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

Andrew_franny

Andrew_franny

Active Member
Hey all, just looking to get some additional practice on probability type problems.
schen0222 said:
Hey everyone!
I've been lurking on this thread for a while and finally took my ASTB today. I scored a 56 7/7/7 , which is lower than what I had hoped(was hoping to score higher to compensate for my low gpa) but nonetheless here are my 2 cents about the test.

Math:
No matter how good you think you are at math, I would still recommend doing as many practice problems as you can regarding this section. I had a lot of probability questions, distance rate time problems, and exponent problems. I am a mathematics major, and this was surprisingly the section that gave me the most trouble. It might have been test pressure, but after getting through the first few easy math questions, they became a lot harder and I just forgot how to math. Barrons prep tests is not going to be enough for the math section, the math on the actual astb isharder. I would recommend going over GRE math prep as well.

Reading:
Super boring and tedious. Just focus as best as you can and pick the best answer.

Mechanical:
Honestly a lot easier than I thought It would be, half of the questions were common sense or very basic science questions. Barrons prep tests do a very good job of preparing you for this section.

ANIT:
I used kyles study guide for this as I'm sure everyone else has. The ANIT gouge in his study guide was EXTREMELY helpful. There are also 400 flashcards that I studied that were immensely helpful. They are linked somewhere on this forum, but I dont quite remember where.

PBM:
For Spatial orientation study the flash cards over and over until you can get them correct in 1-2 seconds. I averaged around 4-6 seconds which is very slow, and may have hurt my score. I did not get a single one incorrect however.

Dichotic listening: Lean in the direction of the ear they tell you to focus on. It helps, trust me.

Stick and throttle: As everyone says, definitely practicing playing video games inverted. I was not used to the inverted controls and the plane ended up juking me out quite a bit.



As always remember to breathe and relax. I definitely panicked in some of the sections of the exam and it most definitely did not help me. Get a good nights sleep before and do your best!
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type of probability problems? Binomial distributions?
 
N

NevarYalnal

Well-Known Member
Andrew_franny said:
Hey all, just looking to get some additional practice on probability type problems.

type of probability problems? Binomial distributions?
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if you're really crushing the math section you might get a matrix multiplication question thrown your way. just understand the concept behind how it works, it's not too difficult at all actually.
 
S

schen0222

Member
NevarYalnal said:
if you're really crushing the math section you might get a matrix multiplication question thrown your way. just understand the concept behind how it works, it's not too difficult at all actually.
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I did get a matrix question, but as Yalnal said, it looks daunting but once you know the method its actually quite easy
 
C

cvmm

Member
This actually may sound like a dumb question, but in regards to the questions about which valves to open in the diagram so air can flow to points A and D not B and C, how do you guys solve that? I literally just stare at the image like its in another language.
 
Toadbob

Toadbob

Member
cvmm said:
This actually may sound like a dumb question, but in regards to the questions about which valves to open in the diagram so air can flow to points A and D not B and C, how do you guys solve that? I literally just stare at the image like its in another language.
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Check out organic chemistry tutor on youtube or google the question word for word and you may find similar problems with explanations.
 
Robinsonja02

Robinsonja02

New Member
Hello could anybody tell me if the latest ASTB-E has a Spatial Apperception portion on it? On Kyles guide it does but I want to know if its on the latest test?
 
H

Hwatts12

Member
bannerpilot12 said:
By any chance, are there formulas on the exam? For instance, if they asked for the volume or Surface Area of a cylinder do they give you that formula?

The math seems to be a little broad. Although I think I have been getting better do you have anymore tips? I will look at the link you posted tonight on the math section.

I'm also a little nervous on the mechanics section. I have been studying Kyles Gouge and going constantly on youtube
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Yes, it provides the formula for triangle, sphere, cylinders, ect...

Make sure you understand the basics first: probability, ratios, exponents, geometry, word problems ect...
No sense in trying to understand the hard questions before knowing the basics.

