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

[WhiskeyWarhead]

Just walked out from my second attempt at the ASTB! Board I will be applying for is the 31OCT22. What else can do I do to boost my chances of getting picked up?
Or the way the stats sit do I have a decent chance? Going for Pilot, haven’t decided if I’m going to put NFO as back up or not. Prefer pilot for sure.

ASTB: OAR 54 6/6/6
BA: Organization Leadership, Arizona State
GPA: 3.92
Mil: Current active Air National Guard (USAF) Flight Avionics mechanic on F-16s since 2013, E-6/ TSgt
Age: 27 (will be 28 in September)
Flying: 34.5 flight hours with a solo, working toward PPL

No medical waivers and can get all my letters of rec from F16 instructor pilots O-6+, a PhD from ASU, retired Navy 0-6 fighter pilot

Don’t be shy tell me how it is!
Thank you

 

[WhiskeyWarhead]

So I've been kind of passively studying for around 2 months for the ASTB. I would say I have the actual ASTB portion down (Anit, UAV, joystick) and the physics part seems alright. However math is rough, and now I'm scheduled to take it next week. Did I mess up deciding to take it so early? I'm planning on really grinding it out this next week, I've been so busy with summer classes but they're over now.

I can help you with the math section if you want. If you’re not using the Barron’s book you should pick it up. It represents the test the most. Also look up an ASTB math workbook. It cost about $12 and helped me soooo much! I can send you a copy if you want as wel

 

[cgoss99]

Just walked out from my second attempt at the ASTB! Board I will be applying for is the 31OCT22. What else can do I do to boost my chances of getting picked up?
Or the way the stats sit do I have a decent chance?

ASTB: OAR 54 6/6/6
BA: Organization Leadership, Arizona State
GPA: 3.92
Mil: Current active Air National Guard (USAF) Flight Avionics mechanic on F-16s since 2013, E-6/ TSgt
Age: 27 (will be 28 in September)
Flying: 34.5 flight hours with a solo, working toward PPL

No medical waivers and can get all my letters of rec from F16 instructor pilots O-6+, a PhD from ASU, retired Navy 0-6 fighter pilot

Don’t be shy tell me how it is!
Thank you

What are you applying for? Take a look at previous spreadsheets (in my signature) to see where you stand against other applicants and previous board selections / non-selects.

 

[WhiskeyWarhead]

What are you applying for? Take a look at previous spreadsheets (in my signature) to see where you stand against other applicants and previous board selections / non-selects.

Really want to do SNA but considering going 1SNA - 2SNFO

 

[space_sailor]

Just walked out from my second attempt at the ASTB! Board I will be applying for is the 31OCT22. What else can do I do to boost my chances of getting picked up?

ASTB: OAR 54 6/6/6
BA: Organization Leadership, Arizona State
GPA: 3.92

Don’t be shy tell me how it is!

Look at this: https://www.airwarriors.com/community/threads/sna-snfo-historical-board-data-2020-present.48993/

Good GPA, meh major.
For SNFO totally go for it.
For SNA getting 7s (mostly just a 7 PFAR) and being selected is a flip of da coin. Would recommend retaking.

From what I have read on this site the board really only cares about your ASTB and then looks at GPA&major. LORs, flight experience, motivational statement don't really matter as long as there aren't red flags.

Good Luck.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Just walked out from my second attempt at the ASTB! Board I will be applying for is the 31OCT22. What else can do I do to boost my chances of getting picked up?
Or the way the stats sit do I have a decent chance? Going for Pilot, haven’t decided if I’m going to put NFO as back up or not. Prefer pilot for sure.

ASTB: OAR 54 6/6/6
BA: Organization Leadership, Arizona State
GPA: 3.92
Mil: Current active Air National Guard (USAF) Flight Avionics mechanic on F-16s since 2013, E-6/ TSgt
Age: 27 (will be 28 in September)
Flying: 34.5 flight hours with a solo, working toward PPL

No medical waivers and can get all my letters of rec from F16 instructor pilots O-6+, a PhD from ASU, retired Navy 0-6 fighter pilot

Don’t be shy tell me how it is!
Thank you

Study and retake unless you are OK being a SNFO

 

[layan]

For the ANIT section, I think I generally know what to expect in terms of aviation and ships just from reading all sorts of comments on this thread. However, I am still confused about what exactly should be known in terms of naval history. I have the documents/study guides people have sent in here, but I don't know if every single thing in all of those documents is something that I would need to know (there is one flashcard set that someone made with over 400 flashcards which is just a lot of information for me to take in). For example, are there questions on the exact dates of the historical events? Or just the year? Or do I not even need to know when it happened more so what happened? Regarding specific aircraft, should I just know what their general role was and what their significance was in history, or is there more that I should know? Have any of you had questions on the test about specific people/historical figures? Is there anything else specifically that you guys remember being tested on?

