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

21YO new grad shooting for INTEL for the Oct. board.

To summarize:
OAR: 55
GPA: 3.70
Major: Economics and Philosophy
Strong Liberal Arts School
4-Year College Athlete
Corporate Work Experience in the Financial Sector

I just took the test today and wanted to know if I should keep studying. Also heard you could find past board scores, not sure where to find that. Thank you, I appreciate the feedback.
 
Hey guys, lurker here with my first post. Took the ASTB recently for the first time, scored a 56 7/7/7.

Background: Non-STEM major in college, highest level math completed Calc 1 with no physics experience.

Studying Overview: Studied around 60 hours total for the ASTB, 16 of those hours coming from the two days before the test. Spent around 25 hours on math, 20 on ANIT, 10 on physics, and the rest on PBM through the ASTB prep app.

Math: This was a weak point for me, so I hit this part the hardest. I utilized Kyle’s drive and the 100+ OAR Math Practice Guide that is frequently distributed around here. I went through every question on that guide until I was able to understand the approach to every question. The test itself was pretty straightforward, I didn’t see anything new that wasn’t addressed before in one of these guides. Make sure you have a thorough understand of your exponent rules. Didn’t see any log or DRT questions. I remember one mixture question and one question finding the area of a shape by using measurements from shapes around it. Kicked out of this section with about ten minutes to spare.

OAR MATH PRACTICE GUIDE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tzUq2uFovrUeD234XwyQQKbFRFzxxCpG/view

Reading: I didn’t spend any time at all on studying for this section, I felt pretty confident in my reading abilities coming from my background. With each question I was able to eliminate two obviously wrong answers and narrow it down to two choices. Both of those choices may be right in their own sense, but I focused on picking the answer that was directly supported/mentioned by the passage. The hardest part about this section was staying focused, most of these passages were very dry but try your best to stay engaged. Kicked out of this section with about five minutes to spare.

Physics: Was very worried about this section going in due to my background. I focused on going through the general guides in Kyle’s drive and looking up YouTube videos on ideas that I didn’t fully understand. I was prepared for MA questions focused on pulleys, gears, and levers but never got any. Most questions were conceptual, focused on thermodynamics, different parts of a circuit, graphing the velocity of an arrow flying through the air, and air pressure at various altitudes. Kicked out of this section with about five minutes to spare.

ANIT: Mostly aviation questions, little to no boat questions. For this section I focused on studying the CRAM flashcards, as well as going through the ASTB prep app lessons. Section was fairly easy, questions regarding airplane lights, what’s the opposite heading if you’re on runway 21, transponder code for loss of communication, and question on what allowed the US to launch larger aircraft such as the F-14 off of carriers. Kicked out of this section with about seven minutes to spare.

Cram Flashcards: https://www.cram.com/flashcards/tes...l-information-test-anit-comprehensive-4718163

NAFTI: Not very fun, just pick whatever comes to mind first and get it over with.

PBM
UAV: I can’t recommend the ASTB prep app enough for practicing this. I practiced with the compass technique until I was able to average around 1.5 seconds on the ASTB prep app. The UAV Flashcards were also good to use to get a sense of what it would look like on the actual test. On the actual test, I was able to get every one correct using the compass technique with around 1.5.- 2.0/s average. If you remain calm during this part, this will be the easiest part of the test as long as you practice well beforehand.

UAV Flashcards: https://quizlet.com/426955098/astb-uav-flash-cards/

Dichotic Listening: Lean towards whatever ear is the listening one, trigger for even number, clutch for odd.

Throttle/Stick: I grew up playing video games with an xbox controller and consider myself to have fairly good hand/eye coordination but had no joystick experience at all. Throttle/Stick alone was a breeze. Throttle/Stick together was very tough, my advice is to just hang in there and keep pushing no matter how bad you think you’re doing. With emergencies added, I focused on prioritizing the emergency. For those wondering, the emergencies were in the same order as they were listed so I was able to adjust the knobs ahead of time and simply clutch when the emergency appeared. My biggest point of advice for this section is to remain calm and maintain your composure, you will likely feel like you’re failing but don’t let that affect you in the moment.

