Hello everyone, I am currently a senior studying aviation flight and management. I will have all of my ratings up to commercial multi by this summer along with my bachelor's. I have been in contact with a recruiter to start the process of becoming a naval aviator and I have started to study for the ASTB. I know that the ASTB has the most weight when applying for a pilot board and I'm trying my best not to get discouraged by the test. Anyway, I'm looking for the BEST test prep. My weakest area is the math section, I haven't taken a math course since high school and I just really suck at math. I'm really worried about my OAR score because of my weakness in math. The reading section along with the mechanical sections are pretty easy for me. I know almost all of the aviation information and the nautical information seems fairly simple. I've been getting most of the questions correct on those sections. (long post I know) Really, my main concern is the math section I know that if I keep looking at test preps for the other sections ill be ok with those but if I do poorly on the math section will it tank my OAR score? Math without a calculator just really sucks for me. thanks in advance.
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1,001 questions about the ASTB (post your scores & ask your questions here!)
- Thread starter edato
- Start date
Chrisrm
New Member
I used SAT practice books. Barron's ASTB/Military Pilot prep book worked well too. Best you can do is practice. If you've never taken the ASTB before don't worry so much about the math. Be prepared for the PBM portion, understand stick & throttle, and get used to the drone perspective part.
Prior to taking the ASTB, my previous math course was 8 years beforehand. Math follows order of operations so most of the math will be based around that and your ability to simplify down to an answer in your head or on the scratch paper. It's adaptive so it will go beyond that and begin to test the extent of your knowledge. As long as you have a solid foundation of math you should be fine. The OAR isn't as important as the ASTB at the end of the day for SNA.
Doing "poorly" on one section shouldn't tank a score. I didn't even study the math the second round of the ASTB because the guide I bought was so basic that it didn't add to my math knowledge. I figured math at that point is either with you or it isn't. To relearn higher level math for a test section that may bump a score a point or two in the end because of numerous hours of study seemed silly, so I focused most of my effort elsewhere and it paid off.
PEFO Silver-Shades
Well-Known Member
If you are pursuing SNA/NFO your OAR isnt a huge factor.
Yea thats what I was planning on doing, I’m going to brush up on the math section and just kinda forget about it and really try and nail the other sections since they really are so much more easier for me and I haven’t even studied for a week. Thanks I really appreciate it I’m feeling way more confident now!
That’s honestly great news, I was freaking myself out over that part.
PEFO Silver-Shades
Well-Known Member
no youd have to retake the entire test
Unfortunately not
I asked my recruiter the same thing and he said I’d have to retake The whole thing I’ll actually be doing my retake in the next few weeks.
Andrew_franny
Active Member
Hey guys, I had a quick question about the PBM section of the test. Do you have a practice session for each new addition? Meaning, will I have a brief practice run for the dichotic listening section while operating the stick and throttle?
Andrew_franny
Active Member
Try this.
Jflynn1115
Member
I took the OAR Today and got a 55. Thanks to all the great info and study material here. I also took the practice test in the Trivium OAR guide.
Math
I studied for this the most. At one point I was very good at Math but I haven't taken a math course in 8 years. It could just be in my head but It felt like whenever I was totally lost and guessed the difficulty would reset. I would get super easy questions and then the questions would get harder again. I only answered 18 questions. No surprises here. Everything I saw was in the gouges I found on here. My first question was reducing a radical. Lots of DRT problems, conversions, and ratios. Roughly 14 out of my 18 questions were word problems. One thing that helped is I pulled the numbers out of the problem right away on my scrap paper. My last question was a basic function question. If you have taken college algebra you'll be fine.
Reading comprehension
I never studied for this specifically but I did take a couple of practice tests. I killed the practice tests and thus devoted no time to prepare for it as I felt my time would be better spend on my weaker subjects. This was the most frustrating part of the test even though I felt the mechanical was my weakest section. I really struggled to find the right answer and decipher between the options. Which shocked me since I killed the practice tests. I didn't finish this section either. I think I got 21 questions. I was tallying them but they took my scrap paper.
Mechanical
I didn't get a single pulley question. Which is something everyone swore I would get a bunch of! I got a single gear problem which I also thought I would get a lot of. II never felt like I got difficult problems, I just had never seen some of the material before. They all seemed very basic. I studied the material in Kyles gouge, reviewed the trivium book and Prometrix book. I got two circuit questions and luckily I knew them just from being an AE. It's frustrating because I focused on pulleys and gears so much and didn't see them on the test. I had a question with a weight and friction that I just googled it turns out negative friction isn't even a thing! The other answers didn't make sense though. It was a question about weight and movement. This is the only section I actually completed, which is weird because It was definitely my weakest section. I imagine it's everyone's weakest section unless you were an engineering major. I had 15 minutes and finished with 4 minutes on the clock. I'm lucky I'm an AE and we learn about circuits, airfoils, and am generally mechanically inclined.
I felt doomed as I was taking the test. I really did not expect to break the halfway mark. I kept telling myself to finish and pray for a 45 (minimum for 1520). I graduated from school in December and didn't have a lot of time to study.
Math
I studied for this the most. At one point I was very good at Math but I haven't taken a math course in 8 years. It could just be in my head but It felt like whenever I was totally lost and guessed the difficulty would reset. I would get super easy questions and then the questions would get harder again. I only answered 18 questions. No surprises here. Everything I saw was in the gouges I found on here. My first question was reducing a radical. Lots of DRT problems, conversions, and ratios. Roughly 14 out of my 18 questions were word problems. One thing that helped is I pulled the numbers out of the problem right away on my scrap paper. My last question was a basic function question. If you have taken college algebra you'll be fine.
