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

agriz33

Well-Known Member
5 to 7 sec on average
That may be part of the reason. I had like 3 misses but each one took about 2-3 seconds. I used a similar thought process as that video but I did the rotating in my head instead of physically reorientating the compass each time.
 

KevlarSac

Member
I have been lurking on this forum for a couple of weeks before taking the ASTB. This is a great source for anybody looking to take the ASTB.

Score 7,8,7 OAR 60

How I studied: I had to retake the ASVAB because my score from high school was a 72. I purchased the Kaplan ASVAB premier 2017-2018. I retook the ASVAB and got a 95. I took two weeks to study for the ASTB. I took 2 weeks’ vacation from work and studied all day every day. I was selfish with my time. Fortunately for me, my family and friends understood this and gave me time. I also purchased the Trivium ASTB study guide. This is a good start if you know nothing about aviation like I did before I started studying. The practice tests were way too easy. The Peterson’s PDF’s that are floating around the site are a little better. I also downloaded every gouge I could find on this site. I made flashcards on quizlet so I could constantly quiz myself even when I was making a head call. I found myself looking back to Kaplan book because there is a lot of material in there that is also on the ASTB. The advantage of this book is that it is more of a textbook than just a test prep book. My best advice for this test is just put in the time, read the forum, and study what you are weak on. Im not going to attach all the same study material that I got off of the site, it’s out there.

I am applying for PLC juniors. Former active duty Sergeant. MOS 0341 Mortarman. Full time firefighter. Full time student.

Mathematics: My questions did not seem to get very difficult. The pressure of the clock is the worse part for me. I go brain dead and panic even at simple problems. I knew this going into the test so I just took it slow. I was asked some mile per gallon questions, if n is a positive integer which is odd, average test grade questions. It seemed like I was cut off early which made me assume the worst.

Reading Comprehension: This was my least favorite portion. I thought this would be easier considering I usually do well on these types of tests. I don’t think there is really a way to prepare for this. This type of skill comes from a lifetime of being able to read something one time and comprehend it without you mind drifting.

Mechanical Comprehension: I had some pulley questions, I had a nuclear reactor question, I had a binary question (what is binary question, I can’t remember it exactly but it is on this forum think the answer was 100), the roller coaster question about which loop would be smoothest for passengers, air pressure through an pipe with a small section in the middle, a few questions that required some basic calculations like (a ball is thrown into the air at 30m/s then slows down at 10 m/s how high did the ball go), how does a car air conditioner work. Overall this was the easiest section for me. I was never good at mechanical comprehension so I did dedicate a significant time here

Aviation: I had a question about what is the designator for a sidewinder, who broke the sound barrier, know the dates drop tanks and ejection seats were tested. What controls roll. Dissymmetry of lift. No FAA related stuff

Nautical: I can’t remember anything form here. I took the test almost a week ago.

PBM: I used the extended compass method where you draw out 8 compasses and label each one for each possible direction. I would just look at the screen and get the heading “left” “down” “Up Right” then listen for the desired parking lot “down left, East.” I averaged 1.5 to 3 seconds and didn’t miss one here.

Dichotic listening: Read the directions thoroughly and Do the head tilt method. Easy test.

Vertical Tracking: It takes a second to get the hang of it but I was on the green for a good portion of it. I would make bold adjustments and as it starts to move I would give little tiny corrections forward and back constantly until it jumped again. Bold correction/very small moved forward and back to stay on.

2 Dimensional Tracking: Its difficult, just try your best. I couldn’t tell if it was inverted or not I just developed a muscle memory quickly. Years of video games paid off here. Especially first person shooters.

Combined: I was all over the place. Individually the tests are not too bad but combined its rigorous.

Emergency Operations: Super easy in my opinion. Write down the procedures, “big knob” “little knob” “clutch” Know where the knobs are at. Make a small adjustment on the knob to know which way is up then move it accordingly.
 

wantbrownshoes

New Member
I have been lurking on this forum for a couple of weeks before taking the ASTB. This is a great source for anybody looking to take the ASTB.