Terrain ID: Another section I was fairly worried about. I had been practicing with the ASTB Prep app by using a compass rose but wasn’t getting very consistent scores (12/20 avg). The actual test itself was easier than the ASTB Prep app. My strategy was to find a north facing line on the left image, find that line on the right image, and rotate my compass until the line was facing north on the right image. Whatever your heading is at that rotation is the answer. I felt that finding a north-facing line was easier on the actual test than in the ASTB Prep app.

Overall: Pleased with my scores, likely could’ve done better with more preparation but glad that I’ll only have to take it once. Thanks to everyone here who has contributed information, without this site I likely would’ve done much worse. Good luck to anyone studying!
 
Last edited:

mmandziak

Well-Known Member
Hey guys, lurker here with my first post. Took the ASTB recently for the first time, scored a 56 7/7/7.

Background: Non-STEM major in college, highest level math completed Calc 1 with no physics experience.

Studying Overview: Studied around 60 hours total for the ASTB, 16 of those hours coming from the two days before the test. Spent around 25 hours on math, 20 on ANIT, 10 on physics, and the rest on PBM through the ASTB prep app.

Math: This was a weak point for me, so I hit this part the hardest. I utilized Kyle’s drive and the 100+ OAR Math Practice Guide that is frequently distributed around here. I went through every question on that guide until I was able to understand the approach to every question. The test itself was pretty straightforward, I didn’t see anything new that wasn’t addressed before in one of these guides. Make sure you have a through understand of your exponent rules. Didn’t see any log or DRT questions. I remember one mixture question and one question finding the area of a shape by using measurements from shapes around it. Kicked out of this section with about ten minutes to spare.

OAR MATH PRACTICE GUIDE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tzUq2uFovrUeD234XwyQQKbFRFzxxCpG/view

Reading: I didn’t spend any time at all on studying for this section, I felt pretty confident in my reading abilities coming from my background. With each question I was able to eliminate two obviously wrong answers and narrow it down to two choices. Both of those choices may be right in their own sense, but I focused on picking the answer that was directly supported/mentioned by the passage. The hardest part about this section was staying focused, most of these passages were very dry but try your best to stay engaged. Kicked out of this section with about five minutes to spare.

Physics: Was very worried about this section going in due to my background. I focused on going through the general guides in Kyle’s drive and looking up YouTube videos on ideas that I didn’t fully understand. I was prepared for MA questions focused on pulleys, gears, and levers but never got any. Most questions were conceptual, focused on thermodynamics, different parts of a circuit, graphing the velocity of an arrow flying through the air, and air pressure at various altitudes. Kicked out of this section with about five minutes to spare.

ANIT: Mostly aviation questions, little to no boat questions. For this section I focused on studying the CRAM flashcards, as well as going through the ASTB prep app lessons. Section was fairly easy, questions regarding airplane lights, what’s the opposite heading if you’re on runway 21, transponder code for loss of communication, and question on what allowed the US to launch larger aircraft such as the F-14 off of carriers. Kicked out of this section with about seven minutes to spare.

Cram Flashcards: https://www.cram.com/flashcards/tes...l-information-test-anit-comprehensive-4718163

NAFTI: Not very fun, just pick whatever comes to mind first and get it over with.

PBM
UAV: I can’t recommend the ASTB prep app enough for practicing this. I practiced with the compass technique until I was able to average around 1.5 seconds on the ASTB prep app. The UAV Flashcards were also good to use to get a sense of what it would look like on the actual test. On the actual test, I was able to get every one correct using the compass technique with around 1.5.- 2.0/s average. If you remain calm during this part, this will be the easiest part of the test as long as you practice well beforehand.

UAV Flashcards: https://quizlet.com/426955098/astb-uav-flash-cards/

Dichotic Listening: Lean towards whatever ear is the listening one, trigger for even number, clutch for odd.

Throttle/Stick: I grew up playing video games with an xbox controller and consider myself to have fairly good hand/eye coordination but had no joystick experience at all. Throttle/Stick alone was a breeze. Throttle/Stick together was very tough, my advice is to just hang in there and keep pushing no matter how bad you think you’re doing. With emergencies added, I focused on prioritizing the emergency. For those wondering, the emergencies were in the same order as they were listed so I was able to adjust the knobs ahead of time and simply clutch when the emergency appeared. My biggest point of advice for this section is to remain calm and maintain your composure, you will likely feel like you’re failing but don’t let that affect you in the moment.

