Nathanrsal
Member
Hey everyone! After two months of hardcore studying, I finally completed my ASTB-E this afternoon!
This was my first attempt and I believe last, I got a 58 8/8/8
For a little background, I am an Astrophysics major, Commercial Pilot, play video games, and have simulator experience, will be applying for SNA.
I can say I am the first and probably last person to have taken their ASTB during a rave...
Okay, for starters I walked into the testing room, and the florescent tube lightbulbs in the ceiling we're flashing NON STOP, it was like a rave, and an epileptic persons worst nightmare. The proctor even cracked a joke about it LOL.
MATH COMPREHENSION:
The math portion I felt was "easy" for how much effort I put in, not easy in terms of question progression, they noticeable got more and more challenging as it went. I got questions on probability, exponents, radicals, simplifying polynomials, arc length, area of a circle, calculating how many sides a shape has by a given interior angle, logs, labor problems (if it takes joe 10 mins to do a task and jane 15, how long will it take if they work together), and length of sides of a box after being given volume of a box.
Going into the exam, I made sure to master all of the following, seriously use Organic Chem Tutor on YouTube for all the subsections below that he has made a video for, the guy explains it clearly, and doesn't put me to sleep like Khan Academy haha.
-Addition/Subtraction/Multiplication/Long Division
-Matrix: addition/subtraction/multiplication
-D=RT (distance = rate x time)
-Probability
-Logarithms
-"Labor Problems"
-Weighted averages and percentages
-Area of circle/triangle/square
-Volume of cubes/cylinders/cones
-FOIL
-Perfect numbers
-Arc Length
-Binary
-Radicals/Exponents
Super bummed I didn't get any matrix, D=RT, or binary problems, but at least you get to learn some pretty neat stuff in the process.
READING COMPREHENSION:
So like I said earlier, I took the ASTB in a rave, this made it damn near impossible to read the long, dry, and boring paragraphs. I honestly had to re-read them an embarrassing amount of times because I just couldn't concentrate with the constant flashing of the lights, so I think my OAR was this "low" because I didn't do as well on the reading portion. Not much advice on this one, but was also my least studied area when it came to this test.
MECHANICAL COMPREHENSION:
For this section, I found it really straight forward, I think there was one problem that required some arithmetic, other than that it was all conceptual questions, I would make sure you know these below:
-Mechanical Advantage with pulleys/inclined planes/levers
-Tension/Springs
-Torque
-Balancing things on a fulcrum
-Gears
-Circuits in parallel vs series (Ohms Law)
-Pendulums
-Buoyancy
-Density
-Specific Gravity
-Bernoulli's Principle
-Screws mechanical advantage
I didn't get any gears surprisingly, didn't have to calculate resistant or circuits at all, I was asked conceptual questions about AC circuits thought. For sure had a venturi questions asking about Bernoulli's principle.
NAFTI:
Super boring, 99 questions, 20 or so minutes of my life that I will never get back
As you hear from everyone, you have to pick between two bad choices, I was surprised to see positive choices on there though. Awesome that you don't have to study for it, just use your noggin.
ANIT:
So having my commercial pilots license, I knew 95% of the stuff off the bat, all I had to learn was boat terminology via the sweet cram flash cards which I will have the link of a link to. I surprisingly didn't get asked questions that had navy relevance, such as dates, terms, stuff of that sort, it was strictly parts of a plane, their functions, parts of a boat, and that was it.
UAV:
This portion I used the compass rose paper trick every day and knocked out the flashcards and was able to ace it at home.
When I did the practice ones prior to starting the UAV section, my brain shut off and I couldn't remember how to do the trick, prefect timing right?
I had to re learn it on the spot, then pressed start and got all 48 correct with about a 1.3-2.5 second window.
This portion is probably the best and most available to prepare for so make sure you know it well.
DICHOTIC LISTENING:
I TOTALLY BOTCHED THE FIRST ONE!!!
