How to prepare knowledge wise for the nuke program?

[stopanddrop]

I am currently on my way to join the nuke program, I just have to take my tests. I aced my ASVAB when I took it last year but I am really concerned about the NAPT. I have gotten a little rusty on my calculus over the past 3 years since I got out of high school. Is there a lot of calculus involved in the NAPT? I also heard someone mention the chemistry and physics part. I don't know very much about chemistry except for the basics. Not too worried about A school but I am worried about Nuke school, I haven't found too much on what they expect you to know when you enter the program. I took Calc 1 in high school but like I said it's starting to get a little rusty, will they teach you everything you need to know or do the expect you to know a lot about calc and physics before you go in. I am very anxious about going in there and not being prepared, I would like to do everything I can. Is there any study guides that can help me out? I really don't want to be spending all my time learning triple integrals and forgetting about something else that might be even more important.

[Styrofoam]

There aren't any study guides because, apparently, what's on the test is supposed to be a secret. I didn't tell you this, but just do some internet searching (and here too) and you should be able to find a direction to go with your studying.

[stopanddrop]

Yea I wouldn't have posted this if I hadn't been looking for hours on something to help me out. I really don't want anything too specific, just help in gaining more knowledge in the general subjects. I just want to make sure I know the basics to do well, I am not looking for similar questions to whats on these tests but rather what math do I need to have a good understanding of to answer the questions whatever they might be.

[stopanddrop]

Heh, I found about everything I needed just now. I think I am going to do pretty well on it. Now just getting to preparing for power school, do they teach you basic calculus and stuff there or should I already have a good understanding of the subject before I get there.

[JustinHEMI05]

There is nothing you can do to prepare for power school.

A) They don't use any calculus at all.
2) They will teach you Navy math and Navy physics. The course is designed to take those with an elementary background (IE High school) and turn them into nuclear operators, so they start from the very basics and go from there. In fact, sometimes, depending on the person, having a more advanced background can be a hindrance because you tend to want to throw the BS flag all the time. It took me a while to catch on and just accept what I was being told, press the "I believe" button, as it were. In fact, that acceptance can be carried on into commercial nuclear power because the general fundamentals part of the program is full of "Stuff That Is Taught" that isn't necessarily correct as well. That is a function of the fact that it isn't a calculus based program because to be an operator, you do not need an engineer's level of understanding, but I digress. Like I said, don't stress studying up for power school now. I would focus on having fun and enjoying your time before boot, without getting into any kind of trouble, of course.
III) Did you see this thread? http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,17568.0.html In particular, the part about preparing for the pipeline? Considering you have done hours of reading, I am surprised you missed it.

Justin

[stopanddrop]

Yeah, I read all those pages I just didn't find the specific answers I was looking for, but you just about covered it all. Thanks. It's just last time I took a special course in the Persian language, it was an intense summer course that I almost failed (well I ended up with a B average), they expected you to have a general understanding of the language before you got there. I was behind everyone else and was extremely stressed out becuase of it. None of the brochures for the course said anything about knowing anything at all. I just never want to end up in a situation like that again, being unprepared is never a good thing.

[JustinHEMI05]

I understand, but rest assured, you won't be behind anyone out of the gate.

[PotentialNuke]

You won't need to know any calculus for this school, maybe a little in power school. A-school, none. All of the math you need to know, you'll be taught. Get used to memorizing a lot of information verbatim, and doing things the Navy way. If you are a person who is joining this in hopes that completion of this pipeline will mold them into a nuclear engineer or genius, get lost. Nothing of the sort will occur. SEALs have the best recruiting, Navy Nuke has the second best. Ask yourself if you want to go through a year and a half of memorizing technical manual type info which will make you decent money in the Navy, and good money on the outside. If your motivation is primarily motivated by future monetary position, go for it. If you are hoping to be enlightened and nurtured in an environment that supports your ideas or a lot of "what if?" questions that are unrelated to exactly what is being taught, stay the hell away.

[DDMurray]

........Get used to memorizing a lot of information verbatim, and doing things the Navy way. If you are a person who is joining this in hopes that completion of this pipeline will mold them into a nuclear engineer or genius, get lost. Nothing of the sort will occur. SEALs have the best recruiting, Navy Nuke has the second best. Ask yourself if you want to go through a year and a half of memorizing technical manual type info which will make you decent money in the Navy, and good money on the outside. If your motivation is primarily motivated by future monetary position, go for it. If you are hoping to be enlightened and nurtured in an environment that supports your ideas or a lot of "what if?" questions that are unrelated to exactly what is being taught, stay the hell away.

