I got a second shot at the ASTB last week and haven't had the opportunity until now to share my thoughts.
First try (October): 52, 5,4,5
Second try (April): 61, 8,7,8
There was no way I wasn't going to improve those first scores, even without studying further. But I did study. A lot. So I expected to do better but I am pleasantly surprised by the jump.
The most valuable thing about the first test was that it allowed me to pinpoint my specific weaknesses in Math and also the joystick/throttle portion. For math I recognized that I had to rebuild my entire foundation of Algebra before I sharpened specific concepts, so I did that with Khan Academy (almost every day) and then supplemented that with Organic Chemistry Tutor videos for review.
I do not play video games and I have no flight experience. I spent some time with the online simulator that's been posted here but without a joystick and throttle of your own it can only take you so far. In my first try with the test I recognized that the biggest hang-up for my brain was comprehending the inverted joystick in a high stress situation. Even if you have no flight experience I think it's easy to understand that forward is down and back is up when you're in an airplane. But there's nothing realistic about what's on the screen in front of you so your brain will not easily make that connection in the moment unless you have had significant practice.
I went on a discovery flight in a Cessna the week before my test. This was mostly to reward myself for all the hard work I've put in preparing, but I'm sure it also helped things click a little in my brain concerning flight physics. I think what helped me more than this though was going to a flight simulator video game place in the mall the day before my test and just spending two hours trying to land a hornet on a carrier. Again, I do not play video games. And I didn't land the jet even once the entire time. But that was still some valuable time with a joystick.
In conclusion, if you're going for a second or third try, pinpoint your weaknesses first and do whatever you can to address their foundation instead of overwhelming yourself with study materials. Secondly, just put in the work and trust that it's working. Those of us who are not academics by nature just have to work harder to keep up and that's just the way it's going to be from here on out. Thirdly, find value in the process. None of this was a waste of time if you don't get selected. All the valuable knowledge aside, you have already forged a better character in yourself than you had before this process began. I'm almost sure of it.
