SIFT

Have questions about the SIFT exam? Click below to find the answers you need.

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++answerIntroduction

The SIFT exam, or “Selection Instrument for Flight Training” is utilized by the Army to determine if candidates are qualified for selection for flight officer training programs. The exam is designed to test multiple different aspects of potential candidates, which is intended to be predictors of training performance. Some of the sections might not seem to have anything to do with actual aviation, but another goal of the exam is to determine overall academic ability and essentially how hard you are willing to work for it or not. In short: how smart are you and do you possess the drive and motivation required to be a leader in the US Army.answer++

++answerAdditional Test Information

The most important sections to study for are those that lend themselves to be studied. Kind of a confusing statement, right? What is meant by that is of the 7 sections, you should devote a majority of your study time to three of them: Math Skills, Mechanical Comprehension, and Army Aviation Information. These sections will have the most bang for your buck for study effort, especially since many test-takers probably haven’t studied math or physics (as found in the Mechanical Comprehension section) for many years, and very possibly have zero real-world experience with aviation.

The other 4 sections (Simple Drawings, Hidden Figures, Spatial Apperception, and Reading Comprehension) you need to familiarize yourself with and move on, as these sections you cannot “study” much beyond that. Your objective in preparation for these sections is just to make sure the first time you see them isn’t on test day. Overall, you should only spend a few hours in combined total studying for Simple Drawings, Hidden Figures, Spatial Apperception, and Reading Comprehension. Many will find they only spend 1 or 2 hours on them...maybe even less. The rest of your time should be devoted to the other three sections as they are more substantially more difficult, more academically driven (as opposed to “skills” like the other sections), cover more material, and will result in higher scores for your study effort.answer++

++answerSections on the SIFT

There are 7 sections on the SIFT as follows:

1. Simple Drawings (SD) – 2 minutes, 100 questions

2. Hidden Figures (HF) – 5 minutes, 50 questions

3. Army Aviation Information Test (AAIT) – 30 minutes, 40 questions

4. Spatial Apperception Test (SAT) – 10 minutes, 25 questions

5. Reading Comprehension Test (RCT)– 30 minutes, 20 questions

6. Math Skills Test (MST) – 40 minutes, test length varies

7. Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT) – 15 minutes, test length varies

From the time you check in for the exam, count on the entire exam lasting approximately 3 hours, although many test-takers often complete the exam in about 2 hours. We will cover each section in detail in the following chapters of this book, each followed up with practice questions like those you will see on the SIFT exam.answer++

++answerTesting Strategies

There are two very different strategies you will have to utilize on the SIFT exam as there are two different types of subtest sections you will encounter.

The first are the “fixed number of questions” sections: Simple Drawings, Hidden Figures, Army Aviation Information Test, Spatial Apperception, and Reading Comprehension. On these sections, any question left unanswered is counted as incorrect, which simply means, don’t leave a single question unanswered! If you see time is running out, guess on every question before the clock runs down. Also on these sections, you can go skip questions or go back later, so if time permits, check your work before moving on.

The second type of subtest is the “Computer Adaptive” type. This is only for the Math Skills and Mechanical Comprehension. Under no circumstances should you ever guess without first giving your very best effort on these sections. The reasons are two-fold: 1) you cannot go back and change answers later. 2) the “Adaptive” word means that each test is customized to each test taker. As you answer questions, depending on whether or not you answer them correctly or not will determine the question you get next. If you get a question right, the next question will be more difficult. If you get it wrong, the next one will be easier. Each time you get a wrong answer, you maximum possible score drops lower and lower. Blindly guessing will significantly decrease the possibility of even passing this section, because after too many wrong answers you essentially fail automatically. This is why the test lengths vary, because if you get 5 or 10 questions in row correct, they know you are good to go and you can move on. If you miss 5 or 10 in a row, they know you don’t have a prayer of passing so don’t bother giving you any more chances.answer++

++answerScoring on the SIFT

Scores range from 20-80 with a 40 being a passing score. The low 50’s is an average score. Obviously, you want to try to do better than that since the selection process is a competitive one, although there is varied reports of whether or not boards actually see your score or just that you passed without indicator of actual score. Either way, you should not treat test-day as a “trial run” and study hard now. You are only allowed take the SIFT twice in your life!answer++

++answerAdditional Resources

Keep in mind that while the SIFT is a relatively new test (introduced in 2013), many of the sections were picked up from the AFOQT for the Air Force and ASTB for the Naval forces. While the number of questions and time limits are different, you can find a plethora of practice tests and helpful information on discussion forums online. Be certain to visit www.usarec.army.mil and find your way to the SIFT FAQs. This is the official information about the SIFT exam and you should read it carefully.answer++