Tumbleweed33
Well-Known Member
You can take it at SA MEPS on fort Sam Houston. You can also take it at the officer recruiting office in north Austin
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1,001 questions about the ASTB (post your scores & ask your questions here!)
- Thread starter edato
- Start date
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
This is a really great question to ask your officer recruiter who can help you with this
CC2224Clone
Active Member
Sorry, I only asked here because I couldn’t get in touch with my officer recruiter for a couple of days but I was scheduled to take the test at 6:30 am this morning.
We got in contact just in time though, so it all worked out.
CC2224Clone
Active Member
Took the ASTB for the first time early this morning, trying for SNA.
Scores: 59 7/7/7
GPA: 3.66, B.S. Biology
------------
Math: No DRT, logs, or matrices. Just probability, fractional exponents, and "solve for x" type questions. Also a couple of lengthy area problems. I feel like I should have practiced more for this section.
Reading: Simple enough, felt like reading manuals then answering questions about them. Sometimes I was not 100% in my answer choice, other times the correct answer was obvious.
Mech: This section was nice, Kyle's drive made it really easy. Did not see any pulley questions, but did see some density and circuit ones.
ANIT: The FAA handbook + the Cram cards covered most of what I saw here. There was one question about the location of the island on an aircraft carrier.
UAV: Averaged 2 seconds per question and missed 2. There was one question where I thought my computer froze because the audio did not play. However, the audio played on all the rest of the Q's so it must have been a glitch? Practiced with the proprofs cards and compass trick.
Stick/Throttle/Listening: The listening part was a bit tricky at first because I had been practicing with earbuds rather than a headset, but I got the hang of it. For stick and throttle, I had been practicing with Jantzenx simulator but with kbm, not a HOTAS. Getting used to the HOTAS did take a minute, so if I were to do it again, I would definitely be buying one to practice.
------------
Overall, while I wish I had scored higher, I am satisfied with the results. If I have to retake, I know what needs work.
Scores: 59 7/7/7
GPA: 3.66, B.S. Biology
------------
Math: No DRT, logs, or matrices. Just probability, fractional exponents, and "solve for x" type questions. Also a couple of lengthy area problems. I feel like I should have practiced more for this section.
Reading: Simple enough, felt like reading manuals then answering questions about them. Sometimes I was not 100% in my answer choice, other times the correct answer was obvious.
Mech: This section was nice, Kyle's drive made it really easy. Did not see any pulley questions, but did see some density and circuit ones.
ANIT: The FAA handbook + the Cram cards covered most of what I saw here. There was one question about the location of the island on an aircraft carrier.
UAV: Averaged 2 seconds per question and missed 2. There was one question where I thought my computer froze because the audio did not play. However, the audio played on all the rest of the Q's so it must have been a glitch? Practiced with the proprofs cards and compass trick.
Stick/Throttle/Listening: The listening part was a bit tricky at first because I had been practicing with earbuds rather than a headset, but I got the hang of it. For stick and throttle, I had been practicing with Jantzenx simulator but with kbm, not a HOTAS. Getting used to the HOTAS did take a minute, so if I were to do it again, I would definitely be buying one to practice.
------------
Overall, while I wish I had scored higher, I am satisfied with the results. If I have to retake, I know what needs work.
mcwisconsin
Well-Known Member
Biked over to my local University's NROTC building this morning to take the ASTB for my first time. I probably studied for an average of 2 hours a day for the past week. My OR gave me the option to take the test at a later date, but that would've required me to drive ~2 hours away. (kinda wish I waited and had more time to study though)
Applying for SNA
Scores: 59/6/5/6
GPA: 3.71, B.S. Cartography/GIS and Geophysics
Math: I studied for this section pretty well I thought, but most of my studying went towards "solve for x" types of questions (like John and Jill are painting a house at 2 different rates, how long does it take for them to finish painting a house). I mostly focused on these types of questions because I was under the impression that these would be the most prominent, but they weren't. I didn't have any matrices or logs. Had a few probability questions and on sale type questions. This section ended with 19 minutes remaining, so I don't think I did too hot on it.