I guess that'll cover the fly-bys.  Why is your nickname Potential Nuke?  I am one of the lucky ones.  The nuclear navy/submarine force just suited me.  The nuclear navy did not make me a genius or nuclear engineer.  It has provided me a decent living and allowed me to work with some of the finest people I've ever known.  I don't disagree with most of your post, but why on earth would you say that the SEALs have the best recruiters?

[PotentialNuke]

Na, as far as the inclusion of a SEAL reference, both Nukes and SEALs are similiarly stereotyped: Nukes having genius, SEALs all being monstrous in physical size with no intellect. I guess what I'm getting at is do not believe what is commonly suggested by the general consensus of people, especially those not in the Navy, look into personally/extensively.
PotentialNuke, because I have only completed A school, so I'm not quite there yet. I do mean to deter future nukes with respect to not getting into the program if those interested in doing so think they are getting into a program that cares what they think about. I do not mean to be mean, I'm just saving both parties a lot of time. Justin's perspective on the "I believe button" is also needed in A school. We'll put it this way, math was my highest score on the asvab, might have been perfect. I failed math here. You either do it their way or fail, so ready to do things their way. As far as the grammatical errors in my previous statement, I'm sure there were plenty of them, please excuse me.

[JustinHEMI05]

I failed the very first math test in A school. I now hold a senior reactor operator license, on my way to my second.* YMMV   Point is, you must learn it their way like the above poster mentioned, and at that time, I refused.

As far as holding to rating stereotypes, they are born somewhere.

There I was in the lower level head of a 688 class submarine, just finished showering, brushing my teeth getting ready for watch. The boat is playing "pick up the seal team without broaching the surface." They pick up said seal team and whilst I was brushing my teeth, the seal time LT burst into the head with his gear still on, tosses all of his radio gear in the sink next to me, something about rinsing all the salt water off before the electrodes corrode. Little did he know, the little push button timed faucet didn't work and neither did I until what happened next.

He pushed the button on the faucet, nothing comes out. I think "oh, doesn't work, I will let him use mine." But then he gets a dumb founded look on his face and cocks his head sideways.
He pushes the button again. I think "oh, this is going to be good. I will wait a second before offering him my sink."
Less time elapses this time before he hits the button again. Now, his face starts to scowl.
He then starts beating on the button, still no water. Blood from a rock, if you will.
I say "SIR!!!!!!! IT DOESN'T WORK! USE MINE!"
He says "Oh, thanks!"

Sorry for the hijack, but I believe in stereotypes for a reason.  


*I never failed another test and passed every following test in the 3.9 range and was on vols throughout the pipeline.

[NuclearWaste]

I am currently on my way to join the nuke program, I just have to take my tests. I aced my ASVAB when I took it last year but I am really concerned about the NAPT. I have gotten a little rusty on my calculus over the past 3 years since I got out of high school. Is there a lot of calculus involved in the NAPT? I also heard someone mention the chemistry and physics part. I don't know very much about chemistry except for the basics. Not too worried about A school but I am worried about Nuke school, I haven't found too much on what they expect you to know when you enter the program. I took Calc 1 in high school but like I said it's starting to get a little rusty, will they teach you everything you need to know or do the expect you to know a lot about calc and physics before you go in. I am very anxious about going in there and not being prepared, I would like to do everything I can. Is there any study guides that can help me out? I really don't want to be spending all my time learning triple integrals and forgetting about something else that might be even more important.

NAPT is the basis of which you need to know for the school....But as I've read, it's wise NOT to study anything but what's needed for bootcamp prior to shipping off.  The Navy goes through alot of time in teaching you how they want things done, and even to the extent of the detail that's put into that same way.  Considering that Math is a theory on how to solve a problem, meaning there is definately more than one way to solve it, I wouldn't rush into learning anything without the Navy's assistance.  NAPT is an aplitude test, thus it is what you should know before entering DEP, don't stress to much as it's not difficult for one who's gone through Calc 1.  Although it's a confidential test, and with that, I cannot tell you more.

Thanks

[Cycoticpenguin]

Nuke math is easy... Id be more worried about your fundamentals class, and eventually reactor physics. Thats where the fun part is

The math is cake, they LITERALLY give you every system to solve it.