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

Mouselovr

Mouselovr

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Dwaldron924 said:
Quick question for y’all. I’ve been told by my OSO I need to get a 56-60 on my ASTB score to be picked up for the October board. I have taken the ASTB once and bombed my first attempt. The upside is I am physically qualified with no waivers and took my first test after meps(made for one long day). My college GPA was a 2.5, didn’t study as hard as I should have back then, that being said, if I can increase my score even with my GPA do I have a fighting chance at getting selected for NFO in October?
Click to expand...
Your OAR score is no where near as important as your ASTB score. ASTB score is what gets you picked up
 
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exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Dwaldron924 said:
Quick question for y’all. I’ve been told by my OSO I need to get a 56-60 on my ASTB score to be picked up for the October board. I have taken the ASTB once and bombed my first attempt. The upside is I am physically qualified with no waivers and took my first test after meps(made for one long day). My college GPA was a 2.5, didn’t study as hard as I should have back then, that being said, if I can increase my score even with my GPA do I have a fighting chance at getting selected for NFO in October?
Click to expand...
OSO? do you mean OR? it is your FOFAR you need to do well on for SNFO
 
A

avreeanderson

New Member
Taking the ASTB for the second time this upcoming Monday. First attempt was back in April 2020 (57 OAR 6/5/5). Spent the last 2 or so weeks studying 2-4 hours a day. A lot of time on the UAV flash cards, ANIT flash cards, and jantex sim. I've also taken pretty much every practice test I can get my hands on. Does anyone have math/mechanical tests that might not be so mainstream (ie. Kyle's guide) that they would be willing to share? Thanks in advance!
 
D

Dwaldron924

New Member
avreeanderson said:
Taking the ASTB for the second time this upcoming Monday. First attempt was back in April 2020 (57 OAR 6/5/5). Spent the last 2 or so weeks studying 2-4 hours a day. A lot of time on the UAV flash cards, ANIT flash cards, and jantex sim. I've also taken pretty much every practice test I can get my hands on. Does anyone have math/mechanical tests that might not be so mainstream (ie. Kyle's guide) that they would be willing to share? Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I was reccomended a GRE math prep book for the math section, I myself am searching for a math tutor since I’m very rusty on my mathematics.
 
I

II Sevv

Member
I would study an SAT test prep book; also learn to quickly work backwards on math problems. When I took the test a month ago, only about 15% of the math questions were on problems I had studied from ANY ASTBE test prep book or guide, and I had like 5 problems in a row that were all on the same subject. Instead of sitting there wasting time trying to remember how to solve them from high school math, I just started inserting answers back into the problem and was able to work backwards from there. It saved my ass as I genuinely didn’t know how to solve almost any of the math problems but ended up getting an 8 on the AQR.
 
P

pglayon

New Member
Argo said:
Took the ASTB around 2 hrs ago and received a 63 with an 8/6/8. This was my first attempt, and I'll probably stick with it as I plan on goin' NFO (cuz of mi eyes).

MATH: I didn't really study for this part as I'm pretty good at math to begin with. What I did study was some basic log -> exponent conversion and the arc length formula. Only question that confused me was one dealing with an arc, but you needed to know the section of a circle's area (like a pizza slice area. I probably overthought, ended up just takin' an educated guess. There was also a probability question that asked something along the lines of "If there were 8 teams, how many combinations can there be for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place?" Was very unsure on that one. Wasn't too bad of a section though.

READING: It was really just a bunch of paragraphs centered around the Navy, and you had to pick the truest statement. I hardly studied for this, but I could see how answers were made to trip you up. I didn't finish this section which seemed weird to me as it seemed I had answered so many questions when the time expired. If you are gonna study for this, I'd recommend Barron's and focus on the passages rather than the word-meaning question.

MECHANICAL: Although I have an engineering degree, this was my 2nd most studied section. Some of the things I had were:
  • Pulleys
  • Levers
  • 2 questions on "If both are dropped at the same time..." or "what is there acceleration at the same height..."
  • No mechanical advantage which was disappointing
Kyle's guide was my main source for this. I also utilized two ASTB apps on IOS. This section wasn't nearly as bad as I expected it to be.

ANIT: This was my most studied. As most have said, the cram cards will get ya 70% of the way. I had nothing on helicopters and no history (go figure). My best recommendation would be to study those cards (and maybe some other sources) and focus on the parts of the ship and airplane. I had one question on airspace, and it just asked what are the most common airspaces in the U.S. with only one answer being obviously the correct one.

PBM: If you're looking to do well on this, I would definitely get the HOTAS eqpmt. I did not, and I 100% think if I had practiced on it that my PFAR would've at least hit the 7 mark. I'm not sure if my joystick and throttle were 'jank', but the joystick was stiff and the throttle felt like if you gave an inch, it'd take a mile. Again, I can't stress enough to get the equipment and practice if you want a high score in this section. (It's also important to note that they also had newer eqpmt but it wasn't up and running so I used the HOTAS, so I'd ask what kind of stuff you'll be using).

