ASTB Version 4...kicked my butt

[C2theT]

Hey guys new to the site, alittle discouraged today. I took the ASTB last night in Albany, NY, took version 4 and was totally surprised with some of the questions. Really quickly I graduated from Fairfield University in May of 2009, with a B.A.S in Management and Minor in Mathematics. I have been pursuing a career as an officer in the navy for a few months now, with little support at home . I'll be honest, I studied minimally just this past week, I just touched up on my math skills and tried to learn some nautical information. I scored a 4,4,4, 45. I know very disappointing, the thing was I have never been a good test taker, my gpa in college was a 3.5 which I am proud of but I never really did well on SATs or the ACT, even after studying more and giving it another shot. My recruiter, MOD EDIT, DO NOT LIST RECRUITER NAMESsays I overall have a strong package to offer, I just need to get my scores up for the board.

I new I didn't do so well on the math because I was unsure with about 25% of the problems, but I "thought," I crushed the reading and mechanical knowledge. I thought I did real well on the spatial appreciation, but towards the end with the nautical and aviation supplemental test I was just guessing.

Like I said, I blame myself, I studied primarily math and some nautical sheets (diagrams of boats and planes, which weren't even on my test lol) minimally. If you guys could provide with some encouragement, maybe some success stories I would really appreciate it. Most importantly, tools to effective studying, I am going to retake the test as of Feb. 5th to try and make the February board. Thanks alot, CT

 

[yakboyslim]

Now you know what the test actually looks like. So you have a better chance on this test.

Don't take this the wrong way, I don't want it to sound like I am an a-hole, but the mathematics part was fairly rudimentary stuff. It may pose a challenge for some, but you have a minor in Mathematics. I would address why you were unsure of 25% of those questions. I'm willing to bet you have seen the material before so something else was at play there.

The nautical and aviation stuff is pure memorization (unless you spend a lot of time around boats or planes) so just get back to memorizing that stuff. The way I looked at it that was the Navy seeing how serious I was about Navy stuff, not at all about how smart I was.

Good luck on your second try. Study up over the course of a month or so, a little each day, and I think you should be fine for a second go.

 

[bob88899]

Well dont get too down on yourself. like yakboy said... you know what it looks like.. you know what to prepare for now.. so cram/study your butt off and kill it this time! What were you using to prepare for the test btw?

 

[OUSOONER]

Keep studying and retry. You're going to be taking quite a few paper tests early on in flight school with quite a bit of pressure. (ie. 50 questions in 50 min with a minimum of 80 to pass) ...I too had test anxiety from time to time but I've learned to control it for the most part.

Also, please take the name of your recruiter out of your email, it is for their privacy. Do not include real names of active duty service members or phone numbers.

Good luck.

- Sooner

 

[Phoenix289]

I also took version 4 for my first and only time and got the scores I wanted. I started to study several months prior to the test despite having a good amount of aviation and nautical knowledge. From what I encountered, I think you should rarely be guessing on that section so start reading the gouge in some of the study guides you can download from links here on AW. All I can suggest is to crack down and study your ass off, even the stuff that seems pretty simple.

 

[C2theT]

Thanks for all the input; Yakboy, the math wasn't hard for me I knew how to compute all the answers it was the time. I found it that I felt so rushed through-out the entire section, and I was giving myself major anxiety. When I had a minute left on the timer, still had 3 to answer and 4 to go back and check. Also, I think it was a bad idea that I took the test after a 3-hour drive, Duh, right. I told my recruiter that I wanted to take it the following day but he insisted I would be okay and most of his applicants take it after the drive. Next time I am definately taking it with a good night's rest, etc.

Bob thanks for the advice as well, to be honest I was alittle bit to cocky, all i used to study was some gouge info downloaded offline, and a sample test. ( at most 8 hours of study time) I just got back from boarders, I bought the ARCO Officer Test & Military Flight books, I was on the fence between arco & barrons. I also also a mechancial and spatial apprecation book that I think I'll go back and purchase next week.

Last thing, and again guys I really do appreciate the advice, I feel like the ARCO books don't really have alot of avation and nautical information, which again killed me on the test, I was just guessing half of the time. Does anyone have anything that they could provide me with, study guide, word documents, avaition and nautical info for idiots....lol

Thanks again, trust me this month aside from my current job is going to be all studying.

 

[mikeszekely]

Hey I just took version 5. This was the second time I took the ASTB. I got a 4/5/5 OAR 43. I got the same exact OAR score the first time I took the version 3 test. Does anyone know if this score will be good enough to get into supply? I don't know if I can afford to wait another 91 days to take the test again.

 

[Scruff]

Guys, the test is possible to beat.

I scored a 46 this first time and I had felt that I studied a fair amount. I was extremely frustrated because I had considered myself a poor standardized test taker and thought that I couldn't improve.
I then decided to really dig down and study like it was my job; more than any college exam I had taken. I took it again after studying about 3 months. I scored a 53 6/7/6. Now those aren't killer scores, but with the improvement of 7 points on the oar I felt like I had accomplished something.

In my opinion you just have to use your study time correctly. Yes, you need to use the ARCO books, marine gouge, barron's etc...but those tools can't be the end all of your studying. Go outside of the box of the standard study guides.

I've said this to others when asked about studying. THIS WEBSITE IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL I USED FOR STUDYING. Not just the recommendations on what to study, but every thread in the ASTB should be read. Use the search button, get general ideas, go find quick study guides on those and take notes. Use youtube and google to find videos of pulleys, circuits and Bernoulli's principle. Get basic algebra study guides and practice those problems over and over. Don't go waste your time reading a high school physics book with hundreds of laws that you will forget by the time you move on to the Aeronautical side of the test.

You will find your answers on this website, not THE answers, but many questions have been asked and answered numerous times.

Just remember it is possible. If I can improve anybody can.

 

[C2theT]

Tlane, I really appreciate the encouragement. I had a 3 hour drive home after the test and all I am saying to myself is "I have no idea how I am possibly going to improve my score, I have no idea what to study, and no new advice." You guys have been a big help, and with the new purchased ARCO books its all in my hands, again anyone with any avaition and nautical information that they found helpful I would greatly appreciate thanks.