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I took the OAR about 6 months ago.

The math section is comparable to what you'd see on the SAT or ACT, consisting of lots of algebra and some harder concepts such as complex exponents, logarithms, and matrices. These harder concepts each had only one or two questions. Practice your basic math skills, such as multiplication and long division, as you are not permitted a calculator.

The mechanical section consisted mostly of high school physics and engineering ideas, such as simple machines (levers, pulleys, mechanical advantage). There were some electricity and circuit questions as well.

The reading comprehension section, as I recall, asked questions like "What does this word mean in this sentence?" and "Which option best fits the meaning of the paragraph?" This section seemed straightforward.

I purchased the book below to study with, but after taking the test I felt like the questions in the book weren't very representative of the ones on the test. The math section of the book was a helpful review.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1516700465

I looked at some of your proprofs questions; they seem very similar to the questions I saw on the test.

I should note that I got a 62 on the OAR, which is a pretty high score (I believe average is 50-55; don't remember exactly), so you may see harder concepts if you do better than me, or easier concepts if you don't do as well.

Good luck!

Talk to your recruiter as soon as possible if you want to get going sooner, I dep'd in February this year and I won't be shipping until October 22nd. On average you'll be waiting around 6 months.

Also, get the ASVAB study guide book by Barron's. I didn't do anything extra aside from reading that study guide cover to cover and I scored a 96. If you don't think you need it, you probably do need it. I feel as though if I hadn't studied that book I would have missed so much on the ASVAB. I'm really book-smart, so the math, english, and science parts all came easy to me naturally. I pulled out that book and learned everything from electron flow theory to Automotive engineering. Trust me. Best $20 I have ever spent!

Have a general idea of what you would like to be in the navy, and do some studying on all the rates in general so you know what rate you'll be signing up for when you get to MEPS.

The physical qualifications are something that can wait until you are in the DEP pool. You'll have plenty of time to get to those physical standards before you even LEAVE for RTC. 1.5 miles may seem daunting, but just get out there and do it everyday. Even if you can't finish it without stopping, take note of where you are dying out and try to run longer next time. You'll watch yourself improve and you will feel mentally accomplished as well as physically.

Good luck to you!

No. I was a SWO for seven years. I hated 95% of my day. Most of your time is spent in a shipyard with random BS that wastes your time because your boss doesn't know what he's doing; say goodbye to seeing the world because you'll be seeing mostly water. Also, if you're good at doing your work, then you get to do everyone else's work if they suck at it. Have fun getting to the ship at 6:30 in the morning and leaving well after 7 every day. Say goodbye to half of your Saturdays.

Underway, have fun going 5 knots in a circle. Oh, and you're not allowed to make a decision for yourself for the first 15 years or so. I still have nightmares about that floating grey prison. Oh, yeah, you're looking at about five uninterrupted hours of sleep on average. My record was 94 hours awake. Also, make sure not to crash the ship when you can't remember your own name due to exhaustion. Read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Assumed-Watch-Moored-as-Before/dp/1441567275. Don't go SWO.

After your first few years you can laterally transfer. Getting out of SWO is easy, getting into a different community may not be. I managed to, and I love my new job. But why not start somewhere that isn't literally the worst community?

How many people leave SWO? Well, there are about 20 SWOs at the first level, 5 at the next level, and 2 at the next, so you tell me. And that next level comes with a $100,000 bonus, plus free medical, housing, a retirement plan, and a six-figure salary. So, yeah, well over half of SWOs don't think another three years on a ship is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

TL;DR at the end.

According to the study book I used here, the math section plays a heavy role in the calculation of a lot of your ASTB scores, especially the OAR sections. So definitely work that area heavily for your retake.

When I took the test, I did some light study about two weeks in advance of my date and scored 68 8/7/8. Honestly, I think going into the test environment calm and well-rested is as crucial as being well-versed in the material, which can be pretty broad. I took my exam at 1000, late November of 2018.

For the kind of math you get on this test, drilling-and-killing is the order of the day once you understand the nature of the problem. For any questions you don’t fundamentally understand, spend a bit of time during your practice sessions deconstructing a problem or two so you can really probe it and figure it out.

For example, the colored ball problem you listed is a combinatorial probability problem where we have choice without replacement. You’re basically counting how many things you have and comparing that to your item of interest. Differentiating between choice with and without replacement is crucial to probability problems like that one.

As for reading, I agree: all the Navy excerpts caught me off-guard as I had assumed I’d have a bunch of random SAT-style passages. I felt this area dicked my OAR score a bit because of my poor assumption.

I got lucky with mechanical and naval/aviation history in that they didn’t ask any obscure questions, except for one question about super conducting in the Mech section, lol.