The mechanical section isn't hard IMO. I suggest truly understanding the concepts by understanding the real world application. Much easier to memorize when you associate it to something you do everyday for instance.
The multiple gouges found in this form will be sufficient in scoring well. Check out the videos I mentioned in my post and you will have a much better grasp.

Good luck!!
 
C

Cloddish

Member
Cloddish said:
Took the ASTB for the 2nd time yesterday, didn’t finish as the server crashed right before the PBM. Oddly enough this happened on my first attempt, so I won’t know my score for a few more days.

Math:
Had several questions with radicals. Simplify 2(radical)32 or something along those lines. Had a couple of exponents. I remember the easy one, it looks harder than it actually is.

(16^(-3/4) - 16^(1/4))/ 16^-1

Had 3 or 4 questions that were like: Each test is worth 10% more than the last. On the first test Ellie got a 75, second a 70, third an 80. She finished with a 75 average. What was her score on the fourth test?

Another one used assignment averages like hw was 20% quizzes were 30% Tests were 20% and the final was 30%.

had one Log

simplify [log8(log5)[log3](4)] or something along those lines.

one DRT

had one binary question telling you about base 2 and asking you what 7+8 is in base 4

two literal equations. Thats what I can remember off the tope of my head, I ran out of time, but I feel a lot better about this math section than I did on my first attempt. Time will tell though lol.

Reading Comp:

Read out loud like youre explaing the Navy handbook jargon to your friend or mom, I find it’s easier to comprehend that way and I dont have to reread all that shit as much. When you read a “funfact” excerpt I like to act excited about it? Makes it more “fun” and less like Im reading over explained information.

Mechanical:

know how to find the voltage.
know different types of stress, I didn’t apparently, but I think I got the question right anyhow.

ANIT:

I’ve been doing King’s flight school written test prep online as I’m trying to pass my written here soon, this helped a TON with all the avi questions. Of course that’s not required, all the flashcards on this forum are more than enough. Nautical stuff is about getting lucky I suppose, and the more flashcards you do the better your luck will be.

NATFI(nafti?)
Don’t spend too much brain power here, just pick the first one that resonates with you and save energy for the PBM. Unless you’re like me who always has to do the PBM on a different fucking day.

Other notes:
Get the time you want to take the test. My recruiter kept trying to get me a morning time and I kept asking for an afternoon, thus I got afternoon eventually. I wasn’t showing up at 830 for my recruiter to walk in 30 minutes late with McDonalds again(not judging the man, definitely been late to class for a breakfast biscuit, but this is YOUR test, make sure you’re in a position to have the most success) and I sure as hell wasnt doing the math section first thing in the morning again!
Earplugs are helpful, remember youre taking the test in a working office, people are on the phone, chatting with each other, laughing, typing, and bitching about how a DoD email takes an hour to send. Ear plugs do wonders.
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Finally finished off the PBM today after several trips to the recruiter. Finished with a 54 7/8/8 which works for me!

PBM:
I had an easier time by not using the compass trick for the UAV portion, I found that slowed me down and messed up my sense of direction, but if you find the compass trick works for you by all means go for it!

Stick and Throttle stuff, you're not going to be green a lot of the time, so don't let that freak you out. I found sort of glaring oat the screen helped a lot as I could easily follow both the vertical and flightstick cursors that way. And like many have said before it helps to lean a little towards the correct ear. I wouldn't recommend removing an ear phone as 1. Takes too much time and isn't possible once you have to track and listen and 2. The instructions state to have the headphones on so I'd rather not risk an "illegal test."
Write the emergency procedures down, I propped them up on the keyboard in between the keys so I could keep the screen in my field of view while a double checked the procedure.

Flight sims really do you no good here as there is no "flight". It's 2D, you got up, down, left, and right for the crosshair's movement. The best thing to do would be to play an old-school arcade shooter with a joystick inverted.
 
A

ahansen

Member
Hello! This is my first post but I've been looking over all these threads as prep for the past two weeks. I found other people's post helpful for my exam, so here's my quick recap.

