ASTB - Prep/Study Guide feedback

[Lauren Valdez]

So I recently took the ASTB on Monday and thought I would post my thoughts and results to help others. My score was 48/4/5/5. I actually thought I did worse than I did but I'm surprised.

Math: The majority of my test was on probability and percentages. I had one order of operations question and a few square root questions. Pretty easy stuff

Reading: It was pretty straight forward like the books but the difficult part is reading the passages and all the responses in the time alotted. I am not a computer taker and I kept having to reread my passages which is why I believe I screwed up this part. For the most part they give you two answers that are completely wrong and the other two you have to choose which is best. Pay close attention to detail. They like to put the sentences word for word except will change one word on you to confuse you. So read and pay close attention.

Mechanical: There were a lot of info about circuits and just random knowledge that either you know or don't know. In my opinion its just a bunch of random facts that you can't really study for. Buy know about pulley's. I know there was at least one question on that.

Aviation/Nautical: Pretty straight forward. I had a lot of history on mine, and a lot of boat info as far as starboard vs port and the color of the lights on the ships and runway.

The other portions, PAY ATTENTION TO THE INSTRUCTIONS! I cannot stress this enough. I messed up on the listening portion by accidently pressing the trigger and having to guess at what to do when they started sounding off random letters and numbers in my ears. Just read the instructions and try your best on all the parts. They are difficult. Just focus. On the sound part, tilt your head when they say right/left. It helps with the focus. When they want you to move both airplanes focus in the middle of the screen. It helps to see both planes.

I used the notecards on Proproffs. That was the biggest help, and for the math Khan Academy was great. None of the books were big helps for me. But going back and looking at the notecards on proproffs, all of the questions asked were on there. Hope this helps.

 

[Will Shanle]

These are what I used. Get your reaction times down under 2 seconds. I also drew a compass on a sheet of paper with the parking lots on it, and then I would rotate it to fit the map shown so I was able to identify the correct lot almost instantly.

Were you allowed to use your self drawn compass on the test, or did you just use that for practice?

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

Nope you're allowed to use it on the test. They give you scratch paper and pencils so I just drew mine before I started the UAV portion.

 

[mb1685]

The scratch paper is a lifesaver. Be sure to write down your emergency procedures on it when you get the instructions (and write down with knobs on your throttle correspond to power and fuel, and maybe even which direction of travel corresponds to an increase or decrease since one of the axes was reversed for me). Plus, as soon as the ASTB started, I started writing down a bunch of random aviation facts, physics formulas, etc. that were floating around in my head but weren't quite in my long term memory. I ended up not needing any of them but it didn't hurt.

 

[Mo_Avi]

So I recently took the ASTB on Monday and thought I would post my thoughts and results to help others. My score was 48/4/5/5. I actually thought I did worse than I did but I'm surprised.

Math: The majority of my test was on probability and percentages. I had one order of operations question and a few square root questions. Pretty easy stuff

Reading: It was pretty straight forward like the books but the difficult part is reading the passages and all the responses in the time alotted. I am not a computer taker and I kept having to reread my passages which is why I believe I screwed up this part. For the most part they give you two answers that are completely wrong and the other two you have to choose which is best. Pay close attention to detail. They like to put the sentences word for word except will change one word on you to confuse you. So read and pay close attention.

Mechanical: There were a lot of info about circuits and just random knowledge that either you know or don't know. In my opinion its just a bunch of random facts that you can't really study for. Buy know about pulley's. I know there was at least one question on that.

Aviation/Nautical: Pretty straight forward. I had a lot of history on mine, and a lot of boat info as far as starboard vs port and the color of the lights on the ships and runway.

The other portions, PAY ATTENTION TO THE INSTRUCTIONS! I cannot stress this enough. I messed up on the listening portion by accidently pressing the trigger and having to guess at what to do when they started sounding off random letters and numbers in my ears. Just read the instructions and try your best on all the parts. They are difficult. Just focus. On the sound part, tilt your head when they say right/left. It helps with the focus. When they want you to move both airplanes focus in the middle of the screen. It helps to see both planes.

I used the notecards on Proproffs. That was the biggest help, and for the math Khan Academy was great. None of the books were big helps for me. But going back and looking at the notecards on proproffs, all of the questions asked were on there. Hope this helps.

Hey Lauren Thanks for the info. Your score will definitely go up the next time you take it. It sounds like your on the right path. Im preparing to retake it also. Im using GRE study material for the math and reading, and Ive picked up a barons mechanical book for the mechanical in addition to YouTube and khan Academy too. Ive also run into these cards for the ANIT section. Its on cram.com. Heres the link. http://www.cram.com/flashcards/astb-aviation-nautical-information-test-anit-comprehensive-4718163
Would you or anyone else for that matter be able to take a look through some of these flash cards. Is it stuff you've seen on the test. I took the test back in Jan and my memory is a bit fuzzy of what was on it. But these cards seem to be on the right path. Let me know if you think they're good and worth studying.
Best of luck.
Mo

 

[Mo_Avi]

These are what I used. Get your reaction times down under 2 seconds. I also drew a compass on a sheet of paper with the parking lots on it, and then I would rotate it to fit the map shown so I was able to identify the correct lot almost instantly.

