Hi, I am a rising 1/C NROTC MIDN. I just took my 2nd attempt of the ASTB and got a 6 4 6. From what I understand, this is a competitive score for SNFO, but doesn't meet the minimums for SNA. Should I retake it and make a push for SNA, or should I just leave it and go for SNFO? I feel like I would be happy with either pilot or NFO, but its hard to say. I don't want to get a worse score on the 2nd one(I think its the stick and the mechanics thats giving me a hard time), but I also don't want to give up my shot at SNA. Also, does anyone have any insights on the slots available for SNFO and SNA?
Retake ASTB
- Thread starter Bballfan
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EEBTTF
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What are you doing in terms of preparing for the test? There are a lot of really good guides/materials to help you prepare. I would go ahead and try again if you think you can improve. I am not a pilot, but would encourage you to try again if you want to be a SNA vs SNFO. Best of luck to you!
I have been using a 415 question test bank for the ANIT and a drive provided by our unit. The thing is the pilot section is giving me a hard time due to the stick and throttle section. I am going to try to practice on the online simulator with an actual stick and throttle maybe and try first person shooter games. The mechanics and reading are probably messing up my AQR score.
FastFood44
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Current SNFO here.
In my own opinion, 6/4/6 doesn't seem like a good enough score to leave it to chance by only taking it one time for NFO. Even a 6/5/6 in my opinion would somewhat vastly (sorry I know that phrase is somewhat a contradiction) improve your chances. While I know it can be scary to take it a 2nd time, I would urge you to do more practice on the tests, get a joystick to practice the games and direction part, and then take it again when you feel most comfortable... especially given the time you have during the summer to study when you are not on cruise, before you have to submit preferences at the end of AUG.
If your dream is SNA, I would highly highly recommend you go for the re-take. Of the ~20 or so people I know who have taken the ASTB a second time, 19 out of the 20 have scored higher the second time. The one person who didn't score higher, scored exactly the same. They ended up getting SNFO anyway.
Additionally, talk to your most recently graduated MIDN class, who I suspect will echo exactly what I said.
Best of luck.
In my own opinion, 6/4/6 doesn't seem like a good enough score to leave it to chance by only taking it one time for NFO. Even a 6/5/6 in my opinion would somewhat vastly (sorry I know that phrase is somewhat a contradiction) improve your chances. While I know it can be scary to take it a 2nd time, I would urge you to do more practice on the tests, get a joystick to practice the games and direction part, and then take it again when you feel most comfortable... especially given the time you have during the summer to study when you are not on cruise, before you have to submit preferences at the end of AUG.
If your dream is SNA, I would highly highly recommend you go for the re-take. Of the ~20 or so people I know who have taken the ASTB a second time, 19 out of the 20 have scored higher the second time. The one person who didn't score higher, scored exactly the same. They ended up getting SNFO anyway.
Additionally, talk to your most recently graduated MIDN class, who I suspect will echo exactly what I said.
Best of luck.
Herman_Snerd
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to be candid, I've had some dissonance / a bit of a tug of war internally on whether to engage on this thread, as you'll be competing with our son for one of these coveted slots, and yet after sleeping in it, ultimately we unwaveringly want the best to serve shoulder to shoulder with him and others no matter where in the Navy each of you serves, so with the bigger picture in mind, I'll try to add a couple of details here that you may find useful.
My understanding is that you can take the ASTB up to three times, and that your last score is the one that is kept. Sounds like you took it twice, and have a 6-4-6 score. Sounds like you have one more shot to take this if you want it, and your last score will count only wither you stick with the 6-4-6 or your third try. .
talk with your chain of command/ others who just went through this on whether you are competitive for aviation between the tier of your major, your GPA, your evals, your uncorrected as now sits vision, no DQing color blindness etc. Get an idea of where you stand. A factor you can't control is how many SNA/ NFO selections the navy needs this year.
Recommend you get additional study materials and take mock tests online to confirm you consistently can score higher, and retake it once you can. Make sure by trying to improve you don't knock yourself out of contention for SNFO by lowering your score. Does your university allow you to use the sim for this test at their facility? If so can you plan a couple of days on campus and reserve that sim to get more comfortable with the stick activities? Can anyone mentor you on how to excel? recommend actual acclimation vs substitutes for yoke work, where possible.