Reading comprehension
I never studied for this specifically but I did take a couple of practice tests. I killed the practice tests and thus devoted no time to prepare for it as I felt my time would be better spend on my weaker subjects. This was the most frustrating part of the test even though I felt the mechanical was my weakest section. I really struggled to find the right answer and decipher between the options. Which shocked me since I killed the practice tests. I didn't finish this section either. I think I got 21 questions. I was tallying them but they took my scrap paper.
Mechanical
I didn't get a single pulley question. Which is something everyone swore I would get a bunch of! I got a single gear problem which I also thought I would get a lot of. II never felt like I got difficult problems, I just had never seen some of the material before. They all seemed very basic. I studied the material in Kyles gouge, reviewed the trivium book and Prometrix book. I got two circuit questions and luckily I knew them just from being an AE. It's frustrating because I focused on pulleys and gears so much and didn't see them on the test. I had a question with a weight and friction that I just googled it turns out negative friction isn't even a thing! The other answers didn't make sense though. It was a question about weight and movement. This is the only section I actually completed, which is weird because It was definitely my weakest section. I imagine it's everyone's weakest section unless you were an engineering major. I had 15 minutes and finished with 4 minutes on the clock. I'm lucky I'm an AE and we learn about circuits, airfoils, and am generally mechanically inclined.
I felt doomed as I was taking the test. I really did not expect to break the halfway mark. I kept telling myself to finish and pray for a 45 (minimum for 1520). I graduated from school in December and didn't have a lot of time to study.
Hello,
I just took the ASTB today 21 Jan and received a 49 5/6/6. Even though my scores are not the highest, I am happy with the results as I only studied for like 3 weeks and need a 4/6/6 for Marine Corps Aviation program.
Math Section
I recommend taking ASVAB practice tests to see what areas you need improvement on. Yes, the ASTB math section is harder however, this will allow for you to know your weak areas. Watch videos on how to actually do them.
Learn about areas, averages, division with large numbers, circumference, drt, time problems
Reading Section
Two out of the four answers will seem correct. Go with the one that actually comes from the text, word by word.
Mechanical Section
Kyles study guide is more than enough for this section. Know about your simple machines and electrical terminology.
ANIT Section
Study Kyles study guide until you completely know it all. Watch videos on how the aerodynamic of aircrafts works, the lighting/markways of taxiways and runways, 5 Major components of an airplane and (rolling, pitch, yaw). There are some questions that weren't in the study guide but if you study it and apply common sense, then you can break it down to the more obvious choice.
NAFTI
This section is annoying. Just answer to what you believe is best. I recommend choosing answers that will make you seem unselfish and that you will follow orders.
PBM
Spacial orientation aptitude- study the flashcards and the compass trick, it will work. Keep your finger off the mouse, panicking might make you click an answer without wanting. I got two wrong by accidentally clicking the mouse.
Dichotic listening aptitude- I recommend removing the headset from the ear that you do not need to listen to. That way you don't listen to unnecessary numbers/letters that'll confuse you.
Stick and throttle- when doing them separate, try your best to keep the aim point on the aircraft. When doing both stick and throttle, focus more on the one with the throttle as it is easier to track and keep the one with the stick on your peripheral.
When you do dichotic listening, stick, and throttle, I recommend to focus on the one with the throttle and the listening. It is better to perfect 2 instead of struggling to do all three at the same time. You can easily do the throttle and listening at the same time.
My scores are not the highest however, I think that they are great with the amount that I studied. The above is a recommendation that I believe would definitely help.
Lastly, do not get bummed out thinking that you aren't performing to well. You will do better than you think you are!
I just took the ASTB today 21 Jan and received a 49 5/6/6. Even though my scores are not the highest, I am happy with the results as I only studied for like 3 weeks and need a 4/6/6 for Marine Corps Aviation program.
Math Section
I recommend taking ASVAB practice tests to see what areas you need improvement on. Yes, the ASTB math section is harder however, this will allow for you to know your weak areas. Watch videos on how to actually do them.
Learn about areas, averages, division with large numbers, circumference, drt, time problems
Reading Section
Two out of the four answers will seem correct. Go with the one that actually comes from the text, word by word.
Mechanical Section
Kyles study guide is more than enough for this section. Know about your simple machines and electrical terminology.
ANIT Section
Study Kyles study guide until you completely know it all. Watch videos on how the aerodynamic of aircrafts works, the lighting/markways of taxiways and runways, 5 Major components of an airplane and (rolling, pitch, yaw). There are some questions that weren't in the study guide but if you study it and apply common sense, then you can break it down to the more obvious choice.
NAFTI
This section is annoying. Just answer to what you believe is best. I recommend choosing answers that will make you seem unselfish and that you will follow orders.
PBM
Spacial orientation aptitude- study the flashcards and the compass trick, it will work. Keep your finger off the mouse, panicking might make you click an answer without wanting. I got two wrong by accidentally clicking the mouse.
Dichotic listening aptitude- I recommend removing the headset from the ear that you do not need to listen to. That way you don't listen to unnecessary numbers/letters that'll confuse you.
Stick and throttle- when doing them separate, try your best to keep the aim point on the aircraft. When doing both stick and throttle, focus more on the one with the throttle as it is easier to track and keep the one with the stick on your peripheral.
When you do dichotic listening, stick, and throttle, I recommend to focus on the one with the throttle and the listening. It is better to perfect 2 instead of struggling to do all three at the same time. You can easily do the throttle and listening at the same time.
My scores are not the highest however, I think that they are great with the amount that I studied. The above is a recommendation that I believe would definitely help.
Lastly, do not get bummed out thinking that you aren't performing to well. You will do better than you think you are!