Terrain ID: Another section I was fairly worried about. I had been practicing with the ASTB Prep app by using a compass rose but wasn’t getting very consistent scores (12/20 avg). The actual test itself was easier than the ASTB Prep app. My strategy was to find a north facing line on the left image, find that line on the right image, and rotate my compass until the line was facing north on the right image. Whatever your heading is at that rotation is the answer. I felt that finding a north-facing line was easier on the actual test than in the ASTB Prep app.

Overall: Pleased with my scores, likely could’ve done better with more preparation but glad that I’ll only have to take it once. Thanks to everyone here who has contributed information, without this site I likely would’ve done much worse. Good luck to anyone studying!
Thank you for the write up. I’m taking my first attempt tomorrow and this helped ease my nerves. Congrats on the great score!
 

Fom

ɥo ɥ∩
Yes, precisely. I guess I’m just in my own head and considering every possible scenario haha.
My proctor actually ribbed me on how detailed I drew mine (straight edge cardinal points) but then he made a comment about how he sees everyone making those for the ASTB. You're good man
 

dav246

Well-Known Member
Yes, precisely. I guess I’m just in my own head and considering every possible scenario haha.
My proctor actually ribbed me on how detailed I drew mine (straight edge cardinal points) but then he made a comment about how he sees everyone making those for the ASTB. You're good man
Ha, my proctor gave me a compass she printed herself from the internet for my first two, then she let me use the one I printed at home and had been training with for my final attempt.

Now proctors aren't universal and there are guidelines they have to follow, but denying you the ability to use a compass that you hand drew by yourself on the scratch paper they are required to give you is not one of them.
 

mmandziak

Well-Known Member
Ha, my proctor gave me a compass she printed herself from the internet for my first two, then she let me use the one I printed at home and had been training with for my final attempt.

Now proctors aren't universal and there are guidelines they have to follow, but denying you the ability to use a compass that you hand drew by yourself on the scratch paper they are required to give you is not one of them.
Awesome, thanks guys.
 

mmandziak

Well-Known Member
Ladies and Gents, just got out of my first attempt of the ASTB. Scored a 55 6/8/7 60, applying for SNA when I become eligible after this upcoming school year.

I utilized the ASTB Prep App, Barron’s, both Kyle and Gomez’s drives, and various gouge found on the forum. I want to give a shoutout and big thank you to @TwoScoops. Throughout my studying I have had the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with Alex, and his mentorship has been nothing short of amazing.

my breakdown of the test is as follows -

MST: This section was a lot easier than I anticipated. Math is by no means a strong suit for me, and I did 99% of my studying for this section on the app. I encountered questions related to exponents, work, probability, percentages, fractions, geometry, and radicals. I did not see any logs, DRT, systems of equations, or mixture problems but I did prepare for them. I got kicked off this section after about 13-15 questions.

RCT: This section was a lot harder than I expected. I’m very confident in my reading comprehension skills (36 on reading comp on the ACT), but this section wasn’t like any other reading comprehension test I’ve taken. Like others have said, the passages are very mundane, and hard to pay attention to. The answer choices are all very similar, and my strategy was to eliminate the two I knew were wrong, and to pick the one that related most to the passage. I used the app to practice for this section. At the end of the day it’s reading comp, you either get it or you don’t. Reading books definitely helps with success here.

MCT: This section was mediocre in terms of difficult, partly because I prepared for this section least. All my questions were theory based, and I only had to do math for one problem that regarded balancing a lever. I had 3 separate questions about dropping 2 objects varying in mass from the same height and picking which one hit the ground first. I used the Barron’s book to study for this. I would suggest to know newtons laws, and your basic mechanical formulas (work, power, force, MA of various devices.)

ANIT: This section was easy for me. I’m a total nerd when it comes to aviation, but I still prepared using the prep app, barron’s book, and the CRAM flash cards. I had no history questions whatsoever. For me this section included questions about the parts of an airplane and its axes, angle of attack, p-factor, and a couple questions regarding navy ships. I had nothing relating to naval rates, jersey colors, ATC lights, or airspace.

