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

[kd5pbo]

What if I need to sketch something on the exam itself on a problem where they ask for the perimeter of some figure or if they ask which bulbs will light when certain switches are closed? I think you will have an advantage there with the paper version unless they give you a copy of the exam to write on while you're taking the computer version.

Relax, relax.

When I took it, there were no questions complicated enough to require sketching, nor were there any lightbulb/switch questions.

If there are, make a rough sketch on the scratch paper you'll be given. If you prepare, you probably won't have too much of a time crunch, so the extra second it takes to sketch the problem on a blank piece of paper won't hurt your score.

It may even be to your advantage to resketch lightbulb/switch (or tank/valve) questions, since you could do it in a clearer fashion.

If you're still worried about it, ask your OR if you can take the paper version. You'll have to wait a bit longer for your scores, but if it'll make you more comfortable and significantly increase your score, it might be worth the wait.

 

[kd5pbo]

Were there any problems like this on the Reading Comprehension part of the exam?

Questions 16?20 consist of quotations that contain one
word that is incorrectly used because it is not in keeping
with the meaning that each quotation is evidently intended
to convey. Determine which word is incorrectly used.
Then, select from the lettered choices the word that, when
substituted for the incorrectly used word, would best help
to convey the intended meaning of the quotation.

18. The criticism that supervisors are discriminatory in
their treatment of subordinates is to some extent untrue,
for the subjective nature of many supervisory
decisions makes it probable that many employees
who have not progressed will ascribe their lack of
progress to supervisory favoritism.
(A) apathetic
(B) deny
(C) success
(D) unavoidable

Not in the one I took, no.

If you're using a study guide, don't bother with the non-ASTB portions. The study guide I looked at (Arco's) had exams used by the Army and Air Force but not the Navy.

The non-math word problems on the ASTB mostly deal with what can be inferred from a passage or sentence.

 

[kd5pbo]

Go to your local bookstore and find one of the study guides.

At the B&N near me they were next to the ASVAB books.

 

[Red Pilgrim]

What if I need to sketch something on the exam itself on a problem where they ask for the perimeter of some figure or if they ask which bulbs will light when certain switches are closed? I think you will have an advantage there with the paper version unless they give you a copy of the exam to write on while you're taking the computer version.

We weren't allowed to write on the exam anyways. Apparently you can be failed automatically for it.

 

[BigL17]

What if I need to sketch something on the exam itself on a problem where they ask for the perimeter of some figure or if they ask which bulbs will light when certain switches are closed? I think you will have an advantage there with the paper version unless they give you a copy of the exam to write on while you're taking the computer version.

As kd5pbo said you can use the scratch paper they give you to sketch out any problems. The version i took didn't have any hard electrical problems that required sketching.

However if you need to sketch something out to better understand the problem by all means do so. Studying will get you familiar with the question on the test and you should have ample time to sketch out the problem at hand (you will be surprised how much time you have). As Red Pilgrim said you cannot write on the paper version either, you will fail automatically because of it.

If you know that light bulb, perimeter problems are your weaknesses practice that sort of problem more so than others that you find easier.

Also, finding the wrong word in the paragraph questions are not on the ASTB.

When looking through the ASTB study guide it will give you tips on how to gather information from paragraphs in order to answer different questions.

Example:
1)When asked to choose a title, watch out for choices that are too specific or too broad.
2) When asked to make inferences, base your answers on what the passage implies, not what it states directly. Blah Blah Blah.

Good luck

 

[kd5pbo]

The section with the passages was kinda fun. It's a mix of logic and word usage. That having been said, I think I did worse on that section than any other.

 

[ebolamonkey]

Took the ASTB today OAR portion only.

OAR: 63

Just looked over sample test for 30mins or so the day before. I think the score depends on the time too as one Math problem was bugging me and I probably messed it up anyways but had I just messed it up and finished early it might of scored me higher... Who knows. Felt like I didn't miss anything else on Math or Mech aside from one blunder in Math. Reading is probably where I lost points.

@Squarebullet: This is what I looked at the night before and found it rather helpful - http://www.navy-officer.com/ASTB%20prep%20test.pdf

 

[BigL17]

I don't find the light bulb and perimeter problems difficult at all. In fact, if I get those on the exam I will be very happy because I know how to do them. It's just that it's easier to write in numbers on a diagram they give you instead of draw your own and waste time. But since you can't write on the paper version either, I guess I have no choice but to draw it out if I get a problem like that.

