong and with what. I just know I'm a horrible test taker! I even practiced taking the practice exams in a timed environment and went to the library everyday.

Any advice out there for someone who really wants to do something with the Navy (ideally fly)?

Sounds like you have no idea what you were trying to improve the second time. If you're blindly studying and just putting in the hours, you're doing it wrong. Second, if you think that "I'm a horrible test taker" is an excuse to get by in flight school on tests, then you're already wrong.

Look at it this way: the world is a series of tests. Some people are intelligent in such a way that they never have to figure out what to study, because they already do it without trying. Others have to learn what the tests are testing in order to study right and do well on the tests. Still, others never learn what the tests are testing and study to no avail, ultimately not learning what they really needed to know to get to the next level.

You sound like you're in the 3rd group. Learn how to put yourself in the 2nd group. What is the test really testing? What do you have to know, just for this test? If you can do that, you will be more successful and at least have a shot in flight school. Not saying the ASTB is the end-all-be-all for flight school performance, but the chances are good that you'll have difficulty performing well in an environment that is all about test scores and studying. At this point, you can do no harm to apply and see what happens, but I highly suggest learning how to put yourself in the 2nd group.

And, good luck!

 

[kbeavers]

Waiting Process....Need information.
I am sending in my application in September 2010. How does the selection board work? Meaning how long before I hear an answer. Can anyone help me understand the process.
Does anyone know what the bill is called for if you want to continue your education through grad school.

 

[GreenLantern330]

Waiting Process....Need information.
I am sending in my application in September 2010. How does the selection board work? Meaning how long before I hear an answer. Can anyone help me understand the process.
Does anyone know what the bill is called for if you want to continue your education through grad school.

This is posted in the wrong thread. Not sure what the average wait time is, but usually here on AW, a thread is made for each month's selection board and everyone will post their stats and talk while they wait it out. Add in some rumors of when the board convenes and when results are out. Then someone finds out if they were pro recc'd or not then everyone starts bombarding their ORs till they get their results.

Not sure what the bill is that you are referring to. And PLEASE, use the search function. It is your best friend and all of these questions have already been asked and answered. If you're having a hard time finding your answers through the search function, try putting your question followed by "airwarriors" in google and it should come up. If not, then ask again in the appropriate thread. Best of luck!

 

[Swanee]

Sounds like you have no idea what you were trying to improve the second time. If you're blindly studying and just putting in the hours, you're doing it wrong. Second, if you think that "I'm a horrible test taker" is an excuse to get by in flight school on tests, then you're already wrong.

Look at it this way: the world is a series of tests. Some people are intelligent in such a way that they never have to figure out what to study, because they already do it without trying. Others have to learn what the tests are testing in order to study right and do well on the tests. Still, others never learn what the tests are testing and study to no avail, ultimately not learning what they really needed to know to get to the next level.

You sound like you're in the 3rd group. Learn how to put yourself in the 2nd group. What is the test really testing? What do you have to know, just for this test? If you can do that, you will be more successful and at least have a shot in flight school. Not saying the ASTB is the end-all-be-all for flight school performance, but the chances are good that you'll have difficulty performing well in an environment that is all about test scores and studying. At this point, you can do no harm to apply and see what happens, but I highly suggest learning how to put yourself in the 2nd group.

And, good luck!

Dude, you have a pretty big attitude for someone who hasn't even gone to OCS... What the fuck do you know about anything? What have you done besides get a letter in the mail saying you have the opportunity to prove that you belong? You've been told to STFU in other threads. I would do it.

 

[craftingraptor]

Dude, you have a pretty big attitude for someone who hasn't even gone to OCS... What the fuck do you know about anything? What have you done besides get a letter in the mail saying you have the opportunity to prove that you belong? You've been told to STFU in other threads. I would do it.

I was definitely a jerk in the above post (realizing that now), but let me add some more background. I was previously in the third group that I mentioned. I was that person that complained about being a terrible test taker. My first AFOQT test resulted in a not so impressive array of scores. I studied a ton to get that up to par and be competitive. I took that same knowledge and studied before I took the ASTB because I knew how much good it did me. And I did better for it.

My advice comes from personal experience. That I've found that if I work hard enough, I can put myself in the second group. But only if I'm focusing enough. The poster above that I responded to, I hope they understand that what I'm saying will help them realize their goals. I have not even started mine! So, I'm still nervous about that too, but seeing what has worked for me, I hope I can push the right button for someone else.

 

[jmhughey]

To anyone striving to be an air contract, whether its Navy or USMC or whatever, use the gouge on this site and study it well. Then, google aeronautics and ship lingo. I took the ASTB the first time without studying and got a 5,5,6 (That's good enough for NFO but not an aviator)
I printed off the study guides on here and went through them about three times each and scored a 7,8,8 the second time.
If your eyes are no good, there's not much you can change about that, but good luck to all. Semper Fi

 

[ashelb]

I just took the ASTB today and got 6/6/8 57. My first choice is SNA, I am currently a freshman in college so I do not have a GPA yet. I am apart of the swim club at college and will be doing a lot of volunteering. Are chances high for me to receive an SNA spot?