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

[ChristianM]

Just took the ASTB OAR for the first time today. I studied the topics covered in various gouges and study guides I could find in bookstores, online, and on forums on for about a month. In hindsight I definitely could have dedicated more time to it, and as a result I totally got my rear handed to me. I scored a 38, which I isn't anywhere near as well as I thought I'd do. I spent a majority of the time reviewing Math topics I haven't touched since 2010, learning Mechanical, and Physics concepts I never knew with the assistance of KhanAcademy. (I never took Physics.) I managed to complete each section which just a couple of minutes to spare, but I feel like I should have dedicated more time to the questions than I did. Overall, Physbrah's breakdown of each section (barring the aviation portions) is almost entirely accurate to my experience as well, and there wasn't anything that stood out significantly.

I'm angry with myself for underestimating the gravity of the situation. I plan on retaking the ASTB after the 90 day requirement between a re-test has passed, but I'm not entirely sure if more study time with perhaps the employment of a tutor would make the difference. I believe I can do better, but my recruiter seems to doubt that and suggested that I not risk a lower score until after I put in my package for SWO (my second choice) and await the results of the board.

What do you guys think? Has there been anyone here recently who has made a significant improvement on their score?

Do you think you can improve? If you can then don't listen to your recruiter and take it again. In my opinion a 38 is easy to beat the second time around.

Learn from this. Now you know what you're up against so you won't underestimate it again. Just remember to be motivated and DISCIPLINED.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Just took the ASTB OAR for the first time today. I studied the topics covered in various gouges and study guides I could find in bookstores, online, and on forums on for about a month. In hindsight I definitely could have dedicated more time to it, and as a result I totally got my rear handed to me. I scored a 38, which I isn't anywhere near as well as I thought I'd do. I spent a majority of the time reviewing Math topics I haven't touched since 2010, learning Mechanical, and Physics concepts I never knew with the assistance of KhanAcademy. (I never took Physics.) I managed to complete each section which just a couple of minutes to spare, but I feel like I should have dedicated more time to the questions than I did. Overall, Physbrah's breakdown of each section (barring the aviation portions) is almost entirely accurate to my experience as well, and there wasn't anything that stood out significantly.

I'm angry with myself for underestimating the gravity of the situation. I plan on retaking the ASTB after the 90 day requirement between a re-test has passed, but I'm not entirely sure if more study time with perhaps the employment of a tutor would make the difference. I believe I can do better, but my recruiter seems to doubt that and suggested that I not risk a lower score until after I put in my package for SWO (my second choice) and await the results of the board.

What do you guys think? Has there been anyone here recently who has made a significant improvement on their score?

you can't put in for SWO, the minimum OAR is 45

 

[AUSWO1316]

I've been watching and reading the threads on the boards for several weeks now. Today I took the ASTB-E. I must thank everyone on here who has posted information in regards to how and what they studied as it was a great help to me. Along with items posted on here, I used Barron's Military Flight Aptitude Tests and Khan Academy (it really helped with some math I had forgotten).

The OAR portions (Math, Reading, and Mechanical) were pretty much as I expected. I received one or two math problems that I had no clue one, or rather that were unlike like anything I had encountered up to this point and I have taken up through College Calculus. Reading, just make sure you read everything carefully. Mechanics, there was really nothing I had never seen before. Now that's not to say I knew how to do everything or understood every concept they asked.
The Aviation and Nautical aviation section wasn't too bad for me. I grew up with parents in the Navy and have always been a history nerd so most of it was pretty easy. The Barron's book really helped with the aviation information. Having never learned about aviation in a class room setting, other than planes fly, I felt I did pretty good in this section. For the Naval Aviation Trait Facet Inventory, do the best you can. Some questions were easy to choose a choice, others...made me feel pretty down about myself. But I guess that is part of it, they want you to really look at who you are and how you operate. The Biographical Inventory with Response Verification....be honest, it made me have to think about when and where for a lot of my answers. Now for the fun part! The Performance Based Measures Battery....I feel I did the best on the listening. And it felt like it went down hill from there. Tracking was alright, but most of the time I felt like I was fighting with the controls. I just did the best I could, that's all you really can do. I got 2 out of 3 in the emergency situations. I completely blanked on how to fix the last one.

Overall, I did better than I expected in parts and then not as good in others. I got a 57 6/4/6. I am really happy with the OAR score, its much higher than I was expecting. Only score I am really not happy with is the PFAR, the 4. I would like to go pilot but don't know if that score is good enough. If not, is it good enough for NFO?

Thanks to everyone who has posted on here, it has really helped.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Overall, I did better than I expected in parts and then not as good in others. I got a 57 6/4/6. I am really happy with the OAR score, its much higher than I was expecting. Only score I am really not happy with is the PFAR, the 4. I would like to go pilot but don't know if that score is good enough. If not, is it good enough for NFO?

Your score DOES NOT meet the minimum for pilot.... Your scores are fine for NFO. You may want to study and re-take the ASTB. Most people do much better on their second (or third) test. Good luck!

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Your score DOES NOT meet the minimum for pilot.... Your scores are fine for NFO. You may want to study and re-take the ASTB. Most people do much better on their second (or third) test. Good luck!

minimum PFAR is now 5

 

[ea6bflyr]

minimum PFAR is now 5

Had I read my OWN POST, I would have remembered that the requirements are 4/5 for Pilot and NFO for Navy.

