Rinse repeat for the next few months lol
Hiring Bid FAA-ATO-19-ALLSRCE-61676
- Thread starter MJ
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nickmeyer93
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ATC Prep. Took ATSA in October 2018, got to the academy in May of 2019. ATC Prep was super helpful in getting me used to how the actual test was. I tried to run all the tests twice a day, but at least once a day. I believe it helped me.
Called HR and found out I was best qualified last bid. Think I'm going to roll over my score this time around. I get the argument for retaking, but just playing the numbers it feels like best qualified scores must have been pretty high percentile-wise. I was far from perfect last year but I felt I did pretty well, and the chance of being a couple percentage points better isn't worth the risk of being significantly worse this time around.
That being said, I do still have 4-5 years to apply before I age out, so that's probably influencing my decision.
That being said, I do still have 4-5 years to apply before I age out, so that's probably influencing my decision.
Thank you, I saw that, but the reason I asked is because I did do something; I scheduled and then cancelled. So that should still be okay (that still counts as 'not doing anything')?
I took the first available time slot on Wednesday after getting my email Tuesday morning. Can confirm it's the exact same test as last year. Never knew I could call and figure out what band i scored into but I'm sure I did much better this year.
Since you took it before, couple things that helped me this time:
In section 2 (Variables): I assigned AB&C to 3 of the fingers on my left hand so as they show A=3, B=2, etc... I tap the corresponding finger on the table and say the number, (tapping ring finger and saying 3, tapping middle finger and saying 2) this way i did not have to think about the letters and had more space in my head for the equations that eventually come. by doing this when they ask B=? I would just tap my middle finger and out comes 2. hope that helps.
In section 3 (Perspective): last time i felt like i barely had enough time to notice if the small plane was on the left or right then read the word and then answer yes or no before the next one would show and when they threw the random eye in it went out the window. This time instead of looking at where the small plane was, I just read the word first but said to my self "Traffic on his.....(what ever word it was)" so if it said left I'd say to myself traffic on his left" as my eyes scan up to find the large plane and I could very quickly determine yes or no there is or isn't traffic on his left. I know that's a small difference but it felt much faster. Then when the eye would show up i instead say "traffic on my (i'm the eye) left" and scan the left side of the eye. I don't think i missed any of these this time compared to last time.
If anyone has advice for section 4, don't tell me cause it's too late for me this year. ? j/k
KAB
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I do kind of the same thing with the variables, except I lean my head to the left for A and think the number, then center for B, then right for C. Probably looked like a crazy person, but it got me BQ, so...
I also second the Perspective strategy. Look at the word first and you can ask, "Is the plane to his/my left/right?" and it made it much easier.
denver0739
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Hopefully they get told they can take it the week after. It’s odd to me that this year y’all have about 3 or so weeks of testing. Where as last year I got my ATSA email on the 25th and took the test November 8th. Way more time to test last year.
Were you stationed in Germany or passing through? We are on a deployment and will be on our rotators back home when the last test dates are. Maybe it’ll be a little different with USERA rights.
bigfoot175
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I was stationed in Germany but also deployed when I received the ATSA invite.
Regina_Phalange
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That’s good! I eventually got my number & scheduled over the phone. Good luck !!
Great info! Thank you sir
Southern
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I see so many people say “study phraseology ahead of time, learn the map ASAP, get it memorized before you leave basics!” And to those people I say, stop it. You get like 2 weeks to memorize the map that has maybe 50 different components to it, the map is severely overrated. To anyone who is going to the academy soon, don’t try to find the map ahead of time, don’t try to memorize phraseology ahead of time, unless you are a CTI grad or someone OTS who knows a controller or someone that you can ask what PROPER phraseology is, you’re only going to end up hurting yourself.
What if you find an old version of the map? What if you memorize phraseology to the T and end up memorizing it wrong? What if, heaven forbid you memorize something and in the heat of an eval when all the pressure is on you end up resorting back to something YOU memorized before the academy and it was wrong and you end up washing out because someone told you to get a head start instead of listening to your instructor? The academy is stressful but it’s not impossible. It’s like drinking from a firehose but it’s not unbearable. You will learn tidbits of information through basics and a lot more once you get across the street, the pieces will all click if you study, ask questions, and listen to your instructors. They are there for YOU if you have a question, ASK THE QUESTION! The only stupid question is a question not asked. Good luck everyone!
What if you find an old version of the map? What if you memorize phraseology to the T and end up memorizing it wrong? What if, heaven forbid you memorize something and in the heat of an eval when all the pressure is on you end up resorting back to something YOU memorized before the academy and it was wrong and you end up washing out because someone told you to get a head start instead of listening to your instructor? The academy is stressful but it’s not impossible. It’s like drinking from a firehose but it’s not unbearable. You will learn tidbits of information through basics and a lot more once you get across the street, the pieces will all click if you study, ask questions, and listen to your instructors. They are there for YOU if you have a question, ASK THE QUESTION! The only stupid question is a question not asked. Good luck everyone!
Cmsgthokage
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About tree fiddy.
It’s about tree fiddy times 10 if we’re lucky
tylertrend
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Someone on Reddit said HR told them.
