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

[randomuser876]

Just took the ASTB and scored a 59 8/8/8. I'll write down some thoughts while it's fresh on the mind.

Math: Harder than expected. A lot of probability, simplifying, and rationals. A few logs. I mostly studied the prep app for this and unfortunately I feel that it did not prepare me.

Reading: Very dry. Was hard for me to focus because I'm pretty sure the water at the testing facility is poisoned (joking) and it made my stomach hurt for most of the OAR portion. Just try to focus and don't drink the water.

Mechanics: SPRINGS. KNOW YOUR SPRINGS. Pulleys too. A few questions on force, work, energy, buoyancy, rotational speed, and circuits.

ANIT: The cram cards and the GT gouge a few pages back are immensely helpful. Study those two things, know basic aerodynamics, and you're golden.

PBM: All of them are exactly like the prep app. I was averaging 1.2s in UAV on prep app and 35% on s&t.

Overall: The GT gouge posted some pages back saved me. Study that, especially for ANIT and MCT. As always, prep app for everything PBM. And do not drink the water at the facility. Take no chances.

 

[Andre12]

I have the stick and throttle working on the Jantzen sim, through antimicro. But I do not know how to map the buttons on the throttle and stick for the hearing part on anti micro.

 

[StrotherBrown]

I am kinda confused how the stick is set up during the PBM. I have been told different things from different people. For instance, is pushing the stick down going down? Or is it that pushing the stick down is up?

Sorry it is a really stupid question but I can't get it out of my head. I just want to make sure I am preparing accordingly.

 

[23brooks23]

I am kinda confused how the stick is set up during the PBM. I have been told different things from different people. For instance, is pushing the stick down going down? Or is it that pushing the stick down is up?

Sorry it is a really stupid question but I can't get it out of my head. I just want to make sure I am preparing accordingly.

When you push the stick forward(away from you) the cross hair will go down, when you pull the stick back (towards you) the cross hair will go up. And left and right are regular so if you push the stick to the left it will go left and vice versa. If you don’t have a joystick to try this my next recommendation is use a controller and put on inverted controls so you can see what it looks like in real time.

 

[TwoScoops]

Warriors,

All ASTB Prep application versions now include a learning mode functionality for the Terrain Identification Test (TI). This feature allows you to study and practice for the TI without any time limits for each question. Furthermore, the average reaction time is now included with the test data for the TI. I am not sure if the ASTB is tracking this for grading purposes with the TI, but nonetheless, it's a data point you guys can use for your proficiency.

Apologies to all my Android users who may have been affected by a bug within the application, which resulted in the application crashing when opening the TI and some other bugs in the TI's learning mode. Those issues have been corrected in version (28), which will be available today or tomorrow. As always, if you have any issues, please get in touch with me.

Recently, during my 1-on-1 coaching sessions, I've been informed that some test-takers are encountering a new subtest. It involves a scenario with a helicopter flying in a specific direction, and the individual is required to choose a direction relative to the helicopter (Or something to that effect). If anyone has any information about this, I would love to discuss it further. This will help me stay ahead of any potential changes to the exam. (Please don't worry too much about this, as it is rare and may not even be graded.)

Happy Studying

Two Scoops,

ASTB Prep (iOS)

‎ASTB Prep

‎The ASTB (Aviation Selection Test Battery) is used by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to select candidates for pilot and flight officer training programs. A shorter version of the ASTB called the Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR) is used by the U.S. Navy to select candidates for...

apps.apple.com

ASTB Prep (Android)

ASTB Prep - Apps on Google Play

OAR & ASTB TEST PREP

play.google.com

 

[cjprime12]

Just took the ASTB for the first time and got 59 7/7/7. I'm an NROTC student with a 3.3 GPA in a tier 2 major. I don't service select for another year so I have plenty of time but I am wondering if it would be a good idea to retake it down the road or just stick with what I got.

 

[Andre12]

Does anyone know which sub parts go with which main part of the ASTB? For instance, is the ANIT a sub part of AQR? I think the stick and throttle PBM is part of PFAR. Is that correct?

 

[23brooks23]

Just took the ASTB for the first time and got 59 7/7/7. I have a 3.3 GPA in a tier 2 major. I don't service select for another year so I have plenty of time but I am wondering if it would be a good idea to retake it down the road or just stick with what I got.

triple 7 is auto select worthy I don't see why you would retake it.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Just took the ASTB for the first time and got 59 7/7/7. I'm an NROTC student with a 3.3 GPA in a tier 2 major. I don't service select for another year so I have plenty of time but I am wondering if it would be a good idea to retake it down the road or just stick with what I got.

I think you will be fine NOT re-taking the ASTB based on your GPA, major, and ASTB scores, but I'd recommend speaking with your Aviation Advisor at the NROTC just to double check.

 

[Prowler35]

Hey everyone I took my first ASTB today and got a 6/7/7. I messed up during the emergency procedures portion of the test because I still thought I was on the practice portion so I know I can do better on it. Anyway, I am having a hard time with the mechanics and math portions of the exam. I have the Barron's ASTB prep book and have utilized other resources, but I feel like I am reading through it and it's not clicking. Does anyone have a suggested resource for a more visual person, I've heard Khan Academy but I wanted to see what the forum thought.

