How's 2014 look? / New ASTB question

[sundown88]

You got a 63, and you're whining & beating yourself on the head over it??? Priceless! Not very much help to others...
BzB

I don't think @navy2014 is whining per say... I believe he just thinks he could have done a whole lot better, which is always true. I admire those who shoot for the best.

V/r,

Sundown88

 

[navy2014]

Yeah, sorry, not how I meant it to come off. Was just rambling about my experience taking it, where I assumed the OAR portion was still formatted the same. I wasn't even going to mention my score. Just thought that having taken the ASTB-E was interesting enough to come back to this site and say so. As far as not being "helpful to others," I'd answer any questions about the experience, but now that I look around the ASTB board here, there's probably nothing I'm allowed to say that you don't already know.

 

[navy2014]

I don't think @navy2014 is whining per say... I believe he just thinks he could have done a whole lot better, which is always true. I admire those who shoot for the best.

V/r,

Sundown88

Good luck on January 23rd.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Yes, I took it. I got a 63 on the OAR, but know I would do better if I took it again today now that I know that it's a progressive test and not as much of a race against time. That said, that was information I easily could have found before taking it, I just didn't, and I don't think I'm going to be in the mood to take it again in 90 days. I don't have my other scores from it yet--I guess I can update when I get them.

Congrats. While I know it was an adaptive test and you feel like you got your butt handed to you, please take some time to recall what study aids were helpful and not-so helpful for others to learn from your experience.

I believe you are elgible in 31 days from 1st test to 2nd test. Between 2nd & 3rd, it is 91.

Have a cold frosty beverage and celebrate the completion of one of many milestones. Again congrats!

 

[navy2014]

Thanks. I also thought the first retest was after 30 days, but both the test itself and the LT administering it told me 90. For the record, after reading some more threads here, I am not going to retake it. I didn't really have a good grasp of what the typical score range was when I took it.

Anyway, things that helped me... well, my preparation was the Peterson's Armed Forces Officer test book, and this website: http://manlypat.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/astb_study_guide.pdf

The Peterson's book isn't just for the ASTB, and it's not helpful at all. I wasn't even sure if the practice questions were relevant for the ASTB instead of the other officer tests. I wouldn't go that route. Buying a prep book was just the first thing I decided to do.

I wasn't concerned about the reading section, it's always been my strong suit. I'm honestly not sure how a person would study for that, and I don't think the sources I mentioned would be helpful. So, my concerns were math and mechanics. I just spent a couple of nights with the information in the PDF I linked and learned how to do math again, and learned the mechanics that were included in that PDF.

Results: I re-learned math well enough to get any normal problem right. Of course, with the progressive test, stuff got pretty insane, so I'm sure I missed some of those. What I thought was the problem was that I couldn't do the math fast enough. However, the new test isn't a time crunch--but the test itself doesn't tell you how many questions there are, and you can't go back, so I thought it was a time crunch and abandoned questions I didn't think I could get in 50 seconds with lots of time left. Don't do that! You have tons of time now.

Mechanics--that packet just isn't enough. There must be a lot more material out there.

 

[BusyBee604]

I don't think @navy2014 is whining per say... I believe he just thinks he could have done a whole lot better, which is always true. I admire those who shoot for the best.

Yeah, I might have been a bit strong, but put yourself in the shoes of the many applicants here stuck with borderline to average AORs (40-50ish), reading about a fellow applicant rockin' a 63, and wishing for a 'mulligan' on a score that most would be out celebrating. It's sometimes, the little consideration of others that makes great Ship/Squadronmates, 'nuf said!

Yeah, sorry, not how I meant it to come off. Was just rambling about my experience taking it, where I assumed the OAR portion was still formatted the same. I wasn't even going to mention my score. Just thought that having taken the ASTB-E was interesting enough to come back to this site and say so. As far as not being "helpful to others," I'd answer any questions about the experience, but now that I look around the ASTB board here, there's probably nothing I'm allowed to say that you don't already know.

Dear navy2014, no harm, no foul... come home, all is forgiven!
BzB

 

[sundown88]

Good luck on January 23rd.

Thanks bro.

V/r,

Sundown88

 

[sundown88]

Thanks. I also thought the first retest was after 30 days, but both the test itself and the LT administering it told me 90. For the record, after reading some more threads here, I am not going to retake it. I didn't really have a good grasp of what the typical score range was when I took it.

Anyway, things that helped me... well, my preparation was the Peterson's Armed Forces Officer test book, and this website: http://manlypat.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/astb_study_guide.pdf

The Peterson's book isn't just for the ASTB, and it's not helpful at all. I wasn't even sure if the practice questions were relevant for the ASTB instead of the other officer tests. I wouldn't go that route. Buying a prep book was just the first thing I decided to do.

I wasn't concerned about the reading section, it's always been my strong suit. I'm honestly not sure how a person would study for that, and I don't think the sources I mentioned would be helpful. So, my concerns were math and mechanics. I just spent a couple of nights with the information in the PDF I linked and learned how to do math again, and learned the mechanics that were included in that PDF.

Results: I re-learned math well enough to get any normal problem right. Of course, with the progressive test, stuff got pretty insane, so I'm sure I missed some of those. What I thought was the problem was that I couldn't do the math fast enough. However, the new test isn't a time crunch--but the test itself doesn't tell you how many questions there are, and you can't go back, so I thought it was a time crunch and abandoned questions I didn't think I could get in 50 seconds with lots of time left. Don't do that! You have tons of time now.

Mechanics--that packet just isn't enough. There must be a lot more material out there.

And thank you for this. After buying the new ASTB-E Study Guide (http://www.amazon.com/ASTB-E-Study-Guide-Practice-Questions/dp/0989818888), which I HIGHLY discourage anyone to buy (i.e. there are absolutely NO PRACTICE TESTS in the guide), I finally realize I need to just relax, study the basics, and take the damn test.

V/r,

Sundown88

 

[Dzien]

Speapking of profile strength at a glance, I made a 57 on my OAR, graduated with a Bachelor's in psychology with a 3.4 overall GPA, however I have a DUI, so there is a fair hurdle to clear...for all I know I am non-competitive.