Highly competitive exams, such as Olympiads, are held not just to test your knowledge and skills, they also test your ability to handle pressure and complete the exams within the given time frame. Often, students opting for these exams complain about the lack of time.
Managing your time effectively is extremely important when appearing at Olympiads. It’s quite important and can make a huge difference in your Olympiad results.
Here are some basic tips for you to remember while preparing for the Olympiad exams:
Firstly, you should always understand the format of the exam before you start preparing for it. This will help you to prepare a proper lesson plan, allocate time for each topic, and reduce your stress level.
· Appear for mock tests and sample tests before your final exam so that you are prepared for the paper, its format, and the instructions.
· You should know how many questions will be asked in each section beforehand so that you can divide your time accordingly. Have a plan of how long you will be spending on each question and stick to that plan.
· Always begin your exam with questions or topics you know quite well, and then move onto more difficult questions. A strong start in the exam can give you the motivation to complete your exam faster and better. Pick a question that you are extremely confident about and move ahead from there.
· Always read the questions thoroughly so that you don’t have to read them again and again, and save time. Thoroughly reading the question would also help in understanding if the question is in a tricky language, which is usually the case in exams like Olympiads.
· If you are quick to finish the exam, still utilize your entire time. Revisit the paper and try out questions again that you are doubtful about.
· Most Olympiads do not have negative marking, so try and attempt all the questions. Take a guess for questions you are unsure about, but do this at the end of the exam.
· Last but not the least, time is often wasted during an Olympiad exam due to nervousness, and students end up panicking. Stay calm and focused while attempting your Olympiad exam. Be confident about your preparations.
Hope these tricks and tips help you in your Olympiad preparation well. Best of Luck!