Keep in mind it’s a prep course and I wouldn’t expect to be ready to test right after your class if you still do not feel ready.
Once you learn the process for the T-Nav questions they can be quite easy, especially the height of tide/speed of tide they’re literally just addition, subtraction and multiplication problems.
Print out a nav problem test every day to do until you’re scoring 90-100% consistently, ask questions from anyone who might have gotten their license recently about the questions you get wrong if available.
There are some resources you can use, look into The Practical Navigator and see if they offer T-Nav prep for cheap, that guys stuff is pretty good.
Unless you have photographic memory and are Rainman, I have to call BS on that. There’s no way you’re memorizing tide problem answers and then for one question out of 15? Nah!
People believe this weird fallacy that you can memorize the Deck questions, oddly.
There’s probably around a 150 questions for height of tide and speed of tide each, (I’m just guessing may be more than that) but you can’t memorize them at all.
I guess though, I have been surprised before with the academy guys ingenuity and ability to find ways to cheat Celestial and I suppose Chart Plotting somehow based on what I’ve read here on attrition rates they must be failing in droves after they changed the questions and that’s with 4 years of study… So I guess the CG is doing something right.
That being said being able to memorize Q&A may have been true for the General modules to an extent, back before they stopped publishing the banks, but even still there was 2500-7000 questions for each of those modules…they haven’t changed the questions so much that most study material wouldn’t be relevant today either so if someone wants to do that they probably still can.
That was never a method for Nav problems and Plotting unless you are Rainman I’d not count on that.
You either know them or you don’t and the only way to know them is to practice repetitively, day in and day out.
Yes, that means work on the part of the prospective officer.
It would just be exponentially more difficult if not impossible to devise some sort of mnemonic device for nav problems than simply learning how to do them, I would hope more the latter, and call me crazy… but If someone can’t do a simple tide problem, plot a chart or work out a set and drift, then they shouldn’t be a bridge officer at all.
As a coping mechanism, I always tell myself that it’s NOT difficult, in fact, I go as far as to tell myself it’s a joke, but what is difficult is forcing myself to sit down ALL DAY EVERYDAY and go through all of this stuff time and time again. If you can overcome that hurdle, and it sounds like you’re well on your way, you will get it. I guarantee it.
Another coping mechanism I use is that I remind myself of some of the idiots I have worked with or come across over the years that have a license. If they can do it, I have no excuse.
My coping mechanisms may seem pretentious, but it works for me so whatever.
Keep it up, use different resources. Go to libraries and coffee shops to study since the distractions are less than at home. Good luck!!
I went in with a plan. I planned to study only 4 modules out of the 6 in the attempt to save my scores. And by the grace of God I pulled it off I passed rules, deck gen, Nav gen and near coastal problems I appreciate all the words of motivation I still have work to do but a lot of weight has been lifted. ( and for the record I memorized all tides and currents)
Congratulations on that milestone, I remember how happy I was when I passed my 5 modules on the second try and had just one remaining, I was able to focus on just Nav General and it does lift a huge weight.
It’s a lot, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of family encouraging me.
You got this.
Fellow Mariners. I am now a 1600 ton NC mate. Thanks for all of the help and advice. I used all 3 chances and memorized tides and currents which I don’t recommend but is doable. God bless and I feel as light as a feather now