I’d never touched a flight simulator or program in my life before the ASTB, so I feel like I just grabbed my ankles and hoped for the best on that section; very chaotic. I have no idea how much simulator software helps in preparation.

TL;DR Focus on math, then reading, and go into the test environment calm, fed, and well-rested. Khan Academy is your friend! You’ve got this!

This helped me IMMENSELY. It involves a bit of work, and I wouldn't be able to explain it here as well as the Author.

Read: Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown.

I've read it, and it has changed everything!

The whole "repetition, repetition, repetition" method is simply mundane. I mean... let's be honest, if your trying to remember your General Orders, you've tried that method. It didn't work, and now someone came on with a bit of pep, and a little push of motivation to get you to do what you already know doesnt work. At least, not very well.

Reading this book could very well be the best thing you will have done for yourself.

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning https://www.amazon.com/dp/0674729013/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GtPTDbE7K8A66

Not sure how to make a link using Mobile..

Good luck OP

GED is fine as long as your ASVAB score is high enough. My roommate in IT A school joined when he was 26 to become a SEAL and he was in class 234 (the one the discovery channel did the documentary on) He made it and the last time I saw him was in Bahrain in 2005.

I have a few friends that I made while I was in that served in and around the TEAMS and they actually say THIS is a pretty good book to read and review prior to showing up. There are also some great books by Dick Couch called The Warrior Elite and Finishing School that give some great insight.

The BIGGEST thing is this... you must figure out and answer one question above all others. Do you really want to be a SEAL and be part of that brotherhood and do the job... or do you want to wear the trident and be known as a SEAL? Tons of people want the trident and not the job. If this is you then don't waste your time and effort.

I took it back in 2013, and if I remember right I used this book to help study for it:

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Military-Flight-Aptitude-Tests/dp/0768936055

As I recall the practice ASTB test in it contained a good amount of the questions that showed the view from the cockpit and from that you had to determine the orientation of the plane.

Also it had a pretty fair amount of the naval history/flight rules questions that you find on the test. A combination of that book as well as the gouge packet that's posted up in airwarriors helped me to get a pretty good score.

Nope, you are issued some there (called go slowers). I second what the others have said; good socks, towel, toiletries, and some broken in running shoes. Underwear does not matter in color or form. Just be sure and bring at least one or two pairs of white since you will have to wear whites at some point probably and they are see through.

Some things others have not mentioned:

• Laundry Detergent (tide pods work great)
  
• Stamps, if you want to send letters home
  
• Multivitamins (only sweet thing you will get for a while)
  
• Wristwatch, cheap will work fine, but make sure it has a good alarm
  
• One of these. It will make your life easier come inspection time
  
  Things that you will read online that you will not need:
  
  
• Tape
  
• Nail polish
  
• Tons of extra clothing items
  
• Lighter
  
  I'll add to this list as I remember stuff. If you have any specific items you're thinking of feel free to ask.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1506203159/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the book I used and it was soooo beneficial to me. It covers each section you will find on the ASVAB in terms that are easy to understand. There are flashcards for each section that are great for on the go. I would cycle through them at work, in a boring lecture, or whenever I had free time.

Before I had this book I took a practice test online and scored very similar to you. After studying for about a month (admittedly, I was half assed about studying) I took the Picat and scored an 88/99. I qualify for any job I want and I am very happy about this.

You can do it! Make up your mind to do it and you will be successful. There are always going be stressful times where you want to give up, especially in boot camp. You just have to find a way to separate those negative thoughts, and get through it.

ive been in for about a half a year now and the most important thing i can tell you is study well on what rate you want and in taking the asvab study for the parts that are relevant in your possibility in qualifying for that rate. I pretty much knew i wanted to be an engineer after studying rates for a while and in studying for the test i paid the most attention to the mechanical portions of my study guides. As far as getting in shape for bootcamp all i did was run a mile and a half at least every other day, if you play any sports and hydrate before youll be fine. BOOTCAMP IS MENTAL in saying that i had alot of fun while there. MY study guide was asvab for dummies, i got a 70 (not bad considering i clicked away after about an hour) u need over a 50 for a decent job 90+ for nukes i believe but the portions do matter
http://www.amazon.com/ASVAB-For-Dummies-Rod-Powers/dp/0470637609
btw im a machinist mate
good luck

I highly suggest getting the currently up to date Kaplan ASVAB study guide. I believe theres a 2015 version that's going to be released within a month or so.

I was in a similar situation, bought this book and studied like a madman for two weeks and pulled off an AFQT of 95. I also used Kahn Academy to "re-master" my basic arithmetic and to brush up on my algebra.

