Overview
The Aviation Selection Test Battery, Series E (ASTB-E) is the main test the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard use to choose applicants for pilot and flight officer training. It is run by the Operational Psychology Department of the Navy Medicine Operational Training Command (NMOTC) in Pensacola, Florida. Part of the battery, the Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR), is also used by the Navy to select candidates for Officer Candidate School (OCS) in non-aviation communities.
Who can apply
Anyone applying to a Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard officer aviation programme takes the full ASTB-E. Applicants to other officer programmes, such as Navy OCS, may only need the OAR portion. Your recruiter or programme administrator tells you which one you need.
Exam pattern
The full battery has six subtests. The first three together make up the OAR.
| Subtest | Part of OAR | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Math Skills Test (MST) | Yes | Solving equations and word problems in arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis |
| Reading Comprehension Test (RCT) | Yes | Drawing information and logical conclusions from text passages |
| Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT) | Yes | Understanding physical relationships and solving practical mechanical problems |
| Aviation and Nautical Information Test (ANIT) | No | Knowledge of naval and aviation terms and concepts |
| Naval Aviation Trait Facet Inventory (NATFI) | No | Personality traits linked to success in aviation |
| Performance Based Measures Battery (PBM) | No | Spatial orientation, dichotic listening, stick-and-throttle tracking and multitasking |
The MST, RCT, MCT, ANIT and NATFI are computer adaptive and delivered online through a system called APEX. Each question you get depends on how you answered the previous ones, so you cannot skip questions or go back to change an answer.
The full ASTB-E takes from about 2 hours to 3 hours 15 minutes. The OAR alone takes about 1 to 2 hours. The test is given in English only, and calculators are not allowed; the formulas you need are provided along with scrap paper.
Syllabus
Math Skills Test. Arithmetic and algebra with some geometry, as both equations and word problems: solving for variables, fractions, roots, exponents, time and distance, simple probability, and angles, areas and perimeters of shapes.
Reading Comprehension Test. Each item asks which answer option can be inferred from the passage alone. Wrong options may look true, but only one follows strictly from the text.
Mechanical Comprehension Test. Introductory high school physics applied to practical situations: properties of gases and liquids and how they affect pressure, volume and velocity, engine components, electricity, gears, weight distribution, and simple machines such as pulleys and levers.
Aviation and Nautical Information Test. Aviation history, nautical terms and procedures, aircraft components, basic aerodynamics, and flight rules and regulations. NMOTC notes this is the subtest that improves most with study, because it tests knowledge rather than aptitude.
Naval Aviation Trait Facet Inventory. You see pairs of statements about how you feel, think or act, and pick the one that describes you better. There is nothing to study; answer honestly.
Performance Based Measures Battery. Directional orientation problems, listening tasks, and tracking tasks using a stick-and-throttle set, some done at the same time.
Marking and results
Candidates who take only the OAR get one score. Those who take the full battery get four:
| Score | What it predicts | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Officer Aptitude Rating (OAR) | Academic performance in Navy OCS | 20 to 80 |
| Academic Qualifications Rating (AQR) | Academic performance in Aviation Preflight Indoctrination and primary ground school | Stanine 1 to 9 |
| Pilot Flight Aptitude Rating (PFAR) | Primary flight performance for Student Naval Aviators | Stanine 1 to 9 |
| Flight Officer Aptitude Rating (FOFAR) | Primary flight performance for Student Naval Flight Officers | Stanine 1 to 9 |
Pilot selection uses AQR and PFAR; flight officer selection uses AQR and FOFAR. Most examinees score between 40 and 60 on the OAR. The scoring formulas are not published, but they are compensatory, so a weak subtest can be offset by a strong one.
On the adaptive subtests, leaving too many questions unanswered when time runs out can bring a score penalty, and the penalty grows with the number left. NMOTC advises against random guessing at the end, as it usually hurts more than the penalty.
Minimum scores differ by programme and service. They are set in Navy Personnel Command Program Authorizations 106 and 107 and Marine Corps Order 1542.1I.
Fees
There is no charge to take the ASTB-E.
How to apply
The test is given at more than 250 registered sites worldwide, commonly Navy officer recruiting stations, NROTC units at universities, Marine Corps Officer Selection Offices and military institutes. You schedule the test with the site where you will sit it. Bring photo ID (such as a driver's licence, military ID or passport) and proof of your Social Security number. Phones, smart watches and other electronic devices, and bags, are not allowed in the testing room.
After the exam
Scores appear as soon as all six subtests are finished, or as soon as the OAR is finished if you take only that part. Score letters can be requested from NMOTC by email.
You get at most three attempts at the ASTB-E. Attempts at the old ASTB Forms 1 to 5 do not count towards this limit. A retest is allowed only after 30 full calendar days have passed since you completed the previous full administration, and this gap cannot be waived. A retest means taking the whole battery again, and your most recent attempt becomes your score of record even if earlier scores were higher. Testing under a false name or Social Security number invalidates the scores and still counts as one of your three attempts.
Preparation tips
Put the most study time into the ANIT, since background knowledge of aviation and seamanship raises that score most directly; FAA and civilian flight handbooks and basic navigation and seamanship manuals cover the ground. Practise mental arithmetic without a calculator for the MST. For the PBM, practising mental rotation problems and using flight simulator software can help. Because your latest attempt replaces all earlier scores, only retest when you are confident of doing better.
How many times can I take the ASTB-E?
Three times in total, with at least 30 full calendar days between finishing one full attempt and starting the next.
Do I need the full ASTB-E or only the OAR?
Aviation applicants take the full battery. Applicants to other officer programmes, such as Navy OCS, may only need the OAR, which is the Math Skills, Reading Comprehension and Mechanical Comprehension subtests.
If my retest score is lower, can I keep my old score?
No. Your most recent attempt becomes your score of record and replaces all earlier scores, even higher ones.
Can I use a calculator?
No. Questions are designed to be solved by hand, and relevant formulas and scrap paper are provided.