SIFT INFORMATION

GraphiteBlur · January 22, 2013

I'm scheduled to take it on 13 Feb (could have taken it sooner, but have mandatory training for work that I can't miss). I have been reviewing an AFAST study guide to get a broad sense of the type of questions asked and also a "Principles of Helicopter Flight" book, to help familiarize myself with the more detailed terminology.

After this, it's just a matter of getting my PT test knocked out and I'll be ready to submit.

Optamix · January 22, 2013

Well hell, I don't even know what congruent means. Glad I got to take the AFAST.

Lindsey · January 23, 2013

The time limits and number of questions for the SIFT subtests are as follows:
Simple Drawings (SD) – 2 minutes, 100 questions
Hidden Figures (HF) – 5 minutes, 50 questions
Army Aviation Information Test (AAIT) – 30 minutes, 40 questions
Spatial Apperception Test (SAT) – 10 minutes, 25 questions
Reading Comprehension Test (RCT)– 30 minutes, 20 questions
Math Skills Test (MST) – 40 minutes, test length varies
Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT) – 15 minutes, test length varies

I guess this means they dropped the "Popcorn Test" section? Can anyone confirm/deny?

The popcorn test was to be a series of blocks of varying sizes moving across the screen, and you had to erase them with the mouse. The point was to assess prioritization skills, as blocks of certain sizes (bigger) and speed (faster) were worth more "points." Even the Spatial Apperception Test sounds like the section in the ASTB, and not the popcorn test. Interesting.

Blue2Green4WOFT · January 24, 2013

when i took the afast there was no "pop corn" test and that was this past november. dont know if your referring to the afast or another aviation test if it helps at all?!

Lindsey · January 24, 2013

when i took the afast there was no "pop corn" test and that was this past november. dont know if your referring to the afast or another aviation test if it helps at all?!

Referring to the early editions of the SIFT.

tydaddy · January 24, 2013

Hello all, Lindsey suggested I come here and give some info...I've been on the armyocs.com forum for a while.

First a little background - I submitted a WOFT packet for last March's board. I wasn't supposed to find out until May, however, they overnighted my packet, and I found out 4 days later. I wasn't in a position at that time - lots of personal/family issues going on - to accept. I asked for an extension, and was denied. I was told I'd have to reboard. After getting things straightened out...doing some soul searching...accepting then turning down a "dream physical therapists job" at the last possible second...I decided to reactivate my packet.

This was about 2 months ago. All of my materials were still valid, and the last day to board with the AFAST was last Thursday - which happens to be the day I reboarded. I did extremely well on the board again, and was highly recommended to the USAREC board - again. This time, our battalion commander is also submitting a memo to USAREC sort of explaining my unique situation, and putting his name on the line for me. At any rate, from everything I've been told - I will be selected this year again at the March board. I will have to retake my flight physical, simply so that it is valid through WOCS.

At any rate, I did extremely well on the AFAST - a little above 150 if I recall - and didn't do any studying but I did take a few minutes and memorize the complex movements section. I think I only got 1 of them wrong. So, just because the AFAST is no longer valid, except for my case, they wanted a SIFT score in my packet as well - just to cover all bases. I took it yesterday with about 12 hours notice. I quickly reviewed some math problems from the ASTB...and that's it. I thought it was WAY harder than the AFAST. It is scored 20-80, with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of plus/minus 10. I ended up with a 57. 40 is passing. It is VERY similar to the ASTB. My best recommendation is to get the Arco study guide for the ASTB and study it.

I know there isn't much gouge out there, so if I can answer any questions, please let me know.

Respectfully,

Tyler

tydaddy · January 24, 2013

My guess, it would be like a congruence test from elementary school, just a little bit more difficult.

Example:

There is nothing to prepare for in this section. It is VERY easy. For example, they show 5 pictures, 1 of the 5 is different. You simply click that one. It might look like this:

v v v V v

You pick the one that is different. The pictures really ARE that simple. Most take less than a second to answer.

electron_si · January 24, 2013

Well hopefully the SIFT eliminates AFAST questions like "do you ride a motorcycle" and "do you know anyone, or are related to anyone, that is a pilot" lol.

tydaddy · January 24, 2013

Hmm...I posted another long and detailed post...but I have no clue where it went? Maybe one of the mods moved it because it was an intro of sorts?

Lindsey · January 24, 2013

Hmm...I posted another long and detailed post...but I have no clue where it went? Maybe one of the mods moved it because it was an intro of sorts?

