Hi everyone! I just took my first ASTB and scored a 64 9/9/9. I’m a 1/c ROTC MIDN with a Tier 3 major trying for an SNA assignment. I wanted to throw in general advice and random tips I don’t recall seeing on recent pages of the forum.
Math: PROBABILITY, simplifying complex expressions, interest rate problems, radicals, and logarithms. The prep app practice tests focused a lot on basic arithmetic and rate problems but less on the abovementioned topics. I did not think it was sufficient – I used Khan Academy and the Gomez file worksheets to practice. Also, know the area of an equilateral triangle bc I almost blanked on it. Most of my studying was just recalling SAT-style math prep. If you get confused simplifying complex expressions, pick random numbers to plug in for the variables, plug the same values into the answer choices, and see which one matches. Similarly, for radicals that you don’t have memorized, raise the answer choices to the same power you’re using to take the root and see which one matches. Don’t skip a question; even if it seems complicated, you most likely know how to work through the problem or at least make an educated guess!
Reading: Pretty straightforward. Pay careful attention to the wording of the answer choices. Avoid choices that use words like “always”/”never”/etc. Read the answer choices before the paragraph so you have a better idea of what to look for.
Mech: USE THESE FLASHCARDS:
ASTB Mechanics Comprehension Questions !! I went through these until I had all of them memorized. SO good for getting the conceptual stuff down. Prep app notes are also great for learning concepts. The practice test on the app had a lot of calculations, but my test seldom had problems that required math – it was almost exclusively conceptual. Most questions can be answered with common sense/intuition, so don’t overthink. Just go with your gut feeling.
^^Keep track of how many questions you have done/have left. It won’t say which question you are on. I thought I would run out of time on the math and started rushing the questions, but ended up having ~5 min to spare.
ANIT: GRIND THE CRAM CARDS AND THE PREP APP UNTIL YOU HAVE EVERYTHING DOWN. Majority of my questions were aviation and not nautical-related. This is rote memorization. You’ll either know the answer or have to make a complete crapshoot guess.
LPSS: Answer as honestly as possible, even if your choice makes you sound like a ****. Pick the one that seems even remotely more likely to pertain to you. Try NOT to game the questions (it tracks consistency in your responses to gauge whether you are being honest), but I tended not to pick answers that said “always” and would instead pick the ones that said “would” or “sometimes.”
PBM: *PUT MOST OF YOUR PREP TIME INTO THESE*
-UAV: DO THE PREP APP PRACTICE ON RAPID FIRE MODE. Do it until you consistently get everything correct with a sub-1-second reaction time. I was averaging 42/42 correct with a reaction time in the low .80s. I only got one incorrect on the test and mostly took 0.9 or 1 second to respond. You’ll be using a mouse, so expect reaction times to be longer than what you have on the app.
-Dichotic Listening: Read the instructions carefully and write down which numbers correspond to which hands/buttons. Tilt your head toward the side of the target ear. I also repeated the target ear inputs out loud. I messed up a handful of times but ended up being fine, so if you hear you've missed a handful, don't freak out.
-Stick/Throttle: USE THE *NEW* JANTZEN SITE:
https://jomo1-1.github.io/ASTB-remade/. *Borrow or buy a stick and throttle to practice.* I practiced on the hardest setting for 3-5 minutes each time and consistently got in the 90s/low-mid 100s. I know others who would use their peripheral vision to play while watching TV or YouTube, and they also scored a 9 for the pilot section. Rip it as often as you are able. Emergency procedures were very straightforward.
-Terrain ID: Draw a compass with all of the cardinal directions. Find a line or landmark you can associate with a direction, then turn the paper to its correct orientation on the righthand picture. The direction pointing directly upwards is the heading. It’s the same trick described in this video:
New ASTB Spatial Appreciation TrickYouTube · Neil Davis2 minutes, 34 secondsDec 28, 2016
If you put in the effort, you will see great results! I truly believe the ASTB reflects a person’s work ethic more than raw intelligence or skill, so work hard and be confident in your abilities. I was grinding for ~2.5 weeks straight and don’t regret an ounce of the effort I put in!! Lean on this forum and any peers you know who have also taken the exam. Good luck; y’all got this!