Orals Prep Blog

To the heart of the matter

What’s the MCA Oral Exam really like?

The MCA oral exam is like an interview... but you have to pay for the pleasure. You'll be invited into a room filled with nautical knick-knacks, offered a glass of...

How To Study For Your MCA Oral Exam

One question that we get all the time is simply; "How do I study for my MCA Oral Exam?" The flippant answer is "a lot" but, to be fair,...

How To Answer COLREGS Lights Questions

COLREGS lights answers need to be confident, concise & precise. One of the first COLREGS questions that you'll get in your MCA Orals Exam is lights. This can often feel...

How To Pass Your MCA Oral Exam – #5 – Don’t Panic!

Don't panic. We really mean it. Yes, trying to pass the MCA oral exam might well be the biggest event of your life and, yes, it's really hard and,...

How To Pass Your MCA Oral Exam – #4 – Practice Out Loud

Your MCA oral exam is, as the name suggests, spoken. It's a bit like an interview, really and it's critically important to practice speaking out loud. We tell our clients...

How To Pass Your MCA Oral Exam – #3 – Use Orals Reports

For those that are unfamiliar, an orals report is the beer-stained, bleary-eyed rememberings of those that have gone before. While that may not sound hugely appealing, they are an invaluable...

How To Pass Your MCA Oral Exam – #2 – Work In A Group

How To Pass Your MCA Oral Exam - Work In A Group

Even though you can't bring your mates into the exam room with you, preparing for the MCA Oral Exam really is a team effort. Whether or not you attend...

How To Pass Your MCA Oral Exam – #1 – Start Early

When should we start revising for our MCA orals exam? Procrastination is easy but it really does pay off to start early and get ahead. You know yourself better...