Reading: Didn't really study for this because I've always been pretty good at reading portions of standardized tests. Some were very easy and others were not. I was not prepared that all of the passages would be Navy/military focused. That type of reading made it extremely boring. The program crashed during this section and my OR was thinking I might have to start the entire thing over again. Thankfully, he was able to bring the exam back up.
Mech: I just took 2 semesters of general physics so I didn't study this section much. I think I did pretty well.
ANIT: I used the cram cards to study for this one. I knew 60 or 70% of the answers, but I probably only had ~12 questions on this section. I was surprised by how quick this section was.
UAV: I think I got 4 wrong and probably averaged about 4 or 5 seconds. I thought that was pretty good until I came here and read other people's averages. I used the compass trick - I probably could've made this section go faster if I did everything in my head.
Stick/Throttle/Listening: I definitely messed up the first section or 2 of the listening part. I was under the impression that the exam was set up like Jantzen's (idk how to spell his name) simulator, but it was slightly different. I read the instructions at least twice over but I guess I just misunderstood them. I figured it out during the second listening portion. I feel like this mistake definitely lowered my scores. The stick/throttle was pretty straightforward. Using the joystick is a much different feeling that using the mouse on Jantzen's simulator. Like the post above mine says, I would consider buying one for if/when I retake.
--------------
I'm pleased with my score on the OAR, but I was hoping my other 3 scores would be higher. I would broaden the type of math to be studied (exponents, functions, converting between radians and degrees, etc) instead of just focusing on the "solve for x" problems. The UAV and stick/throttle/listening portions could also be improved upon easily. Even though I did pretty "average" on this exam, I'm happy I took it because now I know what to expect for next time.
I still have a year before I graduate so I'm thinking I might apply for the August board - If I get rejected then I'll retake the ASTB later on and reapply for SNA.
Applying for SNA
Scores: 59/6/5/6
GPA: 3.71, B.S. Cartography/GIS and Geophysics
Math: I studied for this section pretty well I thought, but most of my studying went towards "solve for x" types of questions (like John and Jill are painting a house at 2 different rates, how long does it take for them to finish painting a house). I mostly focused on these types of questions because I was under the impression that these would be the most prominent, but they weren't. I didn't have any matrices or logs. Had a few probability questions and on sale type questions. This section ended with 19 minutes remaining, so I don't think I did too hot on it.
Reading: Didn't really study for this because I've always been pretty good at reading portions of standardized tests. Some were very easy and others were not. I was not prepared that all of the passages would be Navy/military focused. That type of reading made it extremely boring. The program crashed during this section and my OR was thinking I might have to start the entire thing over again. Thankfully, he was able to bring the exam back up.
Mech: I just took 2 semesters of general physics so I didn't study this section much. I think I did pretty well.
ANIT: I used the cram cards to study for this one. I knew 60 or 70% of the answers, but I probably only had ~12 questions on this section. I was surprised by how quick this section was.
UAV: I think I got 4 wrong and probably averaged about 4 or 5 seconds. I thought that was pretty good until I came here and read other people's averages. I used the compass trick - I probably could've made this section go faster if I did everything in my head.
Stick/Throttle/Listening: I definitely messed up the first section or 2 of the listening part. I was under the impression that the exam was set up like Jantzen's (idk how to spell his name) simulator, but it was slightly different. I read the instructions at least twice over but I guess I just misunderstood them. I figured it out during the second listening portion. I feel like this mistake definitely lowered my scores. The stick/throttle was pretty straightforward. Using the joystick is a much different feeling that using the mouse on Jantzen's simulator. Like the post above mine says, I would consider buying one for if/when I retake.
--------------
I'm pleased with my score on the OAR, but I was hoping my other 3 scores would be higher. I would broaden the type of math to be studied (exponents, functions, converting between radians and degrees, etc) instead of just focusing on the "solve for x" problems. The UAV and stick/throttle/listening portions could also be improved upon easily. Even though I did pretty "average" on this exam, I'm happy I took it because now I know what to expect for next time.
I still have a year before I graduate so I'm thinking I might apply for the August board - If I get rejected then I'll retake the ASTB later on and reapply for SNA.
