Ultimate Guide to Cracking Competitive Exams After 12th

Everyone is competing hard for entrance exams, be it in the fields of engineering, medical, or even jobs. There is no substitute for hard work, but just hard work is not enough. You need to put in your hard work smartly to convert it into success. From our record of students cracking IIT-JEE, BITSAT, and other state engineering entrance exams under our guidance, we will share some insights that will definitely help you become a better performer.

First Things First: Understanding the Syllabus

The syllabi of JEE, BITSAT, and other engineering exams are 70% the same; the only thing that changes is the approach. No question is asked outside the syllabus in any competitive exam, so before preparing for any exam, glance through the syllabus very carefully and identify topics in your book that can be eliminated.

Smart Resource Management

Don't run after too many resources for a single subject. A book or two is more than enough for each subject. Think about it: each book would be around 700 pages, and you have 3-5 subjects to study. In total, 2 books per subject make it a total of 7,000 pages to study in 250 days. That means every day you need to study and solve questions from 23 pages. Is that really doable?

As a quote from the movie "Chandni Chowk to China" says:

"I am not afraid of 1000 types of kicks you practised 1 time, but 1 kick you practised 100 times."

Focus on High-Yield Topics

One of the biggest mistakes aspirants make is trying to cover everything. Every exam asks 80% of its questions from 50% of its syllabus. By going through past years' papers and analyzing them carefully, you can understand the weightage of different topics. Devote more time to those chapters and topics which have more weightage and carry more marks. Also, cover those topics which are sure to be asked in your exams and can be prepared in lesser time.

Avoiding the Researcher Mindset

Don't become a researcher while preparing. Many times aspirants get stuck on a question for days, trying to solve it. It kills your time. Remember, you are not here to publish a thesis; you will get better chances to work on great problems once you are selected.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Devote more and more time practicing questions. It’s not the theory that decides your selection but your application of theory. JEE tests your problem-solving ability, and it will be tested throughout your degree too. So, face it head-on and practice relentlessly.

Join a Test Series

Join a test series; you are running a race. In an all-India test series, you will get to know your approximate position in the race. You can’t run your own race alone. How can you know whether you are losing the race or winning unless you compare it with others? I highly recommend joining Allen's ALL INDIA test series. It provides a comparative analysis of your performance with your past performance and other competitors.

Managing Stress

Don't let stress take over you. Many times, you will feel low or like you are not able to catch up with the course. It’s not a time to feel stressed and stop studying. There are about a million people like you who also feel stressed and low, but they won’t stop either. If you stop, that ruthless crowd will not wait for you and will move ahead. Stress should motivate you to study more and more, not hold you back.

Keep Studying

These are some of the common strategies that can increase your chances of selection in any entrance exam. Remember, hard work, combined with smart work, is the key to success. Keep pushing forward, and don't give up.By incorporating these tips and strategies into your study routine, you can enhance your preparation and boost your chances of success in competitive exams. Good luck!

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