How to Score Well on the OAR?

Scoring well on your OAR exam can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be that way. This article will cover it all, from understanding the exam to figuring out how best to prepare for the OAR exam! You have come to the right place if you think that the OAR might be a good step on your career path.

First, we need to make sure that we are all on the same page as to what exactly the OAR is. Then we’ll be discussing all the different parts of the OAR. After that, we’ll delve a little bit deeper into the scores of the OAR and what you should be aiming for. We’ll finish up by giving you our best tips to crush your upcoming OAR exam.

What are the Different Sections of the OAR?

The OAR exam, or the Officer Aptitude Rating, is a three-part test that is used to help determine if you will be accepted into several different Navy, coast guard, and marine corps positions. The OAR tests make up three of the seven subtests that are a part of the ASTB-E or the Aviation Standard Test Battery – Exam. In order to join any of the aviation programs, you will need to take all seven sections of the ASTB-E. If you are looking at specific programs, such as the Navy Officer Candidate School, you may only need to take the OAR and not the other subsections.

The OAR itself has three parts. The test includes a math section, reading, and mechanical comprehension section. Making sure you do well on all three sections is imperative since your score will be cumulative.

Math section

In the math section, you will be given 40 minutes with which to answer 30 questions about general math skills. It covers everything from fractions and percentages to roots and variables. This section will be multiple-choice, with each question having four answer options to choose from.

Reading section

You will have 30 minutes to answer 20 questions in the reading section. These questions are also multiple choice with four answer options. You will be asked to draw inferences and extract meaning from passages that you will read.

Mechanical Comprehension section

The Mechanical section is what everyone is worried about. You will have 15 minutes to answer 30 questions in this section. Again, all questions are multiple-choice with four answers, but you don’t have a lot of time in this section. Think of this section as high school physics put on a quick exam.

What’s the Average Score to Pass the OAR?

Scores on the OAR can range from 20 to 80, with most scores falling in the 40 to 60 range. Each program will have a different minimum score that you must get to even be considered, so what might be considered passing by one program won’t be by the next.

For example, if you are applying to the Navy, you will need a minimum score of 35 to even be considered. Assuming you get a 35 or above, they will consider your application, but if someone else got a higher score than you, they might get a spot while you might not. Just because you got a passing score on your OAR does not mean that you will get accepted.

Because of this, you must push yourself to achieve the best score you can and don’t allow yourself to settle for an ok score. It is also good to remember that you can only take the OAR if you are between 19 and 35 and have a bachelor’s degree. You are also only allowed to take the OAR three times total, so you really need to make sure that you make it count each time you sit the test!

How to Prepare for the OAR and Score Well on the Test?

So you’ve decided that you are going to take the OAR, but now you need to prepare? Don’t worry; you’ve come to the right place. Regardless of if you are shooting for the OAR score for INTEL (which is a minimum of 50) or the OAR score for Supply Corps (which is a minimum of 45), you have come to the right place!

Here are our favorite tips to help you score well on the OAR exam:

Invest in a good OAR study guide

There are tons of options out there, but the most important thing is getting the right study guide. If you are someone who feels like you need to brush up on all three subjects equally, it will probably be worth it for you to get a general OAR study guide, such as the MoMetrix OAR Secrets Study Guide

If you feel like one of the three sections is significantly weaker for you than the other sections, you might want to consider getting a separate study guide specifically for that section. For example, if you are stressed about the math section, you may want to find a good math section study guide complete with lots of OAR math practice tests.

Take lots of practice tests

Following up on the last tip, make sure that you have plenty of practice tests around to help you prepare. Taking practice tests is essential to figure out how prepared you are to take the test. If you are continually failing your practice tests, you might want to think about increasing the amount of time you are studying.

It will also help you feel better to walk into the exam already knowing that you have been crushing your practice tests. Taking practice tests will also help you mentally prepare for sitting down and focusing on the topics for the given amount of time. Overall, we can’t recommend practice tests enough!

Make and stick to a study schedule

Making a study schedule can seem challenging at first, but it will get so much easier with a little practice. We recommend making a study schedule that will plan out your studying for a few months leading up to your test date. This will allow you to space out your studying and not feel rushed or like you have to cram at the end.

The trick to sticking to a study schedule is two-fold. One is to make a study schedule that will work with you and not against you. That means that you don’t want an unrealistic study guide because that will only stress you out more. Second, you want some way to hold yourself accountable. This could be something you do, or it could be reporting to another person. Whatever you choose, just make sure it works for you.

If you feel like you need help creating a study guide, feel free to check out our article on the topic!

Wrapping Things Up: How to Score Well on the OAR?

Scoring well on the OAR is more than just studying. In order to do well enough to get noticed, not just well enough to pass, you really will have to have a good understanding of the test. Making sure that you invest in the best study materials for you is a good first step to passing your OAR.

With our help, we know you have all the tools you need to do amazing! Crushing the test itself is only one part of the equation since you will need to figure out the passing score for you based on what position you are applying for. Make sure that you are prepared and ready to exceed that score when you go in to take the test since you can only retake the test two more times.