For some silly reason, when the test started, I disregarded "target ear" and just clicked the clutch button on the throttle when I heard an odd number, and pulled the trigger on the joystick when I heard an even. I realized 25 seconds into doing this that I was completely F'ing it up, corrected for the rest - and took my L.
I was so bummed for 0.2 seconds and then snapped back into "get over it, finish your test" mode.
A big key in this is keeping your head up and not letting yourself feel like total garbage after one mistake.
I think the reason I got 8/8/8 and not any 9's, was due to this big mess up on the first portion of the listening.
DICHOTIC LISTENING WITH STICK AND THROTTLE:
This was actually kind of fun after a while, I figured out my previous mistakes and made sure not to replicate them, all I can say is focus on joystick tracking, click the appropriate buttons, and manage your vertical tracking with your peripheral vision.
EMERGENCY WITH STICK AND THROTTLE:
This portion was the easiest part of the test. It gave you the 3 emergencies and you had to do the three simple tasks to put it out and it was over. I think it lasted less than 15 seconds.
I did notice that my controls were opposite in direction for the fuel and power wheel-buttons, so watch out for that.
If the previous gentleman is reading this, I reset my stuff to neutral every time and didn't have the same issue you had.
-------------------------------------------------------
To address some of the quirks I read on the past forums, I never had to leave my mouse on clock to show timer, it displayed it no matter what, along with the formula tab for the math part.
I used the Barron and the Trivium books only for their tests, not for their material because I already knew the stuff that was in there, and its really basic compared to what is on the exam.
All in all, it is a manageable test and if I can do it, you can do it, seriously.
Hit me up with any questions, I am more than happy to answer and help!
Here is everything I studied, I am trying to be an updated 1 stop shop for the new people taking it:
POST #5,132 https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...our-questions-here.28348/page-343#post-953698
POST 6,322 https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...scores-ask-your-questions-here.28348/page-422
POST 6,267 https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...scores-ask-your-questions-here.28348/page-418
POST 4,885 https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...scores-ask-your-questions-here.28348/page-418
drive.google.com
drive.google.com
This was my first attempt and I believe last, I got a 58 8/8/8
For a little background, I am an Astrophysics major, Commercial Pilot, play video games, and have simulator experience, will be applying for SNA.
I can say I am the first and probably last person to have taken their ASTB during a rave...
Okay, for starters I walked into the testing room, and the florescent tube lightbulbs in the ceiling we're flashing NON STOP, it was like a rave, and an epileptic persons worst nightmare. The proctor even cracked a joke about it LOL.
MATH COMPREHENSION:
The math portion I felt was "easy" for how much effort I put in, not easy in terms of question progression, they noticeable got more and more challenging as it went. I got questions on probability, exponents, radicals, simplifying polynomials, arc length, area of a circle, calculating how many sides a shape has by a given interior angle, logs, labor problems (if it takes joe 10 mins to do a task and jane 15, how long will it take if they work together), and length of sides of a box after being given volume of a box.
Going into the exam, I made sure to master all of the following, seriously use Organic Chem Tutor on YouTube for all the subsections below that he has made a video for, the guy explains it clearly, and doesn't put me to sleep like Khan Academy haha.
-Addition/Subtraction/Multiplication/Long Division
-Matrix: addition/subtraction/multiplication
-D=RT (distance = rate x time)
-Probability
-Logarithms
-"Labor Problems"
-Weighted averages and percentages
-Area of circle/triangle/square
-Volume of cubes/cylinders/cones
-FOIL
-Perfect numbers
-Arc Length
-Binary
-Radicals/Exponents
Super bummed I didn't get any matrix, D=RT, or binary problems, but at least you get to learn some pretty neat stuff in the process.
READING COMPREHENSION:
So like I said earlier, I took the ASTB in a rave, this made it damn near impossible to read the long, dry, and boring paragraphs. I honestly had to re-read them an embarrassing amount of times because I just couldn't concentrate with the constant flashing of the lights, so I think my OAR was this "low" because I didn't do as well on the reading portion. Not much advice on this one, but was also my least studied area when it came to this test.
