RAF AST Advice

Hi Everyone,

I have sought advice from the student room regarding my RAF application quite a few times now so thought I should contribute, and would like to do so in regards to the AST.

I see a lot of people panicking over the AST, trying to find out if it is strict or not and trying to work out what score they need to pass. Please do not waste your time doing any of these things. But DO put some effort in to revise and PRACTISE - this is what will help you to pass. I have seen somebody comment that the AST tests your natural ability and 'you've either got it or you don't'. This may be somewhat true but I also think this is a very unfair and negative comment to make - you can pass it if you really want to and if you put the work in. The way I see it is, if you want to pass the RAF fitness test then you need to train your body in a specific way. Similarly, if you want to pass the AST test then you need to train your brain in a specific way. It can be done :smile:

Here is my experience with sitting the AST:

I thought to myself 'I have a degree which involved a lot of writing so verbal reasoning will be a piece of cake, I've got a good grade in Maths and Science and I'm quite a quick learner. The RAF example tests were really easy, I'll be fine. The day before AST I just need to do a bit of a revision to get me warmed up, a bit of a refresher on electrical and mechanical concepts and I'll pass it. Not worried at all'.

WRONG.

I scored 51 overall but I needed 60 for my choice of trade (Personnel Support). I needed 5 in verbal reasoning and only got 3. I needed 5 in numerical reasoning, I did get 8 though. But my scores were quite low in other areas so even if I did get 5 in verbal AND numerical I still wouldn't have passed it with enough points overall for my chosen trade.

I didn't know what I had to get in verbal and numerical reasoning or what I had to get overall before I was presented with my test results. I asked how the results are calculated as I thought this might help me for next time. The recruiter said that they didn't know - they just type the results in to the computer and it calculates it - but basically, if you get 5 in verbal reasoning for example, it doesn't mean you got 5 questions right. I have no idea what it means. Also, you don't get a score for memory - its sort of 'mixed in' with the overall score. Therefore the best thing to do is stop caring about numbers and do as well as you can in all areas (which I did, but paid slightly more attention to verbal and numerical due to the minimum scores I needed to get in those areas).

So my next step was to revise really hard for my resit. I was in a lucky position where I was in between jobs and had the time to revise for 10 days straight. If you're not in that position, revise every evening over a longer period of time. I spent an entire day trawling the internet for resources/practise tests and set myself a revision plan. Some of the resources weren't entirely relevant to the AST, but they still helped me to work my brain and 'wire it up' properly for my second attempt. For memory, I got my brother to write out letters on a piece of paper so I could practise. He even drew out grids for me so I could practise that part of the memory test as well. I also found 'memory matrix' games online and other memory tests for practising sequences. I revised each part of the AST test for 30 mins - 1 hour every day so it was like doing a days work but just revising AST. It was bloody boring but well worth it.

After doing all of the above, I passed with 69 points, with a 6 in Verbal Reasoning and a 7 in Numerical reasoning. This gave me LOADS more options for trades as well, I could only work as a driver or a chef with my first result ... still going for Personnel Support though :smile:

Other advice I would give, which may seem a bit patronising but important! Eat well, get enough sleep, drink lots of water, exercise and do something fun in between revision or you'll drive yourself nuts (it's taken me years of education to learn that burying your head in books for hours on end is not an effective way of learning - perfectionist problems). Also, put a watch on your desk (not allowed multifunctioning fancy ones) to give you a rough idea of when your time is nearly up during each section of the test (the recruiter leading the test will stop after each section, you don't do it all in one go). When I realised my time was nearly up I put an answer in all the question boxes I knew I wasn't going to have time to answer, and if I did end up having time for them I just rubbed them out and put the right answer in. Never know, might get you a few extra points! Also worth noting is that you are only allowed to make notes during numerical reasoning so get used to doing the other sections without writing anything down and doing it in your head - that caught me out in verbal reasoning the first time as I was used to underlining key information.

I do have a sheet outlining what scores are needed for each trade but I'm not even going to put that on here because it will just distract you, sorry, just being cruel to be kind :smile:

Personnel Support is one of the highest though, to give you a rough idea.

And a note on strictness. Yes of course they are strict! RAF applications are popular, there's no reason why they would compromise because the recruitment process wouldn't be fair otherwise, it all has to be very black and white to make sure that it is. They don't care if you've got 7 degrees covering all the skills and knowledge you need for the AST, if you don't get the score you want for your trade then you'll have to choose a different one or retake it in 6 months after your second attempt (4 weeks after your first). So, a bit of tough love again - get off the student room searching for what you really want to hear and get revising - there are no tricks, that's all there is to it.

By the way, don't be disheartened if you don't pass first time - on my first attempt I was the only person out of about 10 who was sitting the AST for the first time. Everyone else was there for their second attempt.

Good luck! :smile:

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

Sap15

Hi,

I'm currently serving in the RAF but i am trying to re trade to Personnel Support. This will be my second attempt at the aptitude test but can't remember the scores needed for Pers Spt. I don't suppose you still have them?

Cheers :smile:

Reply 2

jellybear23333

Doing my second AST tomorrow and I am very nervous

Reply 3

ryan9900

Original post by jellybear23333

Doing my second AST tomorrow and I am very nervous

Don't be. The general idea is that by sitting it a second time, your odds are increased ten fold. I too had to sit the test a second time and I did much better than everyone else there. Having previous experience takes the edge off massively and I've now been in my chosen trade 2+ years.

Looking back, the AST is a non-event. Yes, it's what decides if you get in or not, but so are many other things. Try and see the bigger picture and treat it like it's just another hoop to jump through.

Good luck.