All in all, I studied for about a week and a half, took a few days break, and then studied three-ish days before the test. Probably not the best way, but I was relatively comfortable with my abilities. I'm grateful for this forum, especially all the posts that outline how their ASTB tests went to get a gauge on what I need to focus.
Click to expand...
Hello Mr. Argo
I took the OAR and scored a little below the average . I want to do better in all aspects . Would you possibly be able to attach the study guides if possible ?
 
Sauceboss313

Sauceboss313

ProRec-Y SNA Aug 13th 2023
Hey All. I finished the ASTB yesterday and came out with a score of 63 9/9/8. I am very pleased with the results and I wanted to give back to the future AW's here on my experience. The following advice is a mixture of the knowledge found here on the forums and my own methods on how to approach the exam. I would highly recommend taking a pair of earplugs and 3 hard peppermints with you when trying to solve the MST and remembering what you learned for the ANIT.

Math:
There were simplifying complex fractions with polynomials, rolling a pair of dice for a sum of 8 probability, "which function is symmetrical about the origin?". A certain number in base 4 was asked; I had no idea so I guessed. A very complex problem on two companies selling a product and finding the percentage where both companies are equal in their offers; again, no clue. Geometry: Given a known volume to solve for the radius. There were no average, D=RT, matrix, perfect number, or logarithm problems. I would recommend the Kyle's Guide, PDF version of Forgotten Algebra, and Organic Chemistry Tutor for brushing up on working out the math problems. Having a strong algebra foundation is key. I felt great on the complicated algebra but felt I choked on the word problems. The MST ended early so I took it as a good sign that the program already knew where I stood.

Reading:
Lots of navy jargon on programs that help navy personnel and their families on financial management, decision-making, etc. Not very interesting and I had to reread the passages a few times. What I did was glance over the passage once, look at the answers given. There will always be one answer that sticks out as wrong. First advice is to look for contradictions in the answer based on the passage; second advice is to pick the answer that only has evidence based from the passage which supports the main idea, last resort advice is to avoid answers that use "always" or "must" and choose answers that use "might" or "may". I did not complete the entirety of the RCT. I rushed it at the end. So I would recommend being able to have two answers to choose in under two minutes or else you have to cut your losses and pick one.

Mechanical:
The MCT focused more on the concepts rather than the calculations but there were a couple that required writing on scratch paper. There were a couple Bernoulli's principle problems, a couple pulley problems, equation for work, mechanical energy output from internal energy in a isolated system (zero because no external work is applied), a projectile motion problem, coefficient of friction of a sliding block, an isothermal problem, and rotational physics. No nuclear, gas laws, buoyancy, Mechanical Advantage, or gears. I enjoyed this section because I am an mech. engineering major. College Physics 1, Barron's guide, and the gouge found here are invaluable here. I recommend combing through the questions found here in the forums because they will show up again.

ANIT:
It is important to do well here because it will account for your AQR, PFAR, and FOFAR score. Soak up as much information for the Cram flashcards, the FAA handbook, and the gouge found here in the forums. Questions were aircraft components, "Pitching the nose is caused by what?", Aircraft carrier jerseys, "how much gallons of Avgas needs to be dumped given the weight of the fuel?", "how are the catapults on a carrier powered?", "General quarters on a carrier are meant for? (Ans: barricade)". There were no nautical questions, helicopter questions, markings on a runway, naval history, or aircraft designations. Please do read about the questions other people were given on specific questions for Private Pilots; I had a question that went "What is the minimum fuel requirement for a nighttime VFR flight?". I absolutely killed this section as this was my most studied portion.

NATFI:
This section will deal a heavy blow to your ego. I insist that you choose the best option that fits your experience as a human being. I am going to be honest, I'm not Mr. Perfect and I never will be; the answers I put on the NAFTI reflected that. However, I do think the Navy wants to see self-awareness in your flaws and you need to know that leadership is a learned trait not a given one.

