DLAB is horrendous, this guide is quite helpful but it’s just a beast in and of itself. If you don’t score high enough you can retest in 6 months but it’s up to the recruiter as to if they allow you to wait that long. My DEP had a person waiting to retest so it is possible. When I went through (obviously pre plague) we found out our language week 6. You make a list like week 2 of your “top 5” languages which “they match to needs of the Air Force” but most of us think it just goes into a shred box.
Just look for "ASVAB prep" or "ASVAB study guide" on amazon.
Yup, recruiters are super hit-or-miss...no joke, for one reason or another, I had to go through 5 different recruiters over the course of my OTS application process.
As for your question, I used:
Granted, this was back in 2014 and I'm not sure if they alter/edit the test in any way. I'd say that, generally, any of the top study books off Amazon should work out fine, though.
The most recommended book for the AFOQT.
Barrons Educational Series; Fourth Edition (July 1, 2018)
Military Flight Aptitude Tests (Barron's Military Flight Aptitude Tests) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1438011040/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2V6xFbENTAFDP
Don't join the army. Wait 6 months, study this DLAB book and retake the DLAB. If you don't get over a 110 after studying this book, you'd probably have a difficult time studying as a linguist anyways.
You can buy a study guide with practice tests.
Amazon is your friend.
Got one for my son and he pounded it for a couple of days. Needed to brush up on his algebra skills mainly.
Scored 97, 95, 95, 94. Smart kid.
ASVAB Prep Plus 2020-2021: 6 Practice Tests + Proven Strategies + Online + Video (Kaplan Test Prep) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506250653/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_tki6hlbyKCf1U
​
I used this book and got a good score.
2 things just in case you didn't know:
- Study this book religiously before you take the DLAB. I studied it and got a 114—you need a 110 to pass. It's pretty much the only study guide out there worth a damn.
- You don't get told your language until the end of Boot Camp, so if you're doing this for a specific language (like I am), it's a risk. I'm set to leave w/ the CTI rate in August but I'm still not sure if I'm gonna do it, because if I get assigned something like Persian it's gonna throw off my career goals quite a bit.
Well there are two types of ASVAB tests at MEPS (where you go for medical evaluation and to test before you choose your AFSC). They are both timed, obviously, but there are a few major differences.
There is the CAT ASVAB, (the one I took) that you take on the computer. You have fewer questions, more time for each question, AND the more questions you get right the questions become more difficult. Then the difficulty is set after you answered a few questions. Answering harder questions correctly increases your score so dont play dumb and get a bunch wrong to have easier questions. Your score will drop. Also you cannot go back to answer unanswered questions you may have skipped.
The paper and pencil ASVAB has more questions with less time to answer each question, and since they are on paper the difficulty dosn't fluctuate. Unlike the CAT, with the paper and pencil ASVAB you can go back to answer questions you skipped or may have gotten wrong.
I hope this helped and please respond if it did.
Here is the book I bought to study for the ASVAB. I wanted a highly coveted job so I made sure my score was good (93). Hope this helps!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506250653/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_on7TgrMboOysQ
I would really appreciate if you could send some study guides my way! Might as well start studying just for fun while I’m getting ready for MEPS! Someone showed me this and I was planning on buying that today to get started. Have you heard of it before?
This asvab test prep book was very helpful for me! It comes with a crap ton of perforated flash cards to break off and a few comprehensive practice tests. It teaches the material in a very straightforward way. Notably, on the math sections the questions were a bit difficult but being able to look at the explanations in the back for all the ones missed was extremely helpful and made the ones on the actual test seem easy by comparison. It wasn't my only source of studying, but it was for sure my main one and helped me get a great score when I took the asvab this past summer!
Oh nice! In California, 4n0x1 Aerospace medical isn’t on the green side unfortunately :(.
The book I used is by Robert J Cunnings. https://www.amazon.com/Official-DLAB-Training-Manual-Practice-ebook/dp/B00HUC6RT4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Robert+J.+Cunnings&qid=1603549794&refinements=p_n_condition-type%3A6461716011&sr=8-1 Knowing the rules & memorizing them beforehand definitely helped! Good luck on your test btw
It's a good resource!
I recommend Kaplans Test Prep! $20 on Amazon and it comes with a ton of content like flash cards, multiple practice tests, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1506250653/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.2dMFbWGTYKFG
https://www.amazon.com/Official-DLAB-Training-Manual-Practice-ebook/dp/B00HUC6RT4
I highly recommend memorizing the rules beforehand as the test is timed. On one portion, the timer ran out before I could answer the last two questions despite me memorizing the rules. >.< Good luck too!!
I just took the DLAB less than a month ago and made relatively high. I used this book off of Amazon, and I would say it helped me out a good bit. It’s $9.99 and gives a very accurate practice test that’s more or less just like the DLAB layout.
After I passed the test and medical, my liaison at MEPS had me list only the two linguist jobs on my sheet because it was more or less a guarantee I would get one of the two since demand is high. I luckily got airborne because I really wanted to be air crew! From my recent experience, if you want to be a linguist and pass the DLAB and medical qualifications, you will get it.