Sometimes it takes awhile for the first post to be approved and show up. They wouldn't move it though so no worries.

And, hello from ArmyOCS.com

I3uller · January 24, 2013

Hmm...I posted another long and detailed post...but I have no clue where it went? Maybe one of the mods moved it because it was an intro of sorts?

Hopefully it shows up because I would be very interested to learn more about the SIFT before I take it. The post about the simple drawings was already extremely helpful. Thanks for the info!

tydaddy · January 24, 2013

Yea, I have no clue. If it doesn't tonight...I'll try to remember and repost again tomorrow. I just think it's odd that my second post showed up, but not my first...

Lindsey · January 24, 2013

Yea, I have no clue. If it doesn't tonight...I'll try to remember and repost again tomorrow. I just think it's odd that my second post showed up, but not my first...

Yeah, I'm thinking somehow it got lost in the series of tubes that is the Internet...would also be really appreciative of a repost!

I3uller · January 25, 2013

Yea, I have no clue. If it doesn't tonight...I'll try to remember and repost again tomorrow. I just think it's odd that my second post showed up, but not my first...

Also, completely unrelated, but might I ask why your avatar is eggs and ham? Nothing wrong with eggs and ham I'm just curious haha

tydaddy · January 25, 2013

Ok...Attempt 2.

So Lindsey found me on the armyocs.com forums. A little background - I'm actually a physical therapist. I started my packet when I was in Atlanta finishing up my DPT in 2010. After graduating in 2011, I move back to PA. At the time, I was about 3/4's the through the process...got a good PT job, and decided to put my packet on hold. Well after a few months, I quickly realized that was the wrong decision, and my fire and passion for serving was simply too great, and made me have extreme apathy for my job as a physical therapist. I began to hate the monotony of day to day PT stuff. Now, this is where most people call me crazy. Anyhow, I contacted a local recruiter and began putting the finishing touches on my packet - flight physical at West Point, etc. My packet was board ready in March of 2012. This is where things get crazy.

I boarded during the March board, with the impression that I wouldn't find out about selection until May 2012. Well, apparently I did so well on my board (not boasting, but just so you have an idea, as my situation is quite unique, I got 75/75) that they overnighted my battalion board results to USAREC. I got a call 2 days later from my recruiter and this is how the conversation went...

"Tyler, what are you doing next week - I need you for 2 days"..."Sorry, I have patients and can't just cancel appointments, what's up?" "I just need you, for at least a day" "Ok, you're freaking me out - what's up?" "They overnighted your packet and you were selected - I need to have you signed within the next 2 weeks"

To say that I had mixed emotions is an understatement. I was nowhere prepared for the selection. I had a bunch of family/personal stuff that had just come up. Long story short, I asked for an extension, without disclosing the personal stuff...and was denied.

I was frustrated, but needed to be here for my family, so as much as it sucked, I had to do it. I was told that if I wanted to pursue it again, I'd have to reboard. Over the next few months, I had a great opportunity to take over the director of PT position at the U of SC. For a sports PT, it is sort of a dream job. Anyhow, I accepted the job...until about 2 weeks before I was supposed to move. I did some real soul searching, and couldn't commit, knowing full well where I wanted to be, and moreover, where my heart wanted to be.

I contacted my recruiter, and told him I was all in at this point. The family issues have been resolved, and if they should arise again, they know they cannot count on me. All of my documents were still valid...everything was good to go. We put everything together and I reboarded last Thursday. My results were identical to last year. I had to write a personal statement prior to the board explaining my personal situation which didn't allow me to accept last year, and during the board, for the first 5 minutes, I was grilled pretty hard - but as soon as they realized where my heart was, the rest of the time was spent basically chatting. They told me that I made the right choice, and that the battalion commander was actually going to put a memo in my file fully supporting what I did, and that all 3 officers were going to recommend me to USAREC. Relieved, I thought things were finally where they were supposed to be a year ago...

Until Wednesday (2 days ago) I got an email from my recruiter saying that even though my AFAST was still valid (up until the 18th, and my board was the 17th) that they wanted a SIFT score. So I had about 12 hours to prepare for the SIFT. I did pretty well on the AFAST, 154 if I recall, and really the only studying I did for that was to memorize the complex movements. So, I quickly researched the SIFT and realized that it was similar to the ASTB. Looked over the math portion...and hoped for the best.

Well, I passed the SIFT, but nowhere near the score I got on the AFAST. I got a 57, the scoring is 20-80 with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of plus/minus 10. Ehh...it is what it is, but here are my thoughts...