What makes Kaplan so good is that it'll help you overshoot the ASVAB, as the practice tests they give you are much more difficult than the actual test.

Hope that helps, and good luck.

You could read Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, about the battle of Leyte Gulf in WWII. It's not at all reflective of the current navy, but can give you an idea of what "driving and fighting the ship" means historically, as that's the job of SWOs.

Definitely do all you can to memorize the things you mentioned, as any leg up on that will save you some pain later on.

If you have any means by which to learn navigation and plotting a course, that could also make your life easier in the middle stages of OCS. It's all on paper, so maybe reading up on some of the fundamentals will help you. And I have no idea how you'd go about doing so, but if you can find a way to practice doing mo-boards (motion boards), I'd recommend it. I'm not mathematically inclined, so I found it difficult, whereas the folks in my class with math/engineering backgrounds seemed to take to it very easily.

Oh, and learning the Rules of the Road will help you, too. There will be some testing on it in some of the later classes, and you'll definitely need to know them for SWOS after you commission.

Edit: I forgot, there's no more SWOS after commissioning. It's called BDOC now, and may or may not happen right after you finish OCS. At any rate, it's stuff you'll need to know.

The shoes are fine. I had these shoes and had no problems. Yes you can have inserts. I had superfeet in my running shoes and it felt great. I recommend buying some for the boots too. I would recommend white undershirts, as the ones they issue are shit. Lots of underwear. Color only matters when wearing whites, other than that wear whatever (I would stick to black or grey just to be safe though). Cell phone is a must. Laptop is nice for candio phase, but not necessary. Bring at least 3 weeks worth of hygiene stuff. Acne stuff will probably be fine, just keep it with the hygiene stuff. Flashlight isn't necessary. Nail polish will probably be taken but you can try. Batteries aren't needed. Flash cards may or may not be taken. Any kind of over the counter meds (advil, caffeine, etc) will be taken. Multivitamins should be fine.

Your compliment means a ton to me! I have actually got a ASVAB study book by kaplan college (http://amzn.to/29gRybb). I did not study as much as i wanted to since i had to focus on graduating HS but now i graduated, I have time off and will be putting my heart and soul into it!

It wasn't all that bad, you just have to think about it logically and pay VERY close attention. If you want a good study guide I would recommend: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KMHFXCQ/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o01_?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The study guide says that you get to hear each audio twice, when in reality you only hear it once. Read the book, and have a partner help you with the practice and you will have some idea what you are getting into.

Kaplan has a study guide that helped me improve my score. I originally went in to MEPS to verify my PiCAT with a 30 minute test but still prepared to take the full exam because MEPS. My verification expired literally the day before. 2 hours later, I walked out with a 92.

Study.
Study on the ride to MEPS.
Study a subject a night, depending on your schedule.
Take practice tests to familiarize yourself with the conditions of testing for 2 hours.
My copy of the book had flash cards, so they were helpful.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506225934/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cXfyDbBQZB0J4

I found the ASVAB specific books don't help me at all. I only need to study math for the ASVAB so I got CliffsNotes Math Review For Standardized Tests and it's helped me so much! It's great for those taking a standardized test and didn't learn math properly and/or has been out of high school for a while (Me). It goes through a quick review of all common core math topics with practice problems. I actually enjoy cracking open the book and studying for an hour every day!

https://www.amazon.com/CliffsNotes-Math-Review-Standardized-Tests/dp/0544631021/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=S9192TDGGPS9REEATZRH

https://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Durable-Advanced-Effective-Blocking/dp/B07MT9Z6RF/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?keywords=slim+wallet&qid=1572315530&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyTjJXTk9DQzc5MUtVJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjU2ODY5M1I0SVhQSVFBU0lCQyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjM5Mjg0MTMySTNYWU5QODhITCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

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love this wallet

This book is a fantastic resource. I studied it, and it helped me a lot.

I'd say if hes a light sleeper, highly recommend earbuds nothing too special like this. https://www.amazon.com/Macks-Ultra-Soft-Foam-Earplugs/dp/B0051U7W32/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=sleep+earplugs&qid=1573776657&s=hpc&sr=1-4

but probably not as many haha. You could also send small packages of things like cough drops, but generally it all depends on the division he's in (some instructors don't mind as long as its not prescribed like mine back in RTC). I'd highly suggest you send a letter when hes in on what he might want.

Just look for "ASVAB prep" or "ASVAB study guide" on amazon.


https://www.amazon.com/ASVAB-Premier-2017-2018-Practice-Tests/dp/1506203159/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473292361&sr=8-1&keywords=asvab+study+guide