Who has taken the ASA 101/103/104 exams?

[KeepInTune]

Greetings All!
I'm prepping for my ASA 101/103/104 course and studying hard.

My question is: for those of you have recently (last year or two) taken the ASA exams, are the written exams very similar to the review questions/quizzes in the study books? Or, are the reviews in the books much more detailed and more thorough than the actual ASA exams?

I'll do well no matter what, as I'm studying hard....I'm just trying to gage the extent of the exams and ease my anxieties.

Cheers!

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

Greetings All!
I'm prepping for my ASA 101/103/104 course and studying hard.

My question is: for those of you have recently (last year or two) taken the ASA exams, are the written exams very similar to the review questions/quizzes in the study books? Or, are the reviews in the books much more detailed and more thorough than the actual ASA exams?

Cheers!

The questions are similar to the reviews in the study books but you need to be able to answer all the questions in the knowledge reviews on the ASA web site.

I studied very hard and my feeling afterward was the exams could have been a lot more challenging than they were. That said, if you put in the effort it's pretty easy to get 80% and pass but extremely difficult to get 100%, no matter how much you study. A few of the questions/answers have subtle differences compared to what the texts say. A few are discussed so briefly one would have to memorize the entire texts and have total recall to answer them correctly. At least that was my impression.

Good luck!

[KeepInTune]

Thanks for the response.

Were most of the questions multiple-choice or were they fill-in-the-blank?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

Thanks for the response.

Were most of the questions multiple-choice or were they fill-in-the-blank?

Its 15 years ago since I did mine, but a lot of questions are multiple choice, The was a fairly complex , calculate the range under certain circumstances with x fuel question. Most were fairly easy. I swotted mine the night before.

dave

[bill352]

My wife and I (average recreational sailors) "challenged" (took the exam without taking the class) the courses you mentioned a couple of years ago and did just fine. You do have to read the books, though. As OF75 said, if you study hard, the exams will be a lot less challenging.

I vaguely remember the calculate-the-range question Dave mentioned, but I think it was on the 105 (navigation) exam when we took it. I remember it because it reminded me that if you get, say, .75 gal./hr and have 100 gal. on board, you have to divide (not multiply!!) the gallons by .75 to get the hours available. Who knew?

[Sailinnole]

My wife and I took 104 a few years back...and I can recall that there was a calculate the range question on 104. I agree with the other comments that the tests weren't as hard as they could have been...I think everyone I've taken the classes with always passed the tests...and that includes 101 and 103 as well as 104. I would definitely read/study however...I found it enjoyable...my wife, not so much...

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

Thanks for the response.

Were most of the questions multiple-choice or were they fill-in-the-blank?

All exams except 114 & 106 have been converted to multiple choice.

I recommend that students read the applicable text and then use the standard for that class as a study guide to review. Do that and you'll do fine.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

All exams except 114 & 106 have been converted to multiple choice.

I recommend that students read the applicable text and then use the standard for that class as a study guide to review. Do that and you'll do fine.

The 101/103/104 exams are not difficult, but they do cover a lot of knowledge.

[Andy73]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

Thanks for the response.

Were most of the questions multiple-choice or were they fill-in-the-blank?

They were multi choice with some match column A to column B.

As commented, the tests are not difficult (tricky) at all. They cover all the material in the books though so you need to be familiar with it all.

If you can answer the practice questions (and explain your answer) and are familiar with the study questions in each chapter you will do fine.

Good luck to you

[Lazy Geckos]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

Greetings All!
I'm prepping for my ASA 101/103/104 course and studying hard.

My question is: for those of you have recently (last year or two) taken the ASA exams, are the written exams very similar to the review questions/quizzes in the study books? Or, are the reviews in the books much more detailed and more thorough than the actual ASA exams?

I'll do well no matter what, as I'm studying hard....I'm just trying to gage the extent of the exams and ease my anxieties.

Cheers!

No help here but I'll be doing the same in Nov....good luck, let us know how it goes

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

All exams except 114 & 106 have been converted to multiple choice.

...

...and 105 (Coastal Nav).

[sailcrazy]

I challenged all 3 courses a year ago. I bought the books, read and then studied them, and sat for the exams. The 100-question tests were either multiple choice, T/F, or column matching. My impression was that some of "elephants" were missed completely, while some of the "ants" were really stamped out! You need to know the book material-even some of the stuff they hardly cover, and there are some answers that are a fine shade apart! That being said, I passed all 3, so it can be done- I scored a 100-100-98 on the 3.

[fjjack]

No problem at all, just read and understand the texts. You'll do fine.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by bill352

My wife and I (average recreational sailors) "challenged" (took the exam without taking the class) the courses you mentioned a couple of years ago and did just fine. You do have to read the books, though. As OF75 said, if you study hard, the exams will be a lot less challenging.

I vaguely remember the calculate-the-range question Dave mentioned, but I think it was on the 105 (navigation) exam when we took it. I remember it because it reminded me that if you get, say, .75 gal./hr and have 100 gal. on board, you have to divide (not multiply!!) the gallons by .75 to get the hours available. Who knew?

That must be in jest. A grade school calculation?

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by bill352

My wife and I (average recreational sailors) "challenged" (took the exam without taking the class) the courses you mentioned a couple of years ago and did just fine. You do have to read the books, though. As OF75 said, if you study hard, the exams will be a lot less challenging.

I vaguely remember the calculate-the-range question Dave mentioned, but I think it was on the 105 (navigation) exam when we took it. I remember it because it reminded me that if you get, say, .75 gal./hr and have 100 gal. on board, you have to divide (not multiply!!) the gallons by .75 to get the hours available. Who knew?

Originally Posted by Cadence

That must be in jest. A grade school calculation?

Dimensional Analysis makes it hard to screw up. The units are treated like variables in the problem.

.75 gallons = 1 hour Divide so .75 gallons/1 hour =1 or 1 hour/.75 gallons =1
You can multiply anything by 1 and still have a true equation.

? hours = 100 gallons * 1

substitute 1 hour/ .75 gallons for the 1

? hours = 100 gallons * 1 hour/ .75 gallons

rearrange numbers together, units together

? hours = 100 * 1 / .75 * hour * gallons/gallons

gallons/gallons = 1, hours are the only units left which matches the units on the left side of the equation.

If you choose the wrong fraction to multiply with your units become gallons squared/ hour in this case, immediately letting you know you screwed up.

This is such a useful tool I learned in chemistry a long time ago and it seems not many people know or perhaps remember.