Alright, this is my first post. However, I took the ASTB exam on May 17th; I scored a 59 8/8/7. I want to be as helpful as possible on here. I apologize for the long read.
First, thank you to everyone who has posted on here before. The material posted was very informative. If you're reading this in preparation for taking this exam,
read the last 20 to 30 pages at least. Read more if you can. While studying, I read many of these posts during the evening. I will detail my study habits further down.
Second, I made my account for this forum two weeks before I took the exam, but it didn't get approved until now (May 27th). If you're planning on taking the exam at some point in time in the future, make an account now if you haven't already. That way it'll already be accepted, and you can ask questions on here.
Third, I had just finished taking finals for this past spring semester, gave myself two weeks to study, then took the exam.
I was very fortunate. I am an Aerospace Engineering Student at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide). I had just completed Aerodynamics, Flight Mechanics, Aerospace Structures, and a few other classes. This was perfect timing. A lot of the questions on the study guides were extremely similar to what I was doing in class. I had taken Dynamics last fall, and that was excellent for the mechanical comprehension portion of the exam.
Portions of the exam:
Mathematics: When I took the exam, many of the questions were fractions. Toward the end I got one matrix multiplication, and one log question. For me, large fractions are a weak point. I focused on this during my studying and would often make up fractions (while at the store, getting gas, walking my dog, etc.) and multiply or divide them. I did have a question where I had to multiply large values together as well. One very important factor is, the questions are multiple choice, and the given answers are not typically close together. What I'm trying to get at is,
use the test to take the test. For example, the matrix problem answers had different values in the 1x1 location, so I only solved for that value. The large multiplication question had very different answers, so I rounded the given numbers to the nearest tens place or so, then multiplied. I was kicked out early; after the log question. Not sure about how long I had taken, maybe 24ish minutes. I will discuss times further down. I want to add that I got about half reading problems, half
here's numbers calculate this problems.
Reading: I have never been great with reading comprehension. I suggest reading the practice exams supplied in this forum and found in books. One important clarification, on the exam, every problem had a passage, and four answers to choose from, and that is it. There was no "what sentence is best supported by the text above" or similar directions. It is only the passage and four answers to choose from. I made a chart with A B C and D on the left side, and crossed them off with each question, which is helpful with longer readings. I think all but two were Navy directions or information. This is where I spent the least amount of time studying. No excuses. Take the time to study for this, I suggest reading a textbook or some kind of manual to get used to the time of reading you'll be doing.
Mechanical Comprehension: I was worried about this section because I had seen a Kieno Thomas video on YouTube stating that the exam was nothing like the study exams. He's right and wrong. The practice exams found in this forum and in books are a great way to study, however, it doesn't cover all the material. Also, when studying, don't expect the same exact question; do expect the same exact
concepts. when practicing, talk yourself through it and explain why you got the answer you got. There was a set of flash cards through ProProf mentioned 10ish pages back. They're great questions to study, but A LOT of the answers are wrong, so be very careful. If you're catching the answers that are wrong, you're doing great. In the Trivium ASTB study guide, on one of the example questions in the mechanical comprehension chapter, and one question in a practice test is wrong. Both wrong questions had to do with finding the equivalent resistance. Taking the dynamics class was probably the best preparation for me. Expect lever, pulley, mechanical advantage questions. I got a question above air velocity around a pitot tube. I can't remember what else, If I remember more, I'll post again. Rereading what I wrote above makes it seem like this is a really difficult portion of the exam, it’s not, but I really suggest studying the concepts more than the exact questions.
Take your break: Go to the bathroom, fill your water bottle, do some jumping jacks. Take the whole time.
ANIT: Through Cram is an excellent 415 flash card set. This doesn't cover everything, but it covers a lot of it. Honestly, search Cram, ProProfs, and Quizlet for ASTB, and you'll have plenty to study, and it’s all worth it. Also, there's a study guide made by a previous member of this forum that was easily the best study guide I found. It's back about 20-30 pages. It had a section of questions on other people’s exams for all sections. I used YouTube learn airport lights and lines and different airspace classifications. Great resources. Trivium and Barrons had some good stuff too, but I think I found all the same terms in flashcard sets online. I got a runway light question, what are the white lights used for, what allied fighter aircraft was the first to escort bombers deep into enemy territory.