This is definitely RePost worthy... For anyone struggling with the PBM UAV Spatial orientation. Thanks @Hopeful Hoya
FYI horizontal or vertical vector arrow is indicative of your direction. If it says target the north parking lot and it shows arrow pointing down your heading south and there for the first parking lot you would see would be the north. Thus north parking lot is the "up" one.
The slanted vectors are a little trickier: But i figured out a neat trick:
The lower parking lots will always be the first ones you see. look at the left and right side of the arrows.
Then match which ever side of the arrow to the side of the parking lot...
Confused; i know... sorry. Ill try to explain better through an example.

Page 8 of 16. the vector is heading south west.
The first parking lots I should see will be north and east. If I look to the right hand side of the vector it thats where north is. the left hand side of the vector is south. So looking at the parking lots image; I know the north parking lot is on the right as it corresponds with the right sir of the vector. The problem question is to "Target the west parking lot. If i know north is lower right then i know west is upper right.
Be mindful that on the ASTB the voice in the headphones says "Image the x parking lot"... so verbal might be something to get used to.
Best of luck everyone...
Mo

 

[BPeterson93]

Retaking my test in several days, first time I scored 5.5.5/53 OAR. I am looking for a SNA spot. What should I be walking away with in terms of scores to be competitive during selection?

 

[ea6bflyr]

Retaking my test in several days, first time I scored 5.5.5/53 OAR. I am looking for a SNA spot. What should I be walking away with in terms of scores to be competitive during selection?

Since we know nothing about you (Major, GPA, extra-curriculars, etc), it's hard to make a recommendation. What did your OR say? As a general rule of thumb, you should be aiming for something over 7 but less than 10.

 

[BPeterson93]

Since we know nothing about you (Major, GPA, extra-curriculars, etc), it's hard to make a recommendation. What did your OR say? As a general rule of thumb, you should be aiming for something over 7 but less than 10.

BA in Psych
BS in Sociology
3.5 GPA
Philanthropy Chair, Vice Pres. and President of Fraternity (at given times), Vice President of National Leadership Society, Inducted into 3 Honor Societies, Director of Major Events for Campus Entertainment, Student Senator

I haven't had much luck with my Recruiting Officers, had to transfer my application to a different District. So it's a little haphazard getting in touch with people sometimes.

 

[brandon crane]

I have been studying for the astb for about a month now and have been using books and study guides i have fround from here.. I seem to be getting it, but its like I have been memorizing everything, which i suppose is good but math is gunna kill me. My highest hope is the aviation side as I am a commercial multiengine pilot with an instrtument rating.. I am really trying to find some practive tests here or online and cant seem to find any. So if there are any out there it would help me a ton

 

[0311Grunt]

I have been studying for the astb for about a month now and have been using books and study guides i have fround from here.. I seem to be getting it, but its like I have been memorizing everything, which i suppose is good but math is gunna kill me. My highest hope is the aviation side as I am a commercial multiengine pilot with an instrtument rating.. I am really trying to find some practive tests here or online and cant seem to find any. So if there are any out there it would help me a ton

Hey bro what i highly recommend is to order the ARCO GRE/GMAT book its like $10 on Amazon. If you sit down and master that book the math will be easy on the ASTB for you.

 

[0311Grunt]

BA in Psych
BS in Sociology
3.5 GPA
Philanthropy Chair, Vice Pres. and President of Fraternity (at given times), Vice President of National Leadership Society, Inducted into 3 Honor Societies, Director of Major Events for Campus Entertainment, Student Senator

I haven't had much luck with my Recruiting Officers, had to transfer my application to a different District. So it's a little haphazard getting in touch with people sometimes.

Im prior enlisted and the recruiters are all over you helping you get in. OSO not so much i usually have to stay on top of mine about my progress. so keep hounding them.

 

[Skywalker]

I took the ASTB just a few days ago, first try, and got by fine just by using Barron's Military Flight Aptitude test study guide. The study guide got me through the OAR, and incidentally I think my brief stint as a musician helped me with the PBM portion - the key there is the ability to multitask.

 

[0311Grunt]

I took the ASTB just a few days ago, first try, and got by fine just by using Barron's Military Flight Aptitude test study guide. The study guide got me through the OAR, and incidentally I think my brief stint as a musician helped me with the PBM portion - the key there is the ability to multitask.

I have that book. I take it this Wednesday. Im feeling good about it.

 

[jpu]

I was wondering if anybody has taken the test lately, if so what is the best material to study with? Any tricks on how to control both airplanes at the same time? I took the ASTB, a couple of days ago but I did terrible. Any info will help, thank you.