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

[exNavyOffRec]

I'm applying for SNA; I didn't make that clear. I also have my Private pilots license with over 200+ hours.

If you are in NROTC why are you apply for OCS?

 

[Hicks35]

Seems like I'm confused with all these acronyms. I'm trying to pickup a flight contract for the Marine Corps while in NROTC. I'm wondering my chances of receiving the contract given the above statistics.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

Seems like I'm confused with all these acronyms. I'm trying to pickup a flight contract for the Marine Corps while in NROTC. I'm wondering my chances of receiving the contract given the above statistics.

Most here are going to go through OCS and NROTC has its own bucket of spots, so you really can't compare yourself to those going to USMC OCS or USN OCS

 

[Triumph_MAC]

I had an interview with the CO of NROTC in Illinois. He was a really good guy. No relevance to the current discussion aside from having NROTC in the comments.

 

[redskies1]

I had an interview with the CO of NROTC in Illinois. He was a really good guy. No relevance to the current discussion aside from having NROTC in the comments.

The current CO at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) NROTC is a tail hook NFO and a total champion. He was a test pilot and the CO of the Jolly Rogers. Extremely knowledgeable, great guy. Illinois NROTC is a superb unit and 6/6 of their seniors applying aviation this year received SNA!

 

[Triumph_MAC]

The current CO at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) NROTC is a tail hook NFO and a total champion. He was a test pilot and the CO of the Jolly Rogers. Extremely knowledgeable, great guy. Illinois NROTC is a superb unit and 6/6 of their seniors applying aviation this year received SNA!

He was great to interview with, he has a myriad of experience and I'm not surprised the folks under his charge received the designators they wanted.

 

[cgoss99]

51 7/8/7 on the ASTB. Graduating in less than a year with a BS in Aviation with a 3.5-3.7 GPA. Applying SNA. Also a commercial multi rated pilot with around 200 hours. Chances of getting picked up for SNA? I know 51 isn't the greatest but I'm happy with the 7 and 8.

 

[Scrandall]

Do you have to be graduated before you can apply to a selection board? Also, in the selection board is there an interview process or just the packet with scores/resume stuff that I've read about? I am currently a junior (3 credits short of being a senior) and going to take the ASTB in about 2 weeks.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Do you have to be graduated before you can apply to a selection board? Also, in the selection board is there an interview process or just the packet with scores/resume stuff that I've read about? I am currently a junior (3 credits short of being a senior) and going to take the ASTB in about 2 weeks.

You can apply 12 months prior to graduation.

No, there is not an interview process.

All other questions, highly recommend sitting down with your officer recruiter to get a lengthier and detailed run down.

 

[Hicks35]

Morning all,

I'm wondering if there is a separate SNA board between NROTC (Marine Option Midshipman) and OCC/PLC? If so, when is that next board for NROTC MIDN?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Morning all,

I'm wondering if there is a separate SNA board between NROTC (Marine Option Midshipman) and OCC/PLC? If so, when is that next board for NROTC MIDN?

They’re all separate boards. Recommend you ask your NROTC LT / Class Advisor for details.

 

[GoldLeaf]

51 7/8/7 on the ASTB. Graduating in less than a year with a BS in Aviation with a 3.5-3.7 GPA. Applying SNA. Also a commercial multi rated pilot with around 200 hours. Chances of getting picked up for SNA? I know 51 isn't the greatest but I'm happy with the 7 and 8.

youll be fine.

 

[elariosa95]

I posted this in the May 2022 board thread, but I'm reposting it here because I think it'll be helpful for everyone.

I took @FloridaDad 's advice and got a Logitech joystick to practice the ASTB trainer with. In the interest of everyone who is considering doing the same, I decided to record my data. After a week of practice on the hardest difficulty and in 60 second runs, there seems to be a downward trend in my average distance to the targets with the joystick and the throttle.



Here are some of my observations:

• Focusing on the joystick target with the throttle in the peripheral seems to be the optimal way of tracking both at the same time. Since the joystick target moves in 2 dimensions, it's harder to recover from a mistake in tracking that one than it is for the throttle. In other words, focus more on the joystick, but don't totally neglect the throttle.
• Sitting further from the screen increased my field of view, making it easier to keep the throttle in my peripheral vision.
• Playing the sim with headphones on while listening to dichotic listening videos is about as close as you can get to the real exam without actually taking it. Leaning your head to either side seems to have helped me listen to the audio playing through that ear; other people have mentioned that this helped them so I just wanted to confirm it myself.
• Playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 helped me learn to make minute adjustments to the throttle and joystick, something that translated to the trainer fairly well.
• A Cruel Angel's Thesis is a dope song. That's not really related to my observations, but listening to it during the sim made it feel more fun and intense.

It's important to note that I did not use the audio cue training feature in the sim. My computer wasn't playing the audio for some reason, so I decided against it. Also, I've read that the audio in the sim only plays through one ear, as opposed to both ears like during the exam.

 

[FloridaDad]

I posted this in the May 2022 board thread, but I'm reposting it here because I think it'll be helpful for everyone.

I took @FloridaDad 's advice and got a Logitech joystick to practice the ASTB trainer with. In the interest of everyone who is considering doing the same, I decided to record my data. After a week of practice on the hardest difficulty and in 60 second runs, there seems to be a downward trend in my average distance to the targets with the joystick and the throttle.

View attachment 34574

Here are some of my observations:

• Focusing on the joystick target with the throttle in the peripheral seems to be the optimal way of tracking both at the same time. Since the joystick target moves in 2 dimensions, it's harder to recover from a mistake in tracking that one than it is for the throttle. In other words, focus more on the joystick, but don't totally neglect the throttle.
• Sitting further from the screen increased my field of view, making it easier to keep the throttle in my peripheral vision.
• Playing the sim with headphones on while listening to dichotic listening videos is about as close as you can get to the real exam without actually taking it. Leaning your head to either side seems to have helped me listen to the audio playing through that ear; other people have mentioned that this helped them so I just wanted to confirm it myself.
• Playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 helped me learn to make minute adjustments to the throttle and joystick, something that translated to the trainer fairly well.
• A Cruel Angel's Thesis is a dope song. That's not really related to my observations, but listening to it during the sim made it feel more fun and intense.

It's important to note that I did not use the audio cue training feature in the sim. My computer wasn't playing the audio for some reason, so I decided against it. Also, I've read that the audio in the sim only plays through one ear, as opposed to both ears like during the exam.

I love seeing data like this! Great work and keep it up!

I agree with not using the audio cue training. It's different enough from the test to help you for bad habits, but I also was a music major so dichotic listening comes very easily to me so I don't think I'm the best person for advice on that.

A note to everyone trying to compare scores to each other: I found during some testing that the numbers your scoring can be affected a decently significant amount by the resolution of your screen and the window you're playing in. So comparing to each other isn't always the most helpful. Focus instead on your personal improvement and trajectory. I found a good goal number for myself and would practice each difficulty level until I could reliably hit it, then I'd up the difficulty. If you're improving over time, then it's working! @elariosa95 keep up the practice and you'll see that average score continue to drop lower!

 

[smpl_dude]

Took my second attempt at the ASTB today. Scored 50 6/8/7. Definitely improved all of my scores from the first time I took the test (44 5/6/5), so I'm pretty happy with where I'm at now.

Should I submit my package with these scores or do you think I should take a shot and use my third and final retest to bump up my OAR? I know I'd risk losing the 8 PFAR so, I'm not too sure what to do here.

Does anyone know what the average selection scores have been looking like recently?

I'd try with those scores. An 8 PFAR is solid.