UAV:
USE THE COMPASS TRICK. I also stuck my pencil through the center of the compass rose, spun it with one hand, and answered with the other. I averaged somewhere around 1.6 seconds per. Also, the flash card found online have nice 90- and 45-degree angles, the exam itself has 15ish, 30, 60, and 75ish degree angles, it'll mess with you a little bit. I missed two. The parking lot you're supposed to find will come over the headphones, which is actually really nice. One less thing to look for on the screen.
Dichotic Listening: Lean into the target ear, search YouTube for some examples. Be aware that it'll play U in one ear, and 2 in the other (and similar things) at the same time. It switches ears, so you'll have to change the way you're leaning.
NATFI: It specifies in the directions for this section that although you may never do either of the two given actions, pick the one that you are most likely to do. Read them out loud, and laugh while doing it, there are some great situations they put you in. One last thought, when in doubt, think of the Navy's core values. I got a question that was similar to:
I sometimes cheat on exams or
I often talk back to my superior. One is voicing your concerns, the other is being dishonorable.
Throttle tracking: You'll have a dead zone in the throttle control. Also, mine were sensitive. Make sure the unit is secured to the desk, or heavy enough that it won’t move. The target moves slow at first, then gets move aggressive.
2D tracking: Biggest thing is, the stick is inverted with respect to playing something like Call of Duty. If you fly RC planes, use a simulator, or have flown an actual aircraft, you're all set. I personally fly RC planes using FPV, so I thought I was accustomed to the inverted axis,
I was wrong. Before taking this exam, play a game like COD on a console or on a computer with the y-axis inverted. I guarantee it'll save you. The target moves slow at first, then gets move aggressive.
Both at the same time: I focused more on the 2D and watched the throttle in my peripheral view. It lights up green when you're on it, so it’s kind of easy to see. The targets move slow at first, then gets move aggressive.
Adding in dichotic listening: same as above, I leaned very slightly into the target ear. Have fun with it honestly, smile and laugh, it'll help relieve some stress.
Emergency scenarios:
WRITE THEM DOWN. It comes over the headphones that you're experiencing an emergency. Once that happened, I stopped tracking altogether, fixed the emergency, then went back to tracking until the next one. I had one of each type. I put both knobs at 50% before starting, if you already have one of the knobs dialed into the proper location before an emergency, you will have to quickly adjust it, so the program recognizes that its already at that location.
How I Studied:
After I finished finals, I took two days off, then gave myself two weeks to study. Trust me, you will get bored of studying after the first few days. Take breaks in between study periods. Some days I spent 10 hours studying, some days only 4 hours. On the day before your exam, do a very small amount of studying if any, you've probably already hit the max level of absorption, and you need to relax. I downloaded the Cram app and studied flashcards all the time (in bed, on the couch, in the bathroom, etc). I did all 64 compass flashcards every time to get the muscle memory going, and to get your mind used to thinking that way. I probably ran through the set 20 or so times, whenever I was sitting around or bored.
Most importantly, when taking the practice tests, time yourself like you're really taking the exam.
Times:
My recruiter told me I only had 25 minutes for the math section, 25 for the reading, and 15 for the mechanical comprehension. He also wasn't sure if it was an adaptive exam. If you're taking the ASTB on a computer, it is through the APEX System, which IS adaptive. It'll give you an easier question if you got the previous one wrong, and a harder question if you got it correct. With the APEX system, it'll give you 40 minutes for the math, I think 25 for the reading, and 15 for the mechanical.
Other random notes:
I purposefully didn't include links and the material to this post. I want you to look through this forum for all of that. There are a lot of great members on here that took the time to do all of that, and they have insightful information. Go read them.
Walk into the recruiting office confident in yourself, but no cocky. Confidence is the most important part of this exam.
You'll feel like you're doing awful on the throttle and stick controls, but you're doing well. Don't beat yourself up, and don't get tunnel vision.
If you can introduce yourself to the packager, do that. They're typically a civilian who knows the ins and outs of the whole operation. Also, they put your package together for submission. Make a good memorable impression if you can.
Feel free to contact me via email:
aklevitch@crimson.ua.edu if you have questions or want study guide material.