I am applying for AMDO, and want to get an idea of if my package seems competitive enough, and if I should retake the OAR.
I have an accounting degree with a 3.79 GPA, i scored a 48 on my OAR today ( first attempt )
I was an aviation mechanic in the USMC for 5 years with multiple CDI stamps, deplyoment, NAM.
Should i retake the OAR to appear more competitive? or is this a good enough package?
I have an accounting degree with a 3.79 GPA, i scored a 48 on my OAR today ( first attempt )
I was an aviation mechanic in the USMC for 5 years with multiple CDI stamps, deplyoment, NAM.
Should i retake the OAR to appear more competitive? or is this a good enough package?
Hello everyone, took the ASTB after studying for a few months, but am rather disappointed with my score as I got some questions wrong that I should have gotten correct.
However, I scored a 57 OAR and 6/7/7. I have a 3.27 GPA with a degree in Applied Science. Should I retake the ASTB as I am almost certain I could do better, or should I continue with this application, and if I get rejected, retake and then try again?
Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.
However, I scored a 57 OAR and 6/7/7. I have a 3.27 GPA with a degree in Applied Science. Should I retake the ASTB as I am almost certain I could do better, or should I continue with this application, and if I get rejected, retake and then try again?
Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
I would apply as is and retake if you don’t get the PROREC
Thank you! I appreciate the response, and will continue with my application process then.
elariosa95
SNA (Primary - VT-6)
Got home from my third and final ASTB attempt about an hour ago, and I'm happy to report that the third time was most definitely the charm.
OAR: 73
AQR: 9
PFAR: 7
FOFA: 7
To be completely honest, I surprised myself with how well I did, but I'll try to break it down to the best of my ability.
Before the exam - I woke up at 5am this morning to study some material, practice the flight sim, and read some manga to relax before heading out; this has been my morning routine for the last few weeks. If you have a specific morning routine you do, don't break away from it just because of the exam. Having the right mindset is just as important studying the material, if not more important. Also, make sure you leave early! There was an accident on the highway on my way home from the exam, but that easily could've happened on my way there and delayed me a good hour or so.
MATH - My degree is in Mechanical Engineering, so I didn't think I would need to prepare for this again. WRONG. I got almost entirely exponent and logarithm questions, some of which I had to brute force thru, but nothing I couldn't have prepared for; I eventually figured them out but it was a struggle to remember those rules. The rest of the questions were probability, simplifying expressions, and solve for x.
READING - I'm almost 100% sure I had the same questions from my last attempt, but it was still a pain to get through. Easiest way to deal with this is process of elimination: get rid of answers that clearly are wrong, look at the answers that may be right, and pick the one that makes the most sense given the information in the paragraph. They get really tricky with wording here, so say each answer out loud and make sure you understand what they mean.
MECHANICAL - I spent a lot of time overthinking this section, but it's worth the effort to get the question right since it's the shortest section. I had some pretty simple kinematics problems that touched on projectile motion, momentum, and kinetic energy, but a lot of the questions were conceptual. For example, if a guy on a motorcycle drives around in a circular path, what is he experiencing? (Answer: centripetal acceleration)
Break time - You get 15 minutes, so make the most of it. Drink some water, eat some snacks, and USE THE RESTROOM.
ANIT - Barron's prep book, this audiobook playlist of the FAA Pilot's Handbook, and the flash cards definitely helped here, but I also had three questions asking me what the elevators on a plane do (two of which I'm pretty sure were worded exactly the same), so that probably helped my score. I had a question about how much fuel you should have in your tank if you're flying VFR at night; I guessed on this one, but that was the hardest question I had so I don't feel too bad about it. I got cut off after 12ish questions.
NAFTI - Check your ego at the door and answer these honestly. It doesn't help to pick what sounds like a good option, so you might as well just be yourself with this.
UAV - DRAWING THE COMPASS ROSE HELPS. Doing this and practicing with the flashcards helped me tremendously. I missed only one and averaged about 1.8 to 2.2 seconds per question.
