Dont get me wrong when I say this. ASE stands for ask someone else. Anybody can read a book and take a test and pass. Manual transmissions are not hard to diagnoss. Automatic are different. There is a lot of problems that can happen in an auto. First what is the problem.Does the trans need to to come and if does come out. When you find the problem what caused it. I am not saying ASE is not good to have but you dont really need it. I have been A Transmission tech for 10 years.