I used this book off of Amazon, and it helped me out a lot. Ended up making a 140.
I used to be a whiskey as well. I used these two, I got a 74. I couldn't find an updated version of the accepted one but it's probably for the best, the math answer key was off. There's had some very similar question to the actual test. Read the beginning for how the test is conducted. Some sections are more time restricted than others. I didn't have time to answer all the questions in some sections and others I finished with several minutes to spare.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1438011040/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vp9qFbPFCE2MT
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1941743641/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Hs9qFbXPWAZXQ
The Official DLAB Training Manual: Study Guide and Practice Test: The Best Tips and Tricks to Raising Your DLAB Score https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HUC6RT4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_krUqFbYFQ8DDJ
This has helped me loads. Has all the information you’ll need for the DLAB. But if you’re serious about being a linguist, I’d study grammar very seriously, just so you’re well prepared for the DLI.
I just took it this week and got a 114. Just "studied" for a couple of hours the day before the test. I say "studied" but it's really mostly just getting familiar with the test, since you can't really study for it. I read this manual which was actually really helpful, goes over everything on the test, tips, etc.
I just took it last week, got a 107. This book is basically the test.DLAB book Lmk if you have questions
Use this study guide. I got a 108 the first time and a 118 the second time. That study guide was a lifesaver.
As for the ASVAB there’s numerous guides that are helpful. DLAB this is the only one I’ve found that is really worth anything. Nothing can really prepare you for the test but this will at least help you understand the format and way the “puzzles” work.
I’m in a similar boat and have been using the quarantine to study. I checked out a book at the base library and it was ok but my Lt. Recommended “Officer Candidate Tests for Dummies” and I enjoy this book way more.
It has clear break downs for getting the answers to questions and has a lot of tips and strategies for preparing for the exam. I got mine from barns and noble before everything shut down but it’s pretty cheap on amazon. Good luck!
I personally am using a few books. My library has an old copy of Peterson's which is pretty good but its not up to date for the most current form but I've been using it so far to help me to prepare as well as Barron's which I found very very useful,
​
Barron's is the only one I've purchased. Check your local libraries as well! You might be able to grab a few ASVAB books which are useful for the reading comprehension sections as well but really check out your local library you will probably find some prep books you can use without spending a penny.
I bought a SIFT study guide off Amazon when I was looking at flight school. I switched career paths but couldnt return it on Amazon because I took too long. PM me your info and I can save you like $30. I think it has practice tests if you want.
​
it was this book:
​
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1628454318/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I took the DLAB in late 2017 and I got a 136 even though the pretest I took at my recruiters said I only had an 83% chance of “passing”.
I used “The Official DLAB Training Manual”
https://www.amazon.com/Official-DLAB-Training-Manual-Practice-ebook/dp/B00HUC6RT4
It has some practice and a lot of info on how the test is set up.
Don’t listen to people who tell you it’s “impossible” to study for. It’s a very strange test and walking in cold isn’t a good idea.
You should have a good grasp of English grammar and be comfortable listening and remembering what was said. The test will involve a made up language but quite a bit of it is based on Esperanto (a constructed auxiliary language). The test will give you rules that will then disappear and you must remember them. There is a text portion and listening portion (in which even the 4 answers will be spoken and you must remember them) and a visual portion too at the end that still eludes me.
There’s also some discrepancy about what constitutes a good score. There’s some leadership at DLI recently trying to prove that a high GT score is a better predictor of success there than a high DLAB score.
Technically speaking you only need a 95 I believe to able to take a Cat I language at DLI but I never met anyone at DLI with lower than a 106 and I watched people with scores in the 120s fail out of their languages so you need to be honest with yourself about your language learning abilities.
You also have to realize that being sent to DLI means you will be in a training environment for a VERY long time and though Navy seems to have more fun there than Army, training environments are absolutely soul-sucking. Pretty much everyone else you go to boot with will be living it up in their units while you’re treated like a child because you picked a harder job. Not trying to scare you; just something to think about.
I bought this one (below) and quickly found out the math section was completely useless. Don't waste your money.
https://www.amazon.com/SIFT-Study-Guide-Practice-Questions/dp/1941743641
I strongly recommend this. I scored off the charts in every category including EI which I'm completely hopeless at.
I would follow up with your recruiter, there should not be that much hang time.
I studied using 2 books and a lot of random YouTube videos.
I'm at the end of the process. My package is submitted and now all that's left is to hear back a yes or a no.
There's a lot more than just a test and then a board. You are building a package. The package consists of: 1. AFOQT Scores 2. TBAS Scores (ABM/CSO/PCSM) 3. 3-5 Letters of rec 4. Officer interview and grading 5. A large PDF application with your work and leadership experience, achievements, education, that sort of stuff, and then your personal statement.
Generally it goes something like this: AFOQT -> 1 month later -> TBAS -> 1 or 2 months later -> MEPS for initial screening (since you want to be a pilot) -> 1-2 weeks before board cutoff -> Commander interview.
Having no flying hours won't necessarily hurt you, but it doesn't help. Even just a few discovery flights will do wonders for your PCSM score.