Thinking about exam, everybody starts getting headache. Students are worried that they don’t know how they will do and parents have tension that if their kids don’t do well, they wont get admission in good colleges or wont able to face the competition. This is specially true in India because of the style the examinations are given and how one’s caliber is tested. My basic education till my Bachelors degree was in India and I would like to share what I think one should do to get good scores in the current situation in India. It is totally impossible to comment on facing the examination without mentioning about studying and preparation for it. So I have incorporated both in this review.
PREPARATION
1) Know Yourself
As usual, I would suggest, one should know ones positive and negative points. One should know what subject they are weak and in what subject they can excel. Once you know this its easy to decide how to go about studying and face the exam. I have seen people studying those things which they don’t know first, but I personally feel one should study first what they know and what they are confident about. This is because once you are finished with what you are comfortable with, it will give you added confidence to face rest of the topics. Plus it will make you confident that you wont fail because you have already covered to score minimum points required to clear the subject.
2) Method of Studying
Some people like to study at the last minute while some others like to study well in advance. I personally prefer to study at the end so that everything is fresh in my mind. Only problem with this is if you fall sick or some other problem arises, you wont able to finish reading which will affect your grades. But whatever method you choose, try to concentrate when you are reading and try to understand the concept rather than memorizing just answers for some particular topic. This will help you later while writing the exam. If you have just memorized the answers, then it might be difficult for you to answer if they have twisted the questions. So try to learn the basic of the topics.
3) Know the Pattern of the Question Paper
Be it school or college, there is standard format in which the questions are set by the examination committee. At times, the pattern is set keeping the particular topics or chapter. Try to find out which topics or chapter contain maximum weightage in the question paper. While studying, try to understand those chapters first. So in that case, with less topics you can reap maximum benefit. This is very important if you are running short of time before the exam.
FACING THE EXAM
1) Relax
This is very important factor when you are sitting in the examination hall. Try to relax. Not only that, some people get tensed because night before exam they were not able to get good sleep. If that’s true with you, try to cut the studies and go to bed early, not to bother that you have missed couple of topics. If you are sensitive to sleep and if you don’t get good sleep, its going to mess up your confidence in the examination hall. I personally don’t sleep night before the exam but study whole night so that whatever I go through is fresh in my mind.
2) Read the Question Paper
Before jumping to start replying to all the questions, try to go through the question paper quickly, so that you are aware before hand if they have changed the style of question paper. Also that will give you an idea how much you know and how much you can answer.
3) Be Flexible
Try to be flexible in your approach in answering to your questions. If the question paper is tough, then don’t worry if you are not able to reply the questions with all the points, but if it is very easy paper, then you should not miss any point. This is because the grading of the tough papers are generally easy and vise versa. So looking the questions try to justify your answers.
4) Time Management
This is very important factor when replying. If you are having exam of 100 points for 3 hrs time period, then effective time available to reply all the questions is 2.5 hrs. Remaining time will go in reading the questions, getting additional answer sheets and signing those and final check. So for each mark you have 1.5 min. So you should not take more than 15 min to reply a question which is worth of 10 points. So keep track of the time from time to time. Adjust your answers if needed.
5) First Impression
Always remember first impression is last impression. So always start answering those questions of which you are very sure. Also, try to cover the ground such that in first hour and half you have replied such that if the examiner grads only that, you are sure of obtaining minimum points required for clearing the exam. Remaining time is used to increase your scores. If there are short question, try to reply those fast so that you can have more time for other big questions. Remember don’t reply short questions if you are not sure of the answers. If you get few short questions wrong in early stage, then you are creating a bad impression on the examiner.
6) If in Doubt
If you are in a doubt, try to recall the answer with best of your knowledge. If your memory fails you, use your best logic to get the answer. DO NOT LEAVE ANY QUESTIONS BLANK. Reply all of it. Keep the motto that you have to reply all the questions to the minimum.
7) Extra Time
If you finish your paper early after replying all the questions, just don’t get out of the hall. Try replying all the additional questions that are left out and are not required to be answered. This will give you an added benefit, if something goes wrong with your previous question and if examiner is good, he/she might consider your another question.
8) Don’t Panic
This is the last thing one should do, if you don’t know the answer. If you cant remember the formula, don’t just give up. Write down the procedure how to arrive at the final answer. Put a note on the top that you have forgotten the formula but you know how to solve it. Many examiner will consider this and will give partial credit for attempting that question.
9) Additional Answer Sheets
If you need additional answer sheet, ask for it well in advance before first one is over. In that way, the time taken by the examiner to come and handover the sheet and they finishing all the formalities does not affect your time.
10) Pen, Pencils, Eraser
Always carry additional pen, pencils, erasers etc needed for the exam. Just don’t go and buy new pens or refills, but instead use the ones you have been using from some time. In that way you are comfortable in using those accessories required to face the exam.
I just hope this helps...
-Rahul