u/ericjlima

I was about to take the OAR but after trying to cram study a few days before the test I basically learned I was not ready. I realize a study partner or discord channel would really help.

I think it's pretty tough to study for. I feel semi confident, but feel like I could start to answer questions incorrectly. I just now timed myself and got a sense of how much more difficult that makes the test. The more I thought about it, the more I realized the competition probably isn't a push over. I'm basically competing against other college grads and I need to score in the top 40% or so of people taking the test at least to get the cyber job I want. I have a 3.2 GPA and a CS degree.

I was pretty lulled into taking the test by a recruiter I talked to once. He said he didn't study and he was just a bit smarter than the average person so he scored above a 50. I tried to ask him if he was simply trying to push me to take it for some incentive I'm not aware of but he assured me it wasn't.. Perhaps he wasn't lying, I'm not sure.

But, after taking some the practice test, I realize I can't exactly get so many questions correct. I think I studied for it months ago and I thought I could do well, but I was looking up the answers and sort of falsely thinking that I could easily do them next time. But after not taking the test for a while and forgetting these questions seeing them for the first time is rough.

Studying is a bit tough actually. I'm 37 so it's been years since I've really done college level material and while relearning it feels familiar, there's a lot I still don't know. The test itself can have a large number of differing questions. I'll list what I'm studying: motion force acceleration

types of machines, pulleys levers,

calculate mechanical advantage,

fluids, electricity, pressure, volume

electrical circuits and heat transfer

memorize equations to calculate gravity, force, friction, mechanical advantage, torque and know how to calculate the force to balance out a lever system

memorize basic physics principles such as Bernoulli’s principle, boil's law, Charles law, newtons three laws. and learn how to apply them given a word or picture problem.

But also taking the practice test the navy sent me doesn't have all of those topics.

Anyway, I would love to find some other guys who took this test or are currently about to take it and are studying. I could definitely use a buddy to get some perspective on what is on this test and someone to give me a bit of motivation.

Feel free to email me if so ericjlima@gmail.com or add me on Discord: ericx2x

I may not keep these contacts up on reddit for too long

Anyone who is an officer and did well on the test please share your strategy.

Thank you.

I'm 37 and new to military terms. My recruiter said to study Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Mechanical Knowledge, and Math Knowledge for the OAR. I’ve done a few practice tests—not disastrous but not perfect—and used some study guides (volume, pi, pulleys/gears, bridges, areas). Mechanical was my weakest; word/paragraph skills are hard to study. My test is in about three weeks. Recruiters said they didn’t study much and still qualified for many jobs, but I don’t want to rely on that. I’m confident in test-taking but need targeted practice and more varied study material than the limited practice tests I’ve used.

I've searched for navy approved study guides but found them limited. Also likely outdated? Is there any way I can find study guides with copious amounts of questions?

I've used the way back machine to find a study guide but also took one my recruiter sent me. Is there any more material? I've searched this reddit but a lot of material seems to also assume I'll be an aviator which I'm aged out of.

https://web.archive.org/web/20210122002905/https://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmotc/nami/Documents/ASTB_SampleQuestions%20JUL%202011.pdf

So I finally got my recruiter to let me take the ASVAB and OAR. I told him multiple times I’m 100% committed to joining if the opportunity’s there, but now that it’s actually happening I’m wondering how true that is.

Quick background: I used to be a web developer and was good at it. I had a stable job and had saved about $1.4M in investments, then I caught the digital-nomad bug during the pandemic and spent a lot of time in Colombia and the Philippines. I had a kid abroad—unmarried, partly a personal choice because I don’t like dating in the U.S.—and then things got messy when I returned to the States.

Shortly after coming back I had a bad bicycle accident and broke my femur. My dad, who owns the house I was staying in (a basement in Boston), decided to kick me out around the same time. I didn’t push it; arguing with him wasn’t worth it. Between the injury, a kid on the way, and losing that living situation, I panicked and quit my job to try to sort things out and take care of family.

I’ve recovered physically and I bought a house in the Philippines for my newborn. I’m 37 now, living a sort of mini-retirement there, but I’m worried long-term. I still have the $1.4M, but I need income that won’t drain that nest egg. I’ve tried re-entering tech, but there’s a 1.5-year gap on my résumé, I’m overseas, I don’t want to relocate my family to the U.S. (marriage and cost-of-living issues), and employers prefer local candidates who’ll grind for less.

Family won’t help much—siblings have their own lives and I don’t want to rely on them. Living with them hasn’t worked for me; it’s draining and sidelines my progress.

That’s why I’ve been talking to a recruiter in Guam. Military pay is a step down from what I used to make, but it offers structure, housing, benefits, and a clear path. With my degree I could aim for an officer track, and I might get into cyber or a related field that complements my background. The recruiter probably wants me to take whatever billet is available, but I’m not so intrigued by the potential career and training if it's different than my current background unless I stay military the full 20 which I really doubt I'd want since I am already likely early retired.

The downsides: I’d be away from my daughter and girlfriend in the Philippines for a while. I don’t fully trust the long-term reliability of that relationship if my gf is in USA, but longterm in Philippines is suprisingly good for us. I worry about legal and financial exposure if things go south in the U.S. (I’ve thought about prenups but still think keeping GF abroad is easiest and safest) but ultimately think the opportunity this country offers would actually steer her away from our relationship just like what I see it do to most. Base pay looks low on paper—roughly $37k after taxes for 11 months of the year—but BAS/BHA and other benefits help. There’s also the unknown of military life: will I like it, or will I regret giving up years to something that isn’t a great fit? If I get married will I lose half my investment earnings? How long will it last? Will my decisions be the best for my daughter's best long term.

Alternatives I’m considering:

• Use the $1.4M and keep the mini-retirement going, maybe take a part-time job. The only practical part-time option I can see is truck driving—flexible, portable, and reasonable pay (~$23k after tax for 3–6 months work). But it’s not a long-term career path I want, and the lifestyle/risks aren’t great.
• Try to bootstrap back into tech while overseas—build a portfolio, freelance—though re-entry looks hard right now.

Where I’m at: leaning toward the Navy because it’s structured, removes reliance on family for housing, could lead back into cyber/networks, and gives opportunities to learn and lead. But I’m not sure how committed I’ll feel once I’m actually in Guam and about to take the tests. Right now I’m even reluctant to study because my head’s been elsewhere.

If you’ve been through this, especially Navy folks, I’d appreciate candid perspectives on:

• How likely is it to transition from enlisted (or officer candidate) into cyber/IT roles? Is prior dev experience helpful?
• How disruptive is being away from a dependent overseas, realistically? Any tips on managing that?
• Practical pros/cons you saw after joining vs. what you expected coming in.
• Anything I should know about taking the ASVAB/OAR from Guam/recruiter logistics.

I’m looking for real-world advice—what actually worked, what didn’t—so I can decide whether to commit and start studying, or take a different path. Thanks.