INSTRUCTOR PLT ON A DUAL INST TRAINING FLT OVERSHOT THE MISSED APCH ALT DUE TO THE HABIT OF MAKING 3 OTHER MISSED APCHS TO THE SAME ALT; BUT A DIFFERENT APCH. THE CTLR POINTED OUT HIS MISTAKE AND ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC.

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THIS FLT WAS A TRAINING FLT FOR AN INST RATING. OUR INITIAL PLAN WAS TO MAKE 3 ILS 4 APCHS AT TCL. WE FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN AND WERE CLRED BY ATC FOR THIS FLT. WE HAD COMPLETED 2 ILS APCHS AND WERE BEGINNING THE THIRD. WE DECIDED TO REQUEST A GPS 22 APCH TO FINISH THE LESSON. THE REQUEST WAS MADE TO BHM APCH FOR THE GPS 22 APCH. THE CTLR STARTED TO GIVE INSTRUCTIONS; THEN SAID TO STAND BY. HE CAME BACK IN 10-15 SECONDS AND INSTRUCTED US TO PROCEED TO UMABEE; MAINTAIN 2200 FT. WE DID NOT THINK UMABEE WAS THE CORRECT PLACE TO GO; BUT CHOSE TO CONTINUE AND COMPLETE THE ILS 4 APCH BEFORE DISCUSSING IT ANY FURTHER. ON THE MISSED APCH; WE SET UP TO GO DIRECT TO UMABEE BUT WERE STILL CONFUSED BECAUSE WE HAD EXPECTED TO BE DIRECTED TO AN IAF (SITIES; OKW OR IROSY). WE DID NOT QUESTION THE CTLR ABOUT THIS -- HE SEEMED UNSURE ABOUT THIS APCH HIMSELF. WE CLBED TO 3000 FT WHILE DISCUSSING WHAT TO DO. OUR MISSED APCH INSTRUCTION ON THE PREVIOUS ILS 4 APCHS HAD BEEN CLB TO 3000 FT AND DIRECT TO TUSRA (THE OM). AFTER PASSING UMABEE AND GOING SOME 4 MI THE CTLR REQUESTED OUR ALT. WE RPTED 3000 FT. HE ADVISED WE WERE CLRED TO 2200 FT. AT FIRST I THOUGHT HE WAS MISTAKEN; BUT AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH; I AGREED HE WAS CORRECT. HIS COMMENT BACK TO US 'NO BIG DEAL.' WE CONTINUED THE APCH AND COMPLETED IT. WE DID MISS THE ALT BUT FEEL THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTION TO PROCEED TO UMABEE WERE INCORRECT AND LED TO OUR BEING VERY ENGROSSED TRYING TO MAKE THE APCH.