Took the exam today and got a 64!

Math- (40 min) lots of algebra and simplifying equations, DRT problems (a few were almost word for word from study guides on here), lots of compound interest questions, and a couple "if angles A and B in triangle ABC are 45 and 60 degrees , what's angle c". They didn't seem to be getting harder which had me worried but seems I did alright. Completed it with 6 min left so probably could've slowed down a bit.

Reading- (25 min I think) everyone is right. It's hard to concentrate. I had been reading sample questions about everything under the sun. All of my excerpts except maybe one looked like they were taken out of a navy manual. They were intricate and two answers seemed to work for each one. I went back to reread everyone because they were so similar and chose the one that I felt the passage meant. Best advice- take your time and understand the question. If you can find examples with more technical writing to practice with, it may help.

Mech- (15 min) Note- I've never taken physics. I had two weeks to prep and practiced this portion most. Most of my questions didn't involve using the scratch paper- they had to do with the principals of physics. Started off easy (If barrel one sinks to the bottom of the water and barrel 2 floats, what can you assume...). Had a few pulley questions. One basic gear question (which one rotates faster). One question like: if person a weighs 68lbs and is 6 feet from the fulcrum, and person b weighs 48lbs and is one foot further away, what does person c at the opposite edge need to weigh to balance it. I got a few questions with terminology that I've never seen, in the prep guides here or the books I was studying. I assumed I was doing well and they threw me a difficult one? Honestly I was worried about this section beforehand. If you understand the principals behind it all, the questions seem common sense.

Used the info on Kyle's guides. Officer Candidate Tests for Dummies ? taught me the basics. And used the last minute purchase of OAR Study Guide 2020-2021 for extra practice questions. (This book was obnoxious- the physics questions are all labeled #1 and answer options 1234, with answers labeled abcd instead. Scoring is more difficult than the questions, BUT most of these were conceptual and I think helped prep me for the questions I was thrown.)

My Score: 64
GPA: 3.46 BS in Marine Conservation
Age: 29
1st choice: SWO (call me crazy, I know)

Side note- my recruiter said I should apply for Intel in hopes of getting picked up by Oceano. I've heard it's almost impossible to get in to that and I can't directly apply since I've never taken physics. He said there's a SWO-Oceano Option I can try for. I haven't been able to find much info on here as to what the options really mean. If anyone has any insight, please let me know! If SWO Oceano Option is on the table, I'd like to try for that one.
 
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G

gilla21

New Member
I am taking the OAR/ASTB on February 4th, and I have some questions about the best ways to prepare. I have been working through the Barron's Military Flight Aptitude Tests book, as well as am using a couple other resources, and am feeling good about Math Skill, Reading Comprehension, and Mechanical Comprehension. I am still working on Aviation and Nautical Information, but wanted to know if the Barron's book was a sufficient resource or if it is lacking in important information that I should know for the test. Moreover, I am mostly curious about advice on the Naval Aviation Trait Facet Inventory and the Performance-Based Measures portions of the exam. Are there any tips or suggestions on how to best prepare for these sections? Thank you all very much!
 
Larick

Larick

Well-Known Member
None
Contributor
ahansen said:
He said there's a SWO-Oceano Option I can try for. I haven't been able to find much info on here as to what the options really mean. If anyone has any insight, please let me know! If SWO Oceano Option is on the table, I'd like to try for that one.
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Congrats on your OAR score! With regards to your question on “options,” it essentially means that if you’re selected for SWO-(insert option whether it be oceano, intel, pao, etc), then you do your first Divo tour as a SWO on a ship with the requirement of earning your SWO pin during that tour. From there you make a choice to either stay in the SWO community or transfer to a different community for the option you were selected for. Surprisingly, some stay SWO, but most transfer for different reasons.

Here’s a link for a general overview/career path for Oceano (dated 2019) if you haven’t seen this yet.

 
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