Score 7,8,7 OAR 60

How I studied: I had to retake the ASVAB because my score from high school was a 72. I purchased the Kaplan ASVAB premier 2017-2018. I retook the ASVAB and got a 95. I took two weeks to study for the ASTB. I took 2 weeks’ vacation from work and studied all day every day. I was selfish with my time. Fortunately for me, my family and friends understood this and gave me time. I also purchased the Trivium ASTB study guide. This is a good start if you know nothing about aviation like I did before I started studying. The practice tests were way too easy. The Peterson’s PDF’s that are floating around the site are a little better. I also downloaded every gouge I could find on this site. I made flashcards on quizlet so I could constantly quiz myself even when I was making a head call. I found myself looking back to Kaplan book because there is a lot of material in there that is also on the ASTB. The advantage of this book is that it is more of a textbook than just a test prep book. My best advice for this test is just put in the time, read the forum, and study what you are weak on. Im not going to attach all the same study material that I got off of the site, it’s out there.

I am applying for PLC juniors. Former active duty Sergeant. MOS 0341 Mortarman. Full time firefighter. Full time student.

Mathematics: My questions did not seem to get very difficult. The pressure of the clock is the worse part for me. I go brain dead and panic even at simple problems. I knew this going into the test so I just took it slow. I was asked some mile per gallon questions, if n is a positive integer which is odd, average test grade questions. It seemed like I was cut off early which made me assume the worst.

Reading Comprehension: This was my least favorite portion. I thought this would be easier considering I usually do well on these types of tests. I don’t think there is really a way to prepare for this. This type of skill comes from a lifetime of being able to read something one time and comprehend it without you mind drifting.

Mechanical Comprehension: I had some pulley questions, I had a nuclear reactor question, I had a binary question (what is binary question, I can’t remember it exactly but it is on this forum think the answer was 100), the roller coaster question about which loop would be smoothest for passengers, air pressure through an pipe with a small section in the middle, a few questions that required some basic calculations like (a ball is thrown into the air at 30m/s then slows down at 10 m/s how high did the ball go), how does a car air conditioner work. Overall this was the easiest section for me. I was never good at mechanical comprehension so I did dedicate a significant time here

Aviation: I had a question about what is the designator for a sidewinder, who broke the sound barrier, know the dates drop tanks and ejection seats were tested. What controls roll. Dissymmetry of lift. No FAA related stuff

Nautical: I can’t remember anything form here. I took the test almost a week ago.

PBM: I used the extended compass method where you draw out 8 compasses and label each one for each possible direction. I would just look at the screen and get the heading “left” “down” “Up Right” then listen for the desired parking lot “down left, East.” I averaged 1.5 to 3 seconds and didn’t miss one here.

Dichotic listening: Read the directions thoroughly and Do the head tilt method. Easy test.

Vertical Tracking: It takes a second to get the hang of it but I was on the green for a good portion of it. I would make bold adjustments and as it starts to move I would give little tiny corrections forward and back constantly until it jumped again. Bold correction/very small moved forward and back to stay on.

2 Dimensional Tracking: Its difficult, just try your best. I couldn’t tell if it was inverted or not I just developed a muscle memory quickly. Years of video games paid off here. Especially first person shooters.

Combined: I was all over the place. Individually the tests are not too bad but combined its rigorous.

Emergency Operations: Super easy in my opinion. Write down the procedures, “big knob” “little knob” “clutch” Know where the knobs are at. Make a small adjustment on the knob to know which way is up then move it accordingly.
Awesome scores, which board are you applying for if you don't mind me asking?
 

NinerZeroSeven

New Member
First post on AirWarriors. Took the ASTB-E last week in hopes to secure a pilot flight contract with the USMC - shooting for OCS in January 2019.

