AFOQT

     Today I took my AFOQT (Air Force Officer Qualifying Test), and it was mind-numbing. It was just as psychologically demanding as it was mentally. Basically, the AFOQT is a standardized test designed to assess your eligibility to become an Air Force Officer and plays a HUGE part in determining your career. There are verbal sections, math sections, science sections, aviation/navigation sections, and then a few extra ones meant just to strain your brain. The math, science and verbal were easy to me, it was just like the SAT or ACT. The hard parts were those extra ones I just mentioned.
     First was the Instrument Comprehension. The section tests your navigation aptitude by seeing how well you can read instruments. I'm usually pretty good at these, but during the test there are just so many and you have such little time that it can become very difficult if you don't concentrate. (see photo below; correct answer is C)

     Next was the Rotated Block section, and it measures your ability to see rotated objects in space. These really mess with your head after a while because they all start looking alike after a while. Again, not extremely difficult, just very very annoying. (see photo below, correct answer is A)

      The last main section that kills a lot of people is the Hidden Shape section. Here you need to find the hidden shape in each block of lines. There's only one of the shapes in each, and there are some where there are no shapes. It's hard to explain so just refer to the photo below again. I actually do not even know the purpose of this section, except to really frustrate people. I'm also too lazy right now to try and find the correct answers.

     So there it is, my thoughts on the AFOQT. Total test time was just under 4 hours. You are only allowed to take this test 2 times in your entire life. And they don't take the highest grades, they take your most recent. Meaning if you take it a second time and do worse, then oh well that's your score. I think I did decently well though, I get my scores back in 3 weeks and we'll see.