PBM:
Ok. What I am about to write next is very important because I need you to understand. MEMORIZATION IS KEY! This goes for the emergency procedures, the dichotic listening, and especially the UAV portion. This info will serve to reduce your workload during the exam.
  • UAV: My opinion: Let me go on record and say the Compass Trick will slow you down; there is simply not enough time to glance at the target map, the parking lots, and the paper compass in under two seconds; this is where memory comes in. I practiced with the UAV quizlet flashcards, the iOS ASTB prep, and software people made for practice; practice 3 times each every day for 3 weeks until you get no mistakes. Your memory will be so sharp it will be subconscious and you can focus more on the target map/parking lot; but be careful, don't zone out or you'll miss some. It was found that the real test will give you the compass direction to find both audibly and visually; you can use either but using audio and already being fast will reduce your workload even more. I did all 48 in under 2 seconds with only one mistake toward the end. If you feel more comfortable with the paper compass with great results please disregard the previous and give it your all to be the best!
  • Throttle/joystick/dichotic: I practiced with a cheap joystick with the Jantz ASTB simulator; I used JoyToKey to configure the stick to the inputs on the keyboard; don't worry about the throttle in the sim; the x52 throttle on the PBM has a quadratic relationship to your input meaning it will fly off faster at the upper/lower limits I found that practicing the sim 7 times is optimal to improve performance before fatigue and boredom kicked in. The stick is very sensitive in the test so work with that in your sim work. If your throttle/stick is feeling sticky or is twitching and can't be moved down during calibration: ask the proctor to get it replaced; the sensor on my throttle was going bad so I bothered the proctor to get it swapped; it would have ended badly had I not spoke up. Take a deep breath and chill for two minutes before you begin the tracking phase. Maybe a peppermint might help?
The dichotic portion: Remember: Odd numbers are a clutch press on the throttle, Even numbers are a trigger pull on the stick.
  • Emergencies: Remember: Fuel (E knob) = top knob, Power (I knob) = bottom knob; Fire = fuel low/power low, Engine = fuel high/power high, Propeller = fuel middle/power high. There is no practice for the EP. Chill for a couple minutes and write down the procedures given before the test. I played out the scenario in my head before I started and make sure to look at the indicators on the bottom right to correlate your inputs to the correct direction. I didn't stop tracking either target but I knew I was not going to do it well.
You're done! Hopefully my advice will serve someone a great help. I want to thank the AW community pushing future pilots and NFOs up the ladder toward success. Good luck! Please message me if you need additional information.
 
Last edited:
cgoss99

cgoss99

SNA
Jake Soucy said:
Hey All. I finished the ASTB yesterday and came out with a score of 63 9/9/8. I am very pleased with the results and I wanted to give back to the future AW's here on my experience. The following advice is a mixture of the knowledge found here on the forums and my own methods on how to approach the exam. I would highly recommend taking a pair of earplugs and 3 hard peppermints with you when trying to solve the MST and remembering what you learned for the ANIT.

Math:
There were simplifying complex fractions with polynomials, rolling a pair of dice for a sum of 8 probability, "which function is symmetrical about the origin?". A certain number in base 4 was asked; I had no idea so I guessed. A very complex problem on two companies selling a product and finding the percentage where both companies are equal in their offers; again, no clue. Geometry: Given a known volume to solve for the radius. There were no average, D=RT, matrix, perfect number, or logarithm problems. I would recommend the Kyle's Guide, PDF version of Forgotten Algebra, and Organic Chemistry Tutor for brushing up on working out the math problems. Having a strong algebra foundation is key. I felt great on the complicated algebra but felt I choked on the word problems. The MST ended early so I took it as a good sign that the program already knew where I stood.

Reading:
Lots of navy jargon on programs that help navy personnel and their families on financial management, decision-making, etc. Not very interesting and I had to reread the passages a few times. What I did was glance over the passage once, look at the answers given. There will always be one answer that sticks out as wrong. First advice is to look for contradictions in the answer based on the passage; second advice is to pick the answer that only has evidence based from the passage which supports the main idea, last resort advice is to avoid answers that use "always" or "must" and choose answers that use "might" or "may". I did not complete the entirety of the RCT. I rushed it at the end. So I would recommend being able to have two answers to choose in under two minutes or else you have to cut your losses and pick one.

Mechanical:
The MCT focused more on the concepts rather than the calculations but there were a couple that required writing on scratch paper. There were a couple Bernoulli's principle problems, a couple pulley problems, equation for work, mechanical energy output from internal energy in a isolated system (zero because no external work is applied), a projectile motion problem, coefficient of friction of a sliding block, an isothermal problem, and rotational physics. No nuclear, gas laws, buoyancy, Mechanical Advantage, or gears. I enjoyed this section because I am an mech. engineering major. College Physics 1, Barron's guide, and the gouge found here are invaluable here. I recommend combing through the questions found here in the forums because they will show up again.

ANIT:
It is important to do well here because it will account for your AQR, PFAR, and FOFAR score. Soak up as much information for the Cram flashcards, the FAA handbook, and the gouge found here in the forums. Questions were aircraft components, "Pitching the nose is caused by what?", Aircraft carrier jerseys, "how much gallons of Avgas needs to be dumped given the weight of the fuel?", "how are the catapults on a carrier powered?", "General quarters on a carrier are meant for? (Ans: barricade)". There were no nautical questions, helicopter questions, markings on a runway, naval history, or aircraft designations. Please do read about the questions other people were given on specific questions for Private Pilots; I had a question that went "What is the minimum fuel requirement for a nighttime VFR flight?". I absolutely killed this section as this was my most studied portion.