 

[Kp172015]

Just took the ASTB OAR for the first time today. I studied the topics covered in various gouges and study guides I could find in bookstores, online, and on forums on for about a month. In hindsight I definitely could have dedicated more time to it, and as a result I totally got my rear handed to me. I scored a 38, which I isn't anywhere near as well as I thought I'd do. I spent a majority of the time reviewing Math topics I haven't touched since 2010, learning Mechanical, and Physics concepts I never knew with the assistance of KhanAcademy. (I never took Physics.) I managed to complete each section which just a couple of minutes to spare, but I feel like I should have dedicated more time to the questions than I did. Overall, Physbrah's breakdown of each section (barring the aviation portions) is almost entirely accurate to my experience as well, and there wasn't anything that stood out significantly.

I'm angry with myself for underestimating the gravity of the situation. I plan on retaking the ASTB after the 90 day requirement between a re-test has passed, but I'm not entirely sure if more study time with perhaps the employment of a tutor would make the difference. I believe I can do better, but my recruiter seems to doubt that and suggested that I not risk a lower score until after I put in my package for SWO (my second choice) and await the results of the board.

What do you guys think? Has there been anyone here recently who has made a significant improvement on their score?

If I were you, I wouldn't be hasty. I took the test last July and received a 43 and 6's and didn't get picked up for SNA. Looking back on that first test experience, I realized that I didn't really "study," I just kept taking practice tests and using the answer keys if I needed assistance... This time around I started from scratch and actually learned how to do everything and I bought numerous books to help me learn the fundamentals. I studied for about 6 months. I took the test last week and came away with a 58 and 7's. After all the preperation I was expecting to hit the 60's, but my recruiter seems very confident that I'm good to go... I would suggest taking your time, but be diligent and consistent. If you'd like to know the books I used, I'm happy to post them. Best of luck!

 

[nightflaw]

I am applying for SNA.

I would say go ahead and submit for SNA, but you may want to plan on having to retake it. I think I've seen people on here get picked up for SNA with scores similar to yours. And SNA is very highly-dependent on ASTB scores.

 

[UVA_MIDN]

Certainly, please refer to Figure 3 on page 14 of the attached PBMB pdf. The "top down viewpoint with the triangle pointing in a certain direction toward a dot and north pointing up" is the tracker map view. The camera view contains four parking lots centered around a central square (tent). During the actual test, the camera view will not have the parking lots labeled. You will be given the tracker map view and be asked to target a parking lot associated with a compass direction in the camera view. Draw your sticky note so that it resembles the camera view and label the parking lots in accordance with the directions on a compass (North for the top one, South for the bottom one, East for the right one and West for the left one). When asked to target a parking lot, identify the direction the arrow is pointing on the tracker map. Rotate your sticky note so that the direction identified is now at the top (in the Figure 3 example, South would be up top). Then click the parking lot requested. Make sure you rotate your sticky note back to the default state (north up top) before the next question appears. This is because the system automatically advances to the next question an instant after you select your parking lot (you briefly see if you were right or wrong and it gives you your reaction time). Remember that you can utilize the practice section as many times as you want before you dive into the real deal. I've also attached a pdf that will help you practice this, answers are at bottom of each page, so you may wish to zoom in a bit to hide them. Does that answer your question?

Dragon Adder, is page 4 of the practice questions incorrect? It's an arrow pointing North east, and a diagonally situated parking lot. I feel as if the answer should be Down/left, not Down/right. Thanks for the help

 

[mb1685]

Dragon Adder, is page 4 of the practice questions incorrect? It's an arrow pointing North east, and a diagonally situated parking lot. I feel as if the answer should be Down/left, not Down/right. Thanks for the help

You're correct, that one should be down/left.

I found these flash cards to be really helpful and can confirm that the answers are all correct: http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshow.php?title=_36014&quesnum=1

Be sure you're aware that on the real test, the headings given won't always be in 45 degree or 90 degree increments, unlike the flash cards. In other words, the parking lots won't always be appear to be arranged in a perfect cross or X shape from your perspective. I wasn't aware of that before the test and a few questions caught me slightly off guard and it slowed me down a little.

 

[UVA_MIDN]

You're correct, that one should be down/left.

I found these flash cards to be really helpful and can confirm that the answers are all correct: http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshow.php?title=_36014&quesnum=1

Be sure you're aware that on the real test, the headings given won't always be in 45 degree or 90 degree increments, unlike the flash cards. In other words, the parking lots won't always be appear to be arranged in a perfect cross or X shape from your perspective. I wasn't aware of that before the test and a few questions caught me slightly off guard and it slowed me down a little.

Thanks for the tip. Are there any resources out there not in 45 or 90 degree increments that I can practice with? Haven't been able to find any

 

[mb1685]

Thanks for the tip. Are there any resources out there not in 45 or 90 degree increments that I can practice with? Haven't been able to find any

I haven't found any other resources, but it shouldn't be a huge deal once you get your mind used to transposing the perspectives.

 

[thorpmt]

@UVA_MIDN i found it most beneficial to draw a compass with the 8 headings and rotate it to orient yourself to correct heading. Then all you simply have to do is match the direction to corresponding "parking lot"

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

That's exactly what I did and it was extremely helpful. Accuracy is the key but it also tests your reaction time so the compass definitely helped me identify the lots quicker.

 

[nightflaw]

I know it's been said before but spend as much time as you want on the practice questions before starting the real UAV section. Seriously, I worked them for about 5-10 minutes and got to the point where I could answer the real questions within a couple seconds.