And what ASTB Study guide? Can you post a link please?

I was simply giving an example. For ASTB study guides I am referring to any books or websites you may be using. For more ASTB help look at my previous post titled my 4 cents. I'm sure that this thread has many more.

 

[kd5pbo]

I've pretty much used up that gouge. I'm having trouble finding a gouge that deals with the Reading Comprehension part of the test.

And you had a choice whether you wanted to take the ASTB in parts or not?

In all my hunting online I couldn't find anything that really addressed the reading portion. On the other hand, if you've a good working knowledge of English you probably don't need much practice. The passages are pretty short (one was only one sentence), so you won't need to speed-read or take notes or draw diagrams.

 

[BigL17]

Your 4 cents post was useful. *REP INCREASE*:thumbup_1

Glad to help. Pettersons.com I thought was very helpful.

 

[kd5pbo]

Vocabulary as you'd think about it taking the SAT or GRE isn't really the issue.

What took me a little thought were subtle differences between words.

"Someone can go to the store tonight" and "anyone can go to the store tonight" are similar, but there's a subtle difference in meaning. It's these differences that threw me.

 

[ebolamonkey]

I do. I'm a math major.
If I had a different major where I had to write papers all the time, I would probably have a stronger vocabulary and be able to make inferences about passages a lot better.

It isn't a vocab test and studying SAT/GRE stuff will not help you at all for the reading portion of the exam. It is kind of hard to describe how the reading was but it is just inferences like what this paragraph means and you have 4 choices.

Read some non-technical articles for the next few days as that should help you with the Reading comp section. Don't sweat the Reading as it is not that bad. Just don't spend too much of the time on the Math portion proving the existence of choice E.

Yes, I did have a choice. It is either OAR or the full exam. Sucks for Intel guys who have to slug through all that Aviation stuff.

 

[ClutchS306]

Hey guys need some help. I'm 24 just signed myself up for the ASTB next Thursday, I have been studying math, verbal and mechanical, and weather. Was really starting to wonder about the ANIT, the SAT, and AST for the ASTB. Is there anything online I can find. Or are there any practice ASTB test online. The ones I printed seemed to be fairly easy and lacking the last three sections. Appreciate any help.

 

[DukeAndrewJ]

all my ASTB gouge in one place

I was clearing out the bookmarks on my computer and ran through all the sites I used to study for the ASTB. I initially went out and bought the Cliffs book, but as has been mentioned, it was a waste of time. Everything I studied was free, online, and listed below - it had been 5-6 years since I took a math or physics course, but managed a 64 after a couple weeks of going over this material (qualifier - I only took the OAR portion; while many of these sources have aviation-related material, I can't speak to their quality).

this site contains a copy of the marine gouge that is always mentioned
http://www.chicagomarineofficer.com/astbprep.htm

http://www.navy-officer.com/astb.html some random info

in addition, here are the other sites I used to study for the ASTB:

- these are full, free, online books
http://www.petersons.com/pdfsecure/frameNoTop.asp?pdftype=MasterOfficerCandidate

http://www.petersons.com/airforce/p...name=Military+Flight+Aptitude+Tests&sponsor=8

free practice tests:

http://www.military.com/ASVAB/0,,ASVAB_Tips.html

http://www.4tests.com/exams/examdetail.asp?eid=67

and I got 90% of my questions answered from this and other similar howstuffworks sites (pulleys, hydrolics etc...)

http://science.howstuffworks.com/gear-ratio4.htm

 

[CUPike11]

ASTB Gouge I used

I'm doing the same thing as Duke and will post all the things I used to study as well.

Hopefully they'll help whoever is looking for it.

I mainly studied from the Barron's Military Officer Exam Guide, which was awesome, but all of this stuff helped get terms and concepts and definitions down.

Boater Education
http://www.boat-ed.com/wa/course/p1-1_class.htm

Online Ground School Course (Free)
http://www.free-online-private-pilot-ground-school.com/index.html

Another ASTB Study Guide
http://www.grafitto.com/~mark/astb/#info

Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/

This also helped me understand how to read runways and understand heading directions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway

If you just spend some time google searching, you can all this stuff and more. I had to put 3 of the attachments as .zip files, b/c they were too big otherwise.

Good luck everyone!