NATFI: This sections sucks. It truly makes you feel like a piece of garage. Just pick the lesser of two evils and get through it. Don’t let it fluster you. Many questions in this section repeat, so try to keep consistency in your answers.

PBM: I was most stressed for this section even after preparing extensively but it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I’m gonna break it down exactly how it went on the test. I purchased an x52 HOTAS to practice with and I’m glad I did as I was comfortable with it during the test.

UAV - Exactly how it is on the app. I drew my basic compass and opted to keep the headphones on. I don’t know exactly how many questions I answered, but I got 3 wrong because the headphones stopped working and I spun myself in a circle. No big deal, I locked back in and answered the rest of them correctly. I’d say I had around 30-40 questions total and averaged around 1.5 seconds per answer.

DLT - This section was easy, just like on the app, and I got maybe 1 wrong. My strategy for this was different than the popular one on the forum. Whatever ear I was targeting, I took the other headphone completely off and only had one source of audio which made it even easier than tilting your head.

Throttle - This section was easy, and I used the rear cockpit simulator on the macOS version of the prep app. It’s not hard to stay on target about 90% of the time, just focus and expect it to quickly change directions.

Stick - This section was easy as well, and I used the rear cockpit simulator to practice. Just follow the target and stay focused. The more accurate you are, the jerkier the target becomes. Just breathe and stay locked on.

S+T - Harder, but not bad. If you practice at home with either the jantzen sim or the RC simulator, you’ll be fine.

S+T+DLT - Even harder, I used the same headphone strategy as I discussed above and did my best to stay on target but I prioritized being accurate on the DLT. I got around 2 wrong.

S+T+Emergency - About as hard as doing the stick, throttle, and dichotic. Write down the emergency procedures on your scratch paper before hand, and preset the knobs. It always goes fire -> engine -> propeller. As soon as I cleared one emergency, I set the knobs for the other and just waited for the voice while staying on target with the stick and throttle.

Terrain ID - This section was easy and I used the app to prepare. I was averaging about 18/20 on the app. I drew a 16-point compass rose on my scratch paper to use as a reference. This section on the actual test was much easier than the app. All my questions had a straight line reference. I just lined it up an turned it clockwise/counterclockwise to get my answer.

Overall, I’m very happy with my score. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit salty that I missed out on auto select by 1 point on my AQR, but I’m ecstatic about an 8 PFAR. My recruiter is also happy with my scores and believes I’ll have no problem getting selected.

I want to thank each and everyone one of you who helped me study for this test, and especially the vets of this forum who take time out of their days to help us newbies out. The gouge on here is fantastic. If you are an aspiring SNA/SNFO…this forum is your one stop shop for acing the ASTB. Thank you for coming to my ted talk :)
 

Fom

ɥo ɥ∩
Ladies and Gents, just got out of my first attempt of the ASTB. Scored a 55 6/8/7 60, applying for SNA when I become eligible after this upcoming school year.

I utilized the ASTB Prep App, Barron’s, both Kyle and Gomez’s drives, and various gouge found on the forum. I want to give a shoutout and big thank you to @TwoScoops. Throughout my studying I have had the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with Alex, and his mentorship has been nothing short of amazing.

my breakdown of the test is as follows -

MST: This section was a lot easier than I anticipated. Math is by no means a strong suit for me, and I did 99% of my studying for this section on the app. I encountered questions related to exponents, work, probability, percentages, fractions, geometry, and radicals. I did not see any logs, DRT, systems of equations, or mixture problems but I did prepare for them. I got kicked off this section after about 13-15 questions.

RCT: This section was a lot harder than I expected. I’m very confident in my reading comprehension skills (36 on reading comp on the ACT), but this section wasn’t like any other reading comprehension test I’ve taken. Like others have said, the passages are very mundane, and hard to pay attention to. The answer choices are all very similar, and my strategy was to eliminate the two I knew were wrong, and to pick the one that related most to the passage. I used the app to practice for this section. At the end of the day it’s reading comp, you either get it or you don’t. Reading books definitely helps with success here.