 

[JpQuist]

For the ANIT section, I think I generally know what to expect in terms of aviation and ships just from reading all sorts of comments on this thread. However, I am still confused about what exactly should be known in terms of naval history. I have the documents/study guides people have sent in here, but I don't know if every single thing in all of those documents is something that I would need to know (there is one flashcard set that someone made with over 400 flashcards which is just a lot of information for me to take in). For example, are there questions on the exact dates of the historical events? Or just the year? Or do I not even need to know when it happened more so what happened? Regarding specific aircraft, should I just know what their general role was and what their significance was in history, or is there more that I should know? Have any of you had questions on the test about specific people/historical figures? Is there anything else specifically that you guys remember being tested on?

Not to say you won’t get any naval history questions, but I took the ASTB yesterday morning and didn’t have a single history question. The same goes for when I took the test the first time a year ago

Edit: With that being said I would for sure at least know the naval history facts from the flash cards floating around on here.

 

[elariosa95]

Not to say you won’t get any naval history questions, but I took the ASTB yesterday morning and didn’t have a single history question. The same goes for when I took the test the first time a year ago

Edit: With that being said I would for sure at least know the naval history facts from the flash cards floating around on here.

I had 3 separate questions that were all different ways of asking “What do the elevators on a plane do?”

If anyone is wondering, the elevators on a plane are purely aesthetic. They definitely don’t control the pitch of the plane and are attached to the horizontal stabilizers /s

 

[JpQuist]

I had 3 separate questions that were all different ways of asking “What do the elevators on a plane do?”

If anyone is wondering, the elevators on a plane are purely aesthetic. They definitely don’t control the pitch of the plane and are attached to the horizontal stabilizers /s

I had the same questions. I thought it was odd to have three questions specific to elevators

 

[Inc3pt1on]

For the dichotic listening portion depending on the left or right ear do you listen for even or odd numbers or both? ( i.e. if told to listen in your left ear do you only click the trigger for even numbers in that ear, or click trigger for even and clutch for odd in that ear)

 

[Inc3pt1on]

It has you focus on one ear while hearing audio in both ears but you differentiate between even and odd numbers and toggle the respective buttons when you hear them (I believe it was trigger for even numbers and clutch for odd numbers).

Edit: If remember correctly, the directions ask for only even numbers or only odds. A good rule of thumb, always read through the directions and get a full understanding of what its asking you to do before you start the tests.

So, if asked to listen in your left ear, will you only even click the trigger and vice versa for right ear?

 

[elariosa95]

So, if asked to listen in your left ear, will you only even click the trigger and vice versa for right ear?

The buttons for odd and even don’t change. The only thing that changes is the ear you have to listen to.

 

[Anthony2000]

It should tell you before you start the test if it wants even or odd and what button to press if you hear it (like i said I believe it was trigger for even and clutch for odd, and like @elariosa95 said, these will not change). But it will be switching your focus back and forth between L/R while audio is playing simultaneously in both ears. You'll hear letters in there too that you need to ignore.

I see you're graduating in July 2023. You can't apply to boards until graduation...

 

[Anthony2000]

Not sure where you got that information... the board accepts applications when you're atleast 12 months out from graduation, and upon selection, they set your Class date accordingly in order to ship you after your graduation date has passed and when you have a degree in hand. You can apply and be selected, but you can't officially join until graduation. And even if you were correct, with most class dates being pushed until FY24 anyways, it wouldn't really matter.

Edit: I don't see you on any of the past or current board spreadsheets... have you talked to a recruiter yet/submitted to 31OCT22 or are you still in the process of getting that started?

I went through MEPS had to submit more docs. Those docs cleared and now they are at N3M. I’m applying OCT Board. I was told by my recruiter they won’t let you submit your packet until you’re a few months from graduation. I have all of my LORs done ASTB done. Just medical