I received the following score:

OAR: 53
AQR: 6
PFAR: 7
FOFAR: 6

The study materials sourced from this site were very helpful though I also purchased one study guide which was worth the $20. I studied over a period of two weeks, maybe an hour every other day, with about three, heavier 4 hour study sessions mixed in. I also made flashcards and flipped through them about twice a day. I thought my study regimen was quite light, but with work, gym time, and other events it's all I could muster - I figured I would hit the books hard if I failed the first time around.

Materials I used included a pdf of "Master the Military Flight Aptitude Tests" found online, the Flashcards on ProProfs.com for the UAV section as well as ASTB-E gauges and mechanical study guides that were posted here. I purchased "The Complete ASTB Study Guide: Preparation Guide and Practice Test for the ASTB-E Exam" which was a smaller study guide for $20 I thought was useful but could have gone without.

During the test I thought I did horribly on math and mechanical. I ran out of time on the math section, and thought I answered multiple questions wrong on the mechanical section. Math had lots of probability, and functions. I think I did well in the aviation and nautical section because it ended early. I also only received the most basic nautical questions - nothing more than definitions on draft, freeboard, etc.

UAV was straightforward - study the online flashcards frequently. I didn't use the compass trick. What I did was was look at the heading, then count off left or right depending on the given direction to determine. For example if you were flying NE and needed to the find S parking lot, I would count off from the topmost parking lot to the right two lots to determine S. I found this method faster, after practice, than the 'compass trick'.

Overall I thought I failed until I saw my score. I would study harder if I had the experience I had now because the ASTB is so boring, that you really only want to have to take it once. Staying calm, and knowing the formulas to find the right answer in each section will lead to success. Will let you all know what happens in coming months, though I believe that with competitive GPA/PFT/Letter of Rec's I should get that OCS slot I'm hunting for - comment if you think otherwise.
 
OAR: 36 3/4/3

GPA: 2.65

Major: Political Science

Just took my ASTB, felt I was very prepared going into the test, but I think I let my nervousness get to me and did very poorly on the OAR section. My hands were shaking when I was taking the PBM part of the test. I studied for about 8 hours a day for the last 3 weeks and still wound up with a fairly low score.

I will be taking the next exam as soon as possible to get my scores up. My OR still wants me to go through MEPS, and although I have a low GPA and ASTB, I refuse to give up on this. I feel my true calling is to be a naval aviator.
 

aribjc

Well-Known Member
OAR: 36 3/4/3

GPA: 2.65

Major: Political Science

Just took my ASTB, felt I was very prepared going into the test, but I think I let my nervousness get to me and did very poorly on the OAR section. My hands were shaking when I was taking the PBM part of the test. I studied for about 8 hours a day for the last 3 weeks and still wound up with a fairly low score.

I will be taking the next exam as soon as possible to get my scores up. My OR still wants me to go through MEPS, and although I have a low GPA and ASTB, I refuse to give up on this. I feel my true calling is to be a naval aviator.


If you actually studied that much you obviously need to change the way you were studying. Try 2 hours in the morning, 2 hours in the evening. Shoot me your email I'll send you some stuff, but those scores are below minimums if I'm not mistaken. You only get 3 chances to take the test so taking it as soon as possible also sounds like a bad idea. Take practice tests and you'd have a much better idea of what to expect
 

almedina0010

New Member
Took my test for the second time last week.

OAR: 53
5/5/6
GPA 3.16

I'm worried my scores might not be competitive enough right now. I have 4 years of prior service of active army intelligence. I'm aiming for the July board just because I'm 27 right now and I know ill only have so long for my age to be waived. Do you think I should take the test a 3rd time? My first time i scored a 50 on my OAR and 2/2/3. Any input is appreciated, Thanks!
 

FormerRecruitingGuru

Making Recruiting Great Again
Took my test for the second time last week.

