Hey everyone, been lurking on this site for a couple of weeks while I was studying for the test. I just took it today and got a
53 7/9/8. The reviews on the test throughout this thread were incredibly helpful to me throughout my time studying so I thought I'd write one up myself while it's still fresh in my mind. I want to preface it by saying that anyone can get the scores that they want on this test, it's just about putting in the time and effort that is needed and highlighting your weaknesses so you can focus on them. I'll be applying for the July 8 board for BDCP SNA barring any MEPS issues. I'm 20 years old, graduating from college in May of 2025 with a degree in Data Science for context. I hope to see every aspiring aviator on this thread on that board and fighting for a slot with the scores that you want!
P.S. I only studied for this test for 2 weeks as my recruiter wanted to get the process going as fast as we could. I put EXTENSIVE hours into this test, and I am happy that the results were what I was looking for, but your mileage may vary depending on your strengths and weaknesses, so keep thinking about the "Why" and push as hard as you can to get the scores you want! You all can do this!
MST: In my opinion, it is criminal to put this section first. I was nervous, giddy, and hopped up on the coconut redbull I had consumed 30 minutes before the test (can't tell if it helped or hurt). My Data Science and math background definitely helped me in this section, but I still struggled on a good portion of the problems either because of nerves or because I just hadn't studied the specific concepts. I saw exponent problems, very tedious simplification of polynomials and factoring, a couple geometry problems (one using SOH CAH TOA which I didn't study for at all and guessed on), and one arch length question, that's what I remember specifically. No matrices, no logs, no DRT. This hurt as I spent a good chunk of time brushing up on these skills, but obviously, I'm fine with it now. My guess would be that I saw 14-16 questions, with about 20 minutes left on the timer. Thought I might have bombed it, but moved on and just focused on the next section. I used Barrons, the app by TwoScoops extensively, and both Kyle and Gomez's drive to brush up on the topics for this section.
RCT: This was an interesting one. The passages were short, and my answer bank ranged from 4 answers that seemed like literally not a single one of them was correct, to 1 answer that was verbatim from the passage. The test also crashed once while I was doing this section, but this was resolved by my recruiter pretty quickly, and it started me back up right where I left off. Just go with your gut and make sure anything you choose is either explicitly stated in the passage, or at least has some relevance to the main idea of the passage. I didn't study for this section at all, and it definitely could be why my OAR is a little on the lower end.
MCT: Easier than I expected, got questions on Bernouille's, Boyle's, Charles' Law (I think), and even a question about an airfoil. I knew the ones I knew, and most definitely did not know the ones that I didn't. A couple questions on electrical stuff. One pulley question, one lever question (computation-based). Just read through Kyle's drive and go through the entire syllabus in the app, you'll be alright. This is another one that could be the reason for the 53. I'll link the flashcards I used to study for this section as well.
NATFI: Just relax and answer the one that relates to you most. The answers suck, get used to it, and have a leader mindset.
ANIT: I got lucky, got a bunch of questions that I knew and no history questions I don't believe. Parts of a ship, what the beam measures, one VOR question (which I guessed on) and the rest were pretty easy (basic flight controls). No flight deck jersey colors, nothing related specifically to the Navy if I recall correctly. Flashcards for this part will be linked as well.
PBM:
- UAV: When I say that I will never look at a parking lot the same way again, I mean it. I used the app daily for two weeks, doing at least 10 rounds a day with the rapid-fire setting on. Was averaging 1.3 seconds on the app, think I was probably faster on the test (~1.1 - 1.2). Got one wrong, cried for a second, and then got the rest right. Just do your best and hammer the app like it's going out of style. Also had two instances where the voice didn't read out the direction to click, be prepared and know where it says on the screen where they want you to point. I didn't use the compass trick, did it in my head, if anyone wants to know the method that I used to make it easier on myself please feel free to PM me.
- Dichotic: Just tilt your head in the direction the ear is targeting. Don't sacrifice accuracy to be faster. Used the app to practice a little bit for this.
- Dichotic w/ Stick and Throttle: Focus on listening more than anything, then focus on the controls. Used Jantzen's sim for about 5 days leading up to the test, did 90 second intervals on the hardest setting, was getting around the high to mid 90s by the time the test came around. I used the Thrustmaster Hotas and, while there is a difference between the X52 (which I used during the test), just getting the movement down is what you need. Felt that I was hitting green probably 80-90% of the time on both stick and throttle, and didn't miss any audio calls. Grind the sim like your life depends on it, and the test will feel like you are tracking a baby giraffe that is struggling to walk. I also moved the throttle around constantly, might not have been a big deal, but gave me confidence as that is what I did when I practiced. On that note, have a routine before every PBM section, mine was simply just taking a sip of water before every round and shaking out my arms with a deep breath thrown in. I did it in practice every time, and it helped calm me down during the test.
- Emergency Procedures: Preset the knobs. I did for every one and got rid of the emergencies before the voice even had time to tell me what was going on. I wrote them out, made a tent, and put them in front of the screen. Keep an eye on the trackers, but I would focus more on getting the knobs set and checking the screen for when an emergency light comes on. Don't take my word for what order they are in, but that is what the consensus has been so I took the chance on it.
- Terrain: Probably missed 3 or 4, not really sure, used the pencil trick for this one and practiced using the app a little bit.
One important aspect that was definitely a little frustrating was the fact that I took the test at NTAG Denver, and you could hear just about everything going on outside the room. I didn't bring earplugs, but wish I had. Another odd occurrence, about halfway through RCT my recruiter had another guy start the test on a computer right next to mine. They were talking, and just having someone that close made me a little distracted. Luckily during PBM I was able to block it out, and I couldn't tell if I was annoying him more than he was annoying me haha. Don't let the things you can't control get under your skin. I have linked below the Knowt (Quizlet knockoff that is surprisingly good and FREE) flashcards that I studied EVERY DAY leading up to the test. They're far from comprehensive, and have a little bit of everything for ANIT and MCT, but they were just the things I didn't know and needed to work on. Some of them also could be wrong (Sorry). If anyone wants to edit them or add anything to them, by all means, reach out and I can open up the set so they can be changed. Can't thank this thread enough for the information it has provided, and good luck to all those that are taking the test in the future!
Knowt Link:
https://knowt.com/folder/edb81e26-c7d0-4075-b4bc-54b0e1875b99
Edit: Some of the flashcard sets in the folder are pulled from other places (Cram for example), don't want to take credit for them since whoever made the original set is obviously an amazing human being.
