But they do specify that it must be actual or simulated instrument
flight
conditions.

So what qualifies the approach as being in actual? Santa Monica (KSMO),
California, has more often than not a deck of clouds over it right on the
Pacific Coast. the circling minimum for the VOR or GPS-A approach is 1120
and the MAP is 6.7 NM from the FAF. Minimum altitude at the FAF is 2600.
(1) If on the descent course you enter the cloud deck at 3,500 feet and
drop out of it at 2700 one mile before the FAF, does the approach count?
(2) ....drop out of it at 2500 feet one mile past the FAF......?

Discussing this in another forum, one camp says yes to both, another no
to (1) and yes to (2), and still another says you have to go down to
minimums. It seems to me the third group will never have an "actual"
approach in their logbook.