It is MUCH harder than the AFAST - at least I thought the math portion was.

Simple Drawings (SD) – EASY - see my post above. Just move as quickly as possible - you WON'T finish, and for type A people like ourselves, just deal with it. We're used to finishing everything first, and getting everything correct. Know going into it that if you answer half of them, you're doing well.
Hidden Figures (HF) – This was somewhat challenging - and of course, the better you do, the more challenging they get. They show you an abstract drawing, then you have 5 shapes. The shapes stay the same for every drawing, and only one of the shapes are contained within the drawing. You need to pick the shape that is present in that drawing. It's almost like a crossword search but for a shape...best way to describe it.
Army Aviation Information Test (AAIT) – Self explanatory - Study the Arco AFAST Army Aviation section.
Spatial Apperception Test (SAT) – Identical to the section in the ARCO book - I don't remember if it was in the AFAST or ASTB section.
Reading Comprehension Test (RCT)– Self explanatory, seemed very difficult - or I was just exhausted, starving, and over the exam at this point...lol. Again, as you answer questions correctly, they get more difficult. At one point I had to read the passage 4 or 5 times, and it was only 3 or 4 sentences long. I swear they put ridiculous words in there back to back just to screw me up.
Math Skills Test (MST) – Way harder than the AFAST section from what I remember...
Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT) – Very similar to the ASTB and AFAST study guide questions.

This is what I can remember right now. There is very little gouge out there right now...and I had none, but if I can help without answering specifics - please ask away!

I never get nervous for exams, but I know that many people do - so if I can help some of you with that anxiety, I'd gladly do so.

If you have any other questions related to my background, degrees, scores, lor's...whatever - ask away!

Respectfully,

Tyler

PS. The "eggs and ham" is actually a picture from Shady Maple Smorgasbord. Literally like heaven if you like to eat...the. food. is. amazing. :-) And - I have NO clue why it is my avatar...lol

Lindsey · January 25, 2013

Phenomenal post, Tyler! Thanks a bunch.

tydaddy · January 25, 2013

Yes ma'am. Hopefully it helps!

Blue2Green4WOFT · January 25, 2013

lots of good info much appreciated!!! I had to scrap my afast score and will be taking the SIFT in the coming weeks!

Yamer · January 25, 2013

Dont forget to leak the details to us! That way this forum stays the best and most informed!

tydaddy · January 25, 2013

Dont forget to leak the details to us! That way this forum stays the best and most informed!

I'm not sure what other details there can be...? If you study the ASTB...you will do well.

Tone83 · January 25, 2013

Good afternoon I've been lurking for a while now. First off I would like to thank all of you for the endless information about WOFT it has helped me out a lot.

I am having an issue with taking the SIFT; my recruiter and I have called all of the MEPS stations around here and none of them are testing for the SIFT yet. They are not testing for the AFAST anymore either so I can't get my flight physical done either. My package is complete except for those two things.

I see some of you have taken the SIFT. Could you tell me where, as if it was on a MEPS station or a military post? I have a good recruiter he told me could travel to get this done if we need too.

Thanks

I3uller · January 25, 2013

Excellent post. Do you remember any details on the math portion? I haven't had a math class in a few years so a heads up on what kind of equations there are/what we should freshen up on would be great. Mostly basic multiplication etc. or more involved algebraic equations? Thank you for the (second) writeup

Lindsey · January 25, 2013

Excellent post. Do you remember any details on the math portion? I haven't had a math class in a few years so a heads up on what kind of equations there are/what we should freshen up on would be great. Mostly basic multiplication etc. or more involved algebraic equations? Thank you for the (second) writeup

I'd also appreciate more details on the math as well. I'm definitely rusty and would like to know which hard stuff to focus on. Were there lots of word problems or pretty much number crunching?

I3uller · January 26, 2013

I'd also appreciate more details on the math as well. I'm definitely rusty and would like to know which hard stuff to focus on. Were there lots of word problems or pretty much number crunching?

It feels like you're mostly prepared for the SIFT from studying for the AFAST minus the math part right? That's the feeling I'm getting.

Lindsey · January 26, 2013

It feels like you're mostly prepared for the SIFT from studying for the AFAST minus the math part right? That's the feeling I'm getting.

If you're talking about me specifically, no. I am terrible at the mechanical sections. I do OK if I study it like crazy, but a lot of it isn't too intuitive to me (never tool any of those classes in high school). I also took the AFAST back in 2010, haha.

If you're talking about in general, I'd agree 100%.