DICHOTIC LISTENING - There isn't really a good way to practice for this, but I definitely noticed that the sound stage in the headphones I had was very narrow compared to the Grado SR80s I have (great headphones btw, highly recommend if you're an audiophile like me). If I had to suggest a tip, it would be to listen to music that was mixed in stereo and trying picking out instruments and details that you can only hear in a specific ear. For example, in A Cruel Angel's Thesis by Yoko Takahashi (absolutely fire song), you can hear bongos in the left ear during the verses and the guitar solo in the last chorus in the right ear. This translated pretty well to distinguishing which voice was speaking to the target ear, so I'd recommend trying this out with some of your favorite songs.
HOTAS - I don't know if each recruiting station has the same setup, but get the Logitech X52 HOTAS and practice with Jantzen's flight sim. Practice staying on target then bump up the run time and the difficulty gradually. Also, don't forget to write down the information before starting the exam! You'll definitely have to refer to the odd/even buttons and the procedures if you don't have them memorized. Most importantly don't get down on yourself if you feel like you absolutely suck at it, that might end up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy and you'll sabotage your own performance. It's designed to throw you off to see how well you can keep up, so just take a deep breath and stay focused.
I hinted at it a few times, but I'd argue MENTALLY preparing for the exam is more important than physically preparing. Going through your morning routine, having a solid breakfast, and meditating during the breaks in between sections all go a long way in making sure you're on top of your game when you step into that exam room and have to sit and take a 4-5 hour exam that will determine your career path.
I'm more than happy to answer any questions you guys have, but it'll be a while before I answer since I'm currently a few drinks into my Memorial Day/birthday weekend. Thank you guys for reading, and have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend ????????
Edit: another tip I got from someone at my Toastmasters club is understanding that being nervous is normal. In fact, being nervous about the test means you actually deeply care about how you’ll do on it. If you feel your heart racing like I did during the HOTAS section, just take a few deep breaths and channel that energy into focusing on the task at hand. I apologize for the philosophical advice, I just wanted to relay that to you guys in case you find it helpful.
OAR: 73
AQR: 9
PFAR: 7
FOFA: 7
To be completely honest, I surprised myself with how well I did, but I'll try to break it down to the best of my ability.
Before the exam - I woke up at 5am this morning to study some material, practice the flight sim, and read some manga to relax before heading out; this has been my morning routine for the last few weeks. If you have a specific morning routine you do, don't break away from it just because of the exam. Having the right mindset is just as important studying the material, if not more important. Also, make sure you leave early! There was an accident on the highway on my way home from the exam, but that easily could've happened on my way there and delayed me a good hour or so.
MATH - My degree is in Mechanical Engineering, so I didn't think I would need to prepare for this again. WRONG. I got almost entirely exponent and logarithm questions, some of which I had to brute force thru, but nothing I couldn't have prepared for; I eventually figured them out but it was a struggle to remember those rules. The rest of the questions were probability, simplifying expressions, and solve for x.
READING - I'm almost 100% sure I had the same questions from my last attempt, but it was still a pain to get through. Easiest way to deal with this is process of elimination: get rid of answers that clearly are wrong, look at the answers that may be right, and pick the one that makes the most sense given the information in the paragraph. They get really tricky with wording here, so say each answer out loud and make sure you understand what they mean.
MECHANICAL - I spent a lot of time overthinking this section, but it's worth the effort to get the question right since it's the shortest section. I had some pretty simple kinematics problems that touched on projectile motion, momentum, and kinetic energy, but a lot of the questions were conceptual. For example, if a guy on a motorcycle drives around in a circular path, what is he experiencing? (Answer: centripetal acceleration)
Break time - You get 15 minutes, so make the most of it. Drink some water, eat some snacks, and USE THE RESTROOM.
ANIT - Barron's prep book, this audiobook playlist of the FAA Pilot's Handbook, and the flash cards definitely helped here, but I also had three questions asking me what the elevators on a plane do (two of which I'm pretty sure were worded exactly the same), so that probably helped my score. I had a question about how much fuel you should have in your tank if you're flying VFR at night; I guessed on this one, but that was the hardest question I had so I don't feel too bad about it. I got cut off after 12ish questions.