MCT: This section was mediocre in terms of difficult, partly because I prepared for this section least. All my questions were theory based, and I only had to do math for one problem that regarded balancing a lever. I had 3 separate questions about dropping 2 objects varying in mass from the same height and picking which one hit the ground first. I used the Barron’s book to study for this. I would suggest to know newtons laws, and your basic mechanical formulas (work, power, force, MA of various devices.)

ANIT: This section was easy for me. I’m a total nerd when it comes to aviation, but I still prepared using the prep app, barron’s book, and the CRAM flash cards. I had no history questions whatsoever. For me this section included questions about the parts of an airplane and its axes, angle of attack, p-factor, and a couple questions regarding navy ships. I had nothing relating to naval rates, jersey colors, ATC lights, or airspace.

NATFI: This sections sucks. It truly makes you feel like a piece of garage. Just pick the lesser of two evils and get through it. Don’t let it fluster you. Many questions in this section repeat, so try to keep consistency in your answers.

PBM: I was most stressed for this section even after preparing extensively but it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I’m gonna break it down exactly how it went on the test. I purchased an x52 HOTAS to practice with and I’m glad I did as I was comfortable with it during the test.

UAV - Exactly how it is on the app. I drew my basic compass and opted to keep the headphones on. I don’t know exactly how many questions I answered, but I got 3 wrong because the headphones stopped working and I spun myself in a circle. No big deal, I locked back in and answered the rest of them correctly. I’d say I had around 30-40 questions total and averaged around 1.5 seconds per answer.

DLT - This section was easy, just like on the app, and I got maybe 1 wrong. My strategy for this was different than the popular one on the forum. Whatever ear I was targeting, I took the other headphone completely off and only had one source of audio which made it even easier than tilting your head.

Throttle - This section was easy, and I used the rear cockpit simulator on the macOS version of the prep app. It’s not hard to stay on target about 90% of the time, just focus and expect it to quickly change directions.

Stick - This section was easy as well, and I used the rear cockpit simulator to practice. Just follow the target and stay focused. The more accurate you are, the jerkier the target becomes. Just breathe and stay locked on.

S+T - Harder, but not bad. If you practice at home with either the jantzen sim or the RC simulator, you’ll be fine.

S+T+DLT - Even harder, I used the same headphone strategy as I discussed above and did my best to stay on target but I prioritized being accurate on the DLT. I got around 2 wrong.

S+T+Emergency - About as hard as doing the stick, throttle, and dichotic. Write down the emergency procedures on your scratch paper before hand, and preset the knobs. It always goes fire -> engine -> propeller. As soon as I cleared one emergency, I set the knobs for the other and just waited for the voice while staying on target with the stick and throttle.

Terrain ID - This section was easy and I used the app to prepare. I was averaging about 18/20 on the app. I drew a 16-point compass rose on my scratch paper to use as a reference. This section on the actual test was much easier than the app. All my questions had a straight line reference. I just lined it up an turned it clockwise/counterclockwise to get my answer.

Overall, I’m very happy with my score. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit salty that I missed out on auto select by 1 point on my AQR, but I’m ecstatic about an 8 PFAR. My recruiter is also happy with my scores and believes I’ll have no problem getting selected.

I want to thank each and everyone one of you who helped me study for this test, and especially the vets of this forum who take time out of their days to help us newbies out. The gouge on here is fantastic. If you are an aspiring SNA/SNFO…this forum is your one stop shop for acing the ASTB. Thank you for coming to my ted talk :)
HY Well done, and thanks for sharing your tips and experience!

I didn't know there were auto select scores, what do you need to be auto selected?
 

dav246

Well-Known Member
Ladies and Gents, just got out of my first attempt of the ASTB. Scored a 55 6/8/7 60, applying for SNA when I become eligible after this upcoming school year.

I utilized the ASTB Prep App, Barron’s, both Kyle and Gomez’s drives, and various gouge found on the forum. I want to give a shoutout and big thank you to @TwoScoops. Throughout my studying I have had the opportunity to develop a personal relationship with Alex, and his mentorship has been nothing short of amazing.

my breakdown of the test is as follows -

MST: This section was a lot easier than I anticipated. Math is by no means a strong suit for me, and I did 99% of my studying for this section on the app. I encountered questions related to exponents, work, probability, percentages, fractions, geometry, and radicals. I did not see any logs, DRT, systems of equations, or mixture problems but I did prepare for them. I got kicked off this section after about 13-15 questions.