OAR: 53
5/5/6
GPA 3.16

I'm worried my scores might not be competitive enough right now. I have 4 years of prior service of active army intelligence. I'm aiming for the July board just because I'm 27 right now and I know ill only have so long for my age to be waived. Do you think I should take the test a 3rd time? My first time i scored a 50 on my OAR and 2/2/3. Any input is appreciated, Thanks!

Have your OR show you the aviation calculator.
 

Jperez

New Member
First post on AirWarriors. Took the ASTB-E test for the second time yesterday and received the following scores of...

OAR: 38
AQR: 4
PFAR: 6
FOFAR: 5

My first scores from February were...

OAR: 30
AQR: 2
PFAR: 5
FOFAR: 3

Major: Criminal Justice

GPA: 2.65

Already have my Bachelor's degree.

Currently in flight school and I have a total of 60 flying hours. About to have my PPL.

Thanks to all those who posted study materials on this site which has helped me out a lot. I also purchased two study guide books from Amazon, which were the ''OAR 2018-2019 TRIVIUM'' and ''The Complete ASTB Study Guide''. The books were helpful with aviation/naval information and mechanical comprehension, however the math in both of those books were not all that helpful to me and didn't really relate from what was on the test. I recommend getting the study guide packets that people have posted on here for math and also google the actual math related from the test such as probability, fractions, arithmetic word problems, square roots, cube roots and basic geometry (Radius, Diameter & Perimeter...etc.). I aslo used Khanacademy to help me with math. My recruiter also sent me a study guide packet that had lots of math for me to study.

I am very weak at math and didn't know anything about mechanical comprehension when I first started. I spent most of my time studying in math and mechanical. After I failed the first time, I had to get serious about making my own study regiment consisting of (Monday - Friday for at least 2 hours, took a 30 min break after 1hr of studying and 1st thing I did in the morning was study). For Saturday & Sunday I would study 1 hour on what I was very weak on which was math. I found it easier for me too not study for long crazy hours but I understand that everyone learns differently and can study in different ways. I was able to retain information faster over time when I was not prolonging my studies. I would also go to the gym or go running later in the day after I have studied. I hate exercising before I study because it just makes me mentally exhausted to study hard. I take no days off when its comes to the gym/running.

I am going for an aviator slot for the Marines but I'm also wanting to try for the Navy (SNA) pilot but it seems like it won't happen because my GPA is trash to them. My letters of recommendation are all USAF (Ranks: General, 2 Lt General's and 2 Colonel's). I may not have the best ASTB scores but its passing, and I was always horrible at taking tests. I recommend that you do not play the Fortnite game until 4am when you have a test at 9am. I screwed up and did that so I had to get a ''Bang'' energy drink to stay focused for the test which also really helped me out a lot.
 

Jperez

New Member

You’re absolutely right, PUBG is way better. I was only playing Fortnite that night because I was with a group of friends.
 

peppergunner

ɹǝqɯǝW pǝʇɹǝʌuI
Just took mine. 67/8/7/7. Really not sure where to go with these scores to be honest. My recruiter says everything's on the table.

I thought I did a whole lot worse given that I ran out of time on reading comprehension and never figured out the correct way to use the right joystick during the aviation portion.

For studying, I used the Barron's textbook for practice tests, this flashcard set for ANIT, and this study guide. There's a lot of overlap between the flashcards and the study guide and textbook. I'd prioritize the flashcards then the Practice Tests just to get your feet wet. I'll admit I didn't use much Math/Mechanics study material due to my degree. I studied for about 3-4 hours a night for 10 days or so before taking the ASTB.

For the radar portion where you choose the N/S/E/W parking lots, I highly recommend the compass drawing method that is referenced here a lot. Although you can get the correct answer without it, it helps you get answers instantly. I missed one of these but answered the rest in less than 3 seconds which really helped my score.

For the joystick section I felt things were going abysmally. I never figured out the right hand joystick so I really focused on getting the throttle right and listening for the correct numbers. I spent well over half my time off target, but I always kept trying.
 
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