NAFTI - Check your ego at the door and answer these honestly. It doesn't help to pick what sounds like a good option, so you might as well just be yourself with this.
UAV - DRAWING THE COMPASS ROSE HELPS. Doing this and practicing with the flashcards helped me tremendously. I missed only one and averaged about 1.8 to 2.2 seconds per question.
DICHOTIC LISTENING - There isn't really a good way to practice for this, but I definitely noticed that the sound stage in the headphones I had was very narrow compared to the Grado SR80s I have (great headphones btw, highly recommend if you're an audiophile like me). If I had to suggest a tip, it would be to listen to music that was mixed in stereo and trying picking out instruments and details that you can only hear in a specific ear. For example, in A Cruel Angel's Thesis by Yoko Takahashi (absolutely fire song), you can hear bongos in the left ear during the verses and the guitar solo in the last chorus in the right ear. This translated pretty well to distinguishing which voice was speaking to the target ear, so I'd recommend trying this out with some of your favorite songs.
HOTAS - I don't know if each recruiting station has the same setup, but get the Logitech X52 HOTAS and practice with Jantzen's flight sim. Practice staying on target then bump up the run time and the difficulty gradually. Also, don't forget to write down the information before starting the exam! You'll definitely have to refer to the odd/even buttons and the procedures if you don't have them memorized. Most importantly don't get down on yourself if you feel like you absolutely suck at it, that might end up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy and you'll sabotage your own performance. It's designed to throw you off to see how well you can keep up, so just take a deep breath and stay focused.
I hinted at it a few times, but I'd argue MENTALLY preparing for the exam is more important than physically preparing. Going through your morning routine, having a solid breakfast, and meditating during the breaks in between sections all go a long way in making sure you're on top of your game when you step into that exam room and have to sit and take a 4-5 hour exam that will determine your career path.
I'm more than happy to answer any questions you guys have, but it'll be a while before I answer since I'm currently a few drinks into my Memorial Day/birthday weekend. Thank you guys for reading, and have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend ????????
Edit: another tip I got from someone at my Toastmasters club is understanding that being nervous is normal. In fact, being nervous about the test means you actually deeply care about how you’ll do on it. If you feel your heart racing like I did during the HOTAS section, just take a few deep breaths and channel that energy into focusing on the task at hand. I apologize for the philosophical advice, I just wanted to relay that to you guys in case you find it helpful.
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Damn, congratulations that's an amazing improvement!
Really nice improvement from your first attempt. 9/7/7 that's an interesting score distribution.
Tandrews12
Pro Y SNA
Hi everyone,
I recently took the ASTB and scored a 62 7/6/7 and was wondering if I should retake the test before I submit my package. I also just finished my degree in Mechanical Engineering with a 3.9 gpa.
For some context, my recruiter had me take the exam with only 3 days' notice and I didn't even find this forum page until after the test. Since then I have bought the Logitech X52 HOTAS and have used the Jantzen's flight sim and I feel like I have improved in the pfar section a good amount.
I feel like my scores are borderline or slightly below the cut off so I'm debating whether to submit and see what the response is or just retake to get a better score and submit. I was curious if it looks bad to reapply multiple times or if the board doesn't really care how many times you apply?
If anyone has any info on this or advice I would love to hear it, thanks!
I recently took the ASTB and scored a 62 7/6/7 and was wondering if I should retake the test before I submit my package. I also just finished my degree in Mechanical Engineering with a 3.9 gpa.
For some context, my recruiter had me take the exam with only 3 days' notice and I didn't even find this forum page until after the test. Since then I have bought the Logitech X52 HOTAS and have used the Jantzen's flight sim and I feel like I have improved in the pfar section a good amount.
I feel like my scores are borderline or slightly below the cut off so I'm debating whether to submit and see what the response is or just retake to get a better score and submit. I was curious if it looks bad to reapply multiple times or if the board doesn't really care how many times you apply?
If anyone has any info on this or advice I would love to hear it, thanks!
The2ndworst
Active Member
I am applying to NFO with your exact scores, and if you want NFO you have a solid shot. However, for SNA I think the six probably won’t cut it.