RCT: This section was a lot harder than I expected. I’m very confident in my reading comprehension skills (36 on reading comp on the ACT), but this section wasn’t like any other reading comprehension test I’ve taken. Like others have said, the passages are very mundane, and hard to pay attention to. The answer choices are all very similar, and my strategy was to eliminate the two I knew were wrong, and to pick the one that related most to the passage. I used the app to practice for this section. At the end of the day it’s reading comp, you either get it or you don’t. Reading books definitely helps with success here.

MCT: This section was mediocre in terms of difficult, partly because I prepared for this section least. All my questions were theory based, and I only had to do math for one problem that regarded balancing a lever. I had 3 separate questions about dropping 2 objects varying in mass from the same height and picking which one hit the ground first. I used the Barron’s book to study for this. I would suggest to know newtons laws, and your basic mechanical formulas (work, power, force, MA of various devices.)

ANIT: This section was easy for me. I’m a total nerd when it comes to aviation, but I still prepared using the prep app, barron’s book, and the CRAM flash cards. I had no history questions whatsoever. For me this section included questions about the parts of an airplane and its axes, angle of attack, p-factor, and a couple questions regarding navy ships. I had nothing relating to naval rates, jersey colors, ATC lights, or airspace.

NATFI: This sections sucks. It truly makes you feel like a piece of garage. Just pick the lesser of two evils and get through it. Don’t let it fluster you. Many questions in this section repeat, so try to keep consistency in your answers.

PBM: I was most stressed for this section even after preparing extensively but it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I’m gonna break it down exactly how it went on the test. I purchased an x52 HOTAS to practice with and I’m glad I did as I was comfortable with it during the test.

UAV - Exactly how it is on the app. I drew my basic compass and opted to keep the headphones on. I don’t know exactly how many questions I answered, but I got 3 wrong because the headphones stopped working and I spun myself in a circle. No big deal, I locked back in and answered the rest of them correctly. I’d say I had around 30-40 questions total and averaged around 1.5 seconds per answer.

DLT - This section was easy, just like on the app, and I got maybe 1 wrong. My strategy for this was different than the popular one on the forum. Whatever ear I was targeting, I took the other headphone completely off and only had one source of audio which made it even easier than tilting your head.

Throttle - This section was easy, and I used the rear cockpit simulator on the macOS version of the prep app. It’s not hard to stay on target about 90% of the time, just focus and expect it to quickly change directions.

Stick - This section was easy as well, and I used the rear cockpit simulator to practice. Just follow the target and stay focused. The more accurate you are, the jerkier the target becomes. Just breathe and stay locked on.

S+T - Harder, but not bad. If you practice at home with either the jantzen sim or the RC simulator, you’ll be fine.

S+T+DLT - Even harder, I used the same headphone strategy as I discussed above and did my best to stay on target but I prioritized being accurate on the DLT. I got around 2 wrong.

S+T+Emergency - About as hard as doing the stick, throttle, and dichotic. Write down the emergency procedures on your scratch paper before hand, and preset the knobs. It always goes fire -> engine -> propeller. As soon as I cleared one emergency, I set the knobs for the other and just waited for the voice while staying on target with the stick and throttle.

Terrain ID - This section was easy and I used the app to prepare. I was averaging about 18/20 on the app. I drew a 16-point compass rose on my scratch paper to use as a reference. This section on the actual test was much easier than the app. All my questions had a straight line reference. I just lined it up an turned it clockwise/counterclockwise to get my answer.

Overall, I’m very happy with my score. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit salty that I missed out on auto select by 1 point on my AQR, but I’m ecstatic about an 8 PFAR. My recruiter is also happy with my scores and believes I’ll have no problem getting selected.

I want to thank each and everyone one of you who helped me study for this test, and especially the vets of this forum who take time out of their days to help us newbies out. The gouge on here is fantastic. If you are an aspiring SNA/SNFO…this forum is your one stop shop for acing the ASTB. Thank you for coming to my ted talk :)
Excellent.
 
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