Keep your timing in mind - are you commissioning in May of 2023? What is the deadline up to update your packet/ scores/ retake this test? Make sure this will count.
Confirm which scores count for which roles you are pursuing? The ASTB-E has four composite scores: the Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR), the Academic Qualifications Rating (AQR), the Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating (PFAR), and the Flight Officer Aptitude Rating (FOFAR). The OAR is scored from 20 through 80 using one point increments with average scores ranging between 40 and 60.
Student Naval Aviator = AQR + PFAR Scores
Student Naval Flight Officer = AQR + FOFAR Scores
My DS too has a dream to serve in an aviation role - I appreciate the passion you folks have for this. honestly I don't think you'll regret going for it with the preparation in the weeks ahead and before any deadline - I do think you'd regret not going for it by at-least studying and seeing if you can improve mock scores if it doesn't work out. To my understanding, there are many less SNFO slots than SNA slots, in the Navy - so make sure you put your best application forward.
Good luck and hope any parts of the above may help.
My understanding is that you can take the ASTB up to three times, and that your last score is the one that is kept. Sounds like you took it twice, and have a 6-4-6 score. Sounds like you have one more shot to take this if you want it, and your last score will count only wither you stick with the 6-4-6 or your third try. .
talk with your chain of command/ others who just went through this on whether you are competitive for aviation between the tier of your major, your GPA, your evals, your uncorrected as now sits vision, no DQing color blindness etc. Get an idea of where you stand. A factor you can't control is how many SNA/ NFO selections the navy needs this year.
Recommend you get additional study materials and take mock tests online to confirm you consistently can score higher, and retake it once you can. Make sure by trying to improve you don't knock yourself out of contention for SNFO by lowering your score. Does your university allow you to use the sim for this test at their facility? If so can you plan a couple of days on campus and reserve that sim to get more comfortable with the stick activities? Can anyone mentor you on how to excel? recommend actual acclimation vs substitutes for yoke work, where possible.
Keep your timing in mind - are you commissioning in May of 2023? What is the deadline up to update your packet/ scores/ retake this test? Make sure this will count.
Confirm which scores count for which roles you are pursuing? The ASTB-E has four composite scores: the Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR), the Academic Qualifications Rating (AQR), the Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating (PFAR), and the Flight Officer Aptitude Rating (FOFAR). The OAR is scored from 20 through 80 using one point increments with average scores ranging between 40 and 60.
Student Naval Aviator = AQR + PFAR Scores
Student Naval Flight Officer = AQR + FOFAR Scores
My DS too has a dream to serve in an aviation role - I appreciate the passion you folks have for this. honestly I don't think you'll regret going for it with the preparation in the weeks ahead and before any deadline - I do think you'd regret not going for it by at-least studying and seeing if you can improve mock scores if it doesn't work out. To my understanding, there are many less SNFO slots than SNA slots, in the Navy - so make sure you put your best application forward.
Good luck and hope any parts of the above may help.
Thank you very much. That is kind of my logic for wanting to retake it is this score may not be good enough for NFO so I don't want to settle for the minimums. However this will be my third(last) attempt which is why I am not entirely sure what to do. My current plan is to study for it with an actual prep book and practice with the online simulator and resources. It does kind of scare me to have my back against the wall but I am sure whatever career I go into in the navy this won't be the last time.
^ASTB stick and throttle resource made by MIDN a couple years ago. Good luck. You should also read some of the gouge on the AirWarriors forums.
If you PM me I will also provide a google drive with more practice materials.
FastFood44
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Ah I apologize, I thought it was your 2nd attempt, not your third and final one.
Regardless, my thoughts still stand. I would personally take it a third time, though I Much more understand the hesitation now that you are having due to it being your final chance. best of luck.
Hammer the online simulators / games. Will help dramatically.
Thank you very much. I was using the simulator before but now I actually hooked up a joystick to it to get the motion down. Also I don't think I can PM you yet as the system won't let me, do you mind PMing me the materials.
Thank you very much and I appreciate the desire to see us all succeed. It is is obviously very competitive but we are all on the same team regardless of what we service select into! I got a stick and throttle and have been practicing with the ASTB simulator. It's not exactly the same thing but it works to get the motion down. I am commissioning May 2023 and do need to have it done by early August.