NATFI:
This section will deal a heavy blow to your ego. I insist that you choose the best option that fits your experience as a human being. I am going to be honest, I'm not Mr. Perfect and I never will be; the answers I put on the NAFTI reflected that. However, I do think the Navy wants to see self-awareness in your flaws and you need to know that leadership is a learned trait not a given one.

PBM:
Ok. What I am about to write next is very important because I need you to understand. MEMORIZATION IS KEY! This goes for the emergency procedures, the dichotic listening, and especially the UAV portion. This info will serve to reduce your workload during the exam.
  • UAV: My opinion: Let me go on record and say the Compass Trick will slow you down; there is simply not enough time to glance at the target map, the parking lots, and the paper compass in under two seconds; this is where memory comes in. I practiced with the UAV quizlet flashcards, the iOS ASTB prep, and software people made for practice; practice 3 times each every day for 3 weeks until you get no mistakes. Your memory will be so sharp it will be subconscious and you can focus more on the target map/parking lot; but be careful, don't zone out or you'll miss some. It was found that the real test will give you the compass direction to find both audibly and visually; you can use either but using audio and already being fast will reduce your workload even more. I did all 48 in under 2 seconds with only one mistake toward the end. If you feel more comfortable with the paper compass with great results please disregard the previous and give it your all to be the best!
  • Throttle/joystick/dichotic: I practiced with a cheap joystick with the Jantz ASTB simulator; I used JoyToKey to configure the stick to the inputs on the keyboard; don't worry about the throttle in the sim; the x52 throttle on the PBM has a quadratic relationship to your input meaning it will fly off faster at the upper/lower limits I found that practicing the sim 7 times is optimal to improve performance before fatigue and boredom kicked in. The stick is very sensitive in the test so work with that in your sim work. If your throttle/stick is feeling sticky or is twitching and can't be moved down during calibration: ask the proctor to get it replaced; the sensor on my throttle was going bad so I bothered the proctor to get it swapped; it would have ended badly had I not spoke up. Take a deep breath and chill for two minutes before you begin the tracking phase. Maybe a peppermint might help?
The dichotic portion: A little nudge offset of one earphone helps to give a differential of volume in both ears making it easier to identify numbers in the target ear. Remember: Odd numbers are a clutch press on the throttle, Even numbers are a trigger pull on the stick.
  • Emergencies: Remember: Fuel (E knob) = top knob, Power (I knob) = bottom knob; Fire = fuel low/power low, Engine = fuel high/power high, Propeller = fuel middle/power high. There is no practice for the EP. Chill for a couple minutes and write down the procedures given before the test. I played out the scenario in my head before I started and make sure to look at the indicators on the bottom right to correlate your inputs to the correct direction. I didn't stop tracking either target but I knew I was not going to do it well.
You're done! Hopefully my advice will serve someone a great help. I want to thank the AW community pushing future pilots and NFOs up the ladder toward success. Good luck! Please message me if you need additional information.
Click to expand...
Awesome score man congrats!
 
M

mapache2426

Member
Jake Soucy said:
  • Throttle/joystick/dichotic: I practiced with a cheap joystick with the Jantz ASTB simulator; I used JoyToKey to configure the stick to the inputs on the keyboard; don't worry about the throttle in the sim; the x52 throttle on the PBM has a quadratic relationship to your input meaning it will fly off faster at the upper/lower limits I found that practicing the sim 7 times is optimal to improve performance before fatigue and boredom kicked in. The stick is very sensitive in the test so work with that in your sim work. If your throttle/stick is feeling sticky or is twitching and can't be moved down during calibration: ask the proctor to get it replaced; the sensor on my throttle was going bad so I bothered the proctor to get it swapped; it would have ended badly had I not spoke up. Take a deep breath and chill for two minutes before you begin the tracking phase. Maybe a peppermint might help?
Click to expand...
Do you recall what the typical scores you were getting on the jantz simulator were?
 
L

layan

New Member
So I just started studying for the ASTB, but there is a problem that may really set me back. I have never taken a physics class. In high school, I had the option to take multiple biology classes instead of taking physics which is what I did. I'm decent at math and all of the math concepts for the ATSB I don't think I will have too much trouble being refreshed on, but when looking at a lot of these study guides for the mechanical section, I am very lost and I don't even know where to start. Is it possible to still learn from scratch for this section and if so how should I approach that? I'm obviously not going to give up but right now it does not seem very encouraging for someone who has just started studying and doesn't have any knowledge of physics.
 
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