Good Afternoon Everyone! I wanted to say I appreciated all the advice I received from this forum and the resources it has provided! On my second attempt I got a 7/8/8. I wanted to give my two cents on this exam for anyone combing through this forum stressing! The resources in here are extremely helpful especially the math practice sheets and flashcards. I want to say that the biggest help was the ASTB prep app. It truly can be a one stop shop for most of the exam.
The app is the best place to study terrain identification, which is a major part of the PBM section. The practice tests are extremely useful for learning how to time yourself as if you were in the exam.
Overall I think the biggest thing I learned was just putting in the work everyday. You’ll never know exactly what the exam is going to look like but utilizing the practice tests everyday truly made the difference. Its hard to get a feel for how the test is until you’ve taken it and once you have you can move forward on your weak points and hammer those until they’ve become just another thing to review. Don’t forget what you know but don’t focus too heavily. For sections I was confident in I reviewed those daily and worked longer and harder on things I was unsure of.
General tips:
-If you can do the UAV portion without the paper compass do so but if you utilize the compass like I did, poke a pencil through it so you can twist it with one hand and have the other hand free for the mouse to select your answer.
-In the terrain identification, I used a skinny pen on the target map to find a building/river/mass that appeared relative north, then positioned the same object on the reference map of true north, then dragged it down to the compass to find the facing direction.(that sounds confusing but once you try it and figure out what I’m saying, visually, it makes sense)
-Don’t drink too much caffeine before the test and breathe between each section. I found that my hands started shaking during the PBM from a mixture of nerves and caffeine intake, which wasn’t ideal and I powered through. Caffeine definitely didn’t help so I suggest not overdoing it and breathing to slow your heart rate down. When you’re taking the test there’s no point in beating yourself up even more than what the test is already doing to you, just breathe through it and perform your best because you already know what you know and don’t what you don’t.
Anyways once again thank you forum and I wish everyone else luck in their tests! You can do it if you want it bad enough!

 

[FastMiler]

1st Attempt: 6/5/5

2nd Attempt: 8/9/8

Thank you to everyone on the forum for providing advice and resources.

I studied for two weeks, approximately two hours a day, mostly on the ASTB app. Hoping to get selected out of NROTC. Private message me if you need advice.

 

[Mbreitzman]

1st Attempt: 6/5/5

2nd Attempt: 8/9/8

Thank you to everyone on the forum for providing advice and resources.

I studied for two weeks, approximately two hours a day, mostly on the ASTB app. Hoping to get selected out of NROTC. Private message me if you need advice.

Good Afternoon, I am wondering if I can talk to you about some advice. I took the OAR once already almost a month ago and got a score in the lower 30’s . I’ve been studying every day with practice tests and some study guides that I have found as well as using the ASVAB NAVY APP ; and I am still struggling a bit with some math mostly, but my second exam is in a couple of days. I’m just wondering what else I can possibly do if anything to prepare? Thank You

 

[FastMiler]

Good Afternoon, I am wondering if I can talk to you about some advice. I took the OAR once already almost a month ago and got a score in the lower 30’s . I’ve been studying every day with practice tests and some study guides that I have found as well as using the ASVAB NAVY APP ; and I am still struggling a bit with some math mostly, but my second exam is in a couple of days. I’m just wondering what else I can possibly do if anything to prepare? Thank You

You need to understand the basics. Exponent rules, radical rules, working with algebra. Pulleys, levers/torque and electricity is where I would start. Have you checked out the Gomez and Kyle drives?

 

[FastMiler]

Just took the ASTB for the first time and got 59 7/7/7. I'm an NROTC student with a 3.3 GPA in a tier 2 major. I don't service select for another year so I have plenty of time but I am wondering if it would be a good idea to retake it down the road or just stick with what I got.

I would give it another shot honestly, since you're so far out. Would not hurt to give 8s a shot this Spring

 

[MARTY TARTY]

Took my THIRD and FINAL ATTEMPT... put all my eggs in one basket anddd... I PASSED.

49 6/8/7

I want to thank every single one of you guys who have been able to help me and the many insights you guys were able to share to this forum! I will be eternally grateful for every one of you. With that being said;

MST: Do not sleep on Kyle's and Gomez's drives. It will help you out TREMENDOUSLY, and I mean it. Another comment I want to add is that I also highly recommend looking into Duran Learning on Youtube. He helped me with complicated questions like Logs, Probability, etc.. The exam went as expected; the first few were easy, but they were gradually getting hard. Surprisingly I wasn't hit with many Geometry. Only Geometry questions were as simple as a tower measuring in #ft cast a shadow type of questions, and maybe a few found area or volume of a shape, nothing too crazy. Be very comfortable in doing probability questions, especially with a deck of cards.

Reading: I didn't study, but it was very dry and boring. Just try to answer to the best of your ability. My advice is this: Read the answer choices first, then go back to the reading, take apart the sentences, and start doing some elimination process.

Mechanic: Not complicated. I got a lot of pulley questions, torque, and a few definition terms like "what is energy?" and had a few questions about Newton laws. Also, be sure to know how AC current works and how they function, I definitely have a few questions like those.

ANIT: Definitely Recommend https://www.cram.com/flashcards/astb-aviation-nautical-information-test-anit-comprehensive-4718163 It will help out tremendously. Know the airspace very well and the general functions of a plane and its gears. Got maybe 2-3 questions about boats like "what is beam" and "where in an Aircraft Carrier is the Bridge located?" but nothing too hard.

PBM: The ASTB App from TwoScoops is 1000% worth it (you're a living legend). I did not miss a single UAV or Terrain Ident. It was only the Emergency procedure that worried me, but I calmed myself, wrote the procedures down, and was also able to get it right. Get comfortable with the Stick and Throttle, and try to get that crosshair on target!