MECHANICAL COMPREHENSION:
For this section, I found it really straight forward, I think there was one problem that required some arithmetic, other than that it was all conceptual questions, I would make sure you know these below:
-Mechanical Advantage with pulleys/inclined planes/levers
-Tension/Springs
-Torque
-Balancing things on a fulcrum
-Gears
-Circuits in parallel vs series (Ohms Law)
-Pendulums
-Buoyancy
-Density
-Specific Gravity
-Bernoulli's Principle
-Screws mechanical advantage
I didn't get any gears surprisingly, didn't have to calculate resistant or circuits at all, I was asked conceptual questions about AC circuits thought. For sure had a venturi questions asking about Bernoulli's principle.
NAFTI:
Super boring, 99 questions, 20 or so minutes of my life that I will never get back
As you hear from everyone, you have to pick between two bad choices, I was surprised to see positive choices on there though. Awesome that you don't have to study for it, just use your noggin.
ANIT:
So having my commercial pilots license, I knew 95% of the stuff off the bat, all I had to learn was boat terminology via the sweet cram flash cards which I will have the link of a link to. I surprisingly didn't get asked questions that had navy relevance, such as dates, terms, stuff of that sort, it was strictly parts of a plane, their functions, parts of a boat, and that was it.
UAV:
This portion I used the compass rose paper trick every day and knocked out the flashcards and was able to ace it at home.
When I did the practice ones prior to starting the UAV section, my brain shut off and I couldn't remember how to do the trick, prefect timing right?
I had to re learn it on the spot, then pressed start and got all 48 correct with about a 1.3-2.5 second window.
This portion is probably the best and most available to prepare for so make sure you know it well.
DICHOTIC LISTENING:
I TOTALLY BOTCHED THE FIRST ONE!!!
For some silly reason, when the test started, I disregarded "target ear" and just clicked the clutch button on the throttle when I heard an odd number, and pulled the trigger on the joystick when I heard an even. I realized 25 seconds into doing this that I was completely F'ing it up, corrected for the rest - and took my L.
I was so bummed for 0.2 seconds and then snapped back into "get over it, finish your test" mode.
A big key in this is keeping your head up and not letting yourself feel like total garbage after one mistake.
I think the reason I got 8/8/8 and not any 9's, was due to this big mess up on the first portion of the listening.
DICHOTIC LISTENING WITH STICK AND THROTTLE:
This was actually kind of fun after a while, I figured out my previous mistakes and made sure not to replicate them, all I can say is focus on joystick tracking, click the appropriate buttons, and manage your vertical tracking with your peripheral vision.
EMERGENCY WITH STICK AND THROTTLE:
This portion was the easiest part of the test. It gave you the 3 emergencies and you had to do the three simple tasks to put it out and it was over. I think it lasted less than 15 seconds.
I did notice that my controls were opposite in direction for the fuel and power wheel-buttons, so watch out for that.
If the previous gentleman is reading this, I reset my stuff to neutral every time and didn't have the same issue you had.
-------------------------------------------------------
To address some of the quirks I read on the past forums, I never had to leave my mouse on clock to show timer, it displayed it no matter what, along with the formula tab for the math part.
I used the Barron and the Trivium books only for their tests, not for their material because I already knew the stuff that was in there, and its really basic compared to what is on the exam.
All in all, it is a manageable test and if I can do it, you can do it, seriously.
Hit me up with any questions, I am more than happy to answer and help!
Here is everything I studied, I am trying to be an updated 1 stop shop for the new people taking it:
POST #5,132 https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...our-questions-here.28348/page-343#post-953698
POST 6,322 https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...scores-ask-your-questions-here.28348/page-422
POST 6,267 https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...scores-ask-your-questions-here.28348/page-418
POST 4,885 https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...scores-ask-your-questions-here.28348/page-418
ASTB material - Google Drive
Hermellack’s ASTB Study Guide - Google Drive
drive.google.com
