Are you willing to opt in for higher-education in a foreign land? If yes, its real drill lies in planning and preparing adequately so that you leave no stones unturned by the time you reach the entrance examination. Whether you have selected TOEFL, GMAT or IELTS entrance exams are the route to it. Generally these examinations are based on selected study course as per your chosen category. Sometimes it might differ as per eligibility requirements fixed by different universities round the globe. Every student appearing for such exams wants to know the secret guide to success and high marks.
Are you looking for the same? Here are few tips and secret ideas to help you get going!
Get the Crucial Basics Right
Before you get down to serious planning and preparations, it is essential to keep certain basic guidelines. Any entrance exam preparation is a long term process that needs commitment, dedication and smart thinking. Therefore, prior to beginning preparations always keep in mind the following:
- Choose your examination category well and then stick to it. For instance, if you have decided to prepare for GMAT, then stay committed and focused on the same. Let not other thoughts of similar examinations deter you from your best efforts. If need be take time in arriving at a decision.
- Know that hard work and smart thinking is imperative for success. Therefore, be prepared for the long haul. To save time start jotting down the sources from where you can get your study material fast. Also find out details on coaching centers along with the relevant class dates, so that deciding how to go about the same becomes.
- Know that health is wealth. Therefore, whilst preparing for your entrance exams it is essential to follow a healthy diet. It’s better to choose fruits, whole grain diet than junk diet for these few months, as it will help in staying agile, healthy and concentrate on your preparations better.
- Get into the habit of meditating everyday for about 20 minutes. Morning or evening time would be better. This will boost your mental faculties and will instilla sense of calmness. This will help in focusing better and memorize your lessons effectively.
- Expect that some days will not be as you plan it. You might fall ill or things just might not work your way. There’s nothing to fret on this. It happens with everyone. Take heart when such a non-productive day happens and move on with preparations instead.
Make Your Study Routine
A routine or study plan regardless how cut and dry it might appear, but it has its benefits! Therefore, when starting preparations, a study plan is the first thing that must be focused on. This study plan should include all the relevant topics and concepts you need to learn and master. For instance, if you appearing for TOEFL entrance exam there the urge to solve several test papers in order to get your grammar exercises correct is essential. Other than your question paper, today there are interesting lessons and questions to solve in the internet. In your study plan you may also want to include that and keep practicing the same.
Follow Your Study Plan with Utmost Dedication
Your routine or study plan is actually your progress tracking record tool. This means, by following your routine you can assess your preparation at any given time. It will reflect the topics, lessons and subjects that you’ve covered vis-a-vis the ones that yet need your attention. Followed correctly with a single-minded focus your routine can lead you to success. How can you pass entrance exams without coaching– is a question that shouldn’t bother one who is confident!
Don’t Discard the Power of Revision
Since the format of entrance exams is a tad bit different than the usual academic exams, students often do not consider revising. You might feel that once you have studied the chapter or solved a lesson, it’s all done.  But since you would be studying up a huge amount there are chances of getting confused and forget something relevant at the last moment. Therefore, then allowing this condition to happen whilst in the exam hall solving the entrance examination paper, it’s smart move to keep sufficient time for revision.
The smart way to revision is setting two days in the week aside or possibly a combination of weekday and a weekend, for instance a Thursday and a Saturday when you will only revise the lessons and chapters already done. This will ensure as you are attempting to learn and memorize new chapters and lessons, the ones that you’ve completed stay fresh in your memory and within your finger tips. Therefore, always include revision in your study plan.
Keep a Tab of Your Dream School/University Updates
You sure do have a dream school or a coveted University in which you seek admission! Simply knowing the cut off percentage for the same is not enough. Log into the internet and keep a tab of relevant updates. For instance, sometimes schools and Universities set the standard a little high than the previous time. Alternatively, a school might be opening up some new avenue or can lower the cut off rate or make some important discussions concerning admission. Keeping a tab on the same will allow you to stay updated on important aspects.
Put Some Smart Time Management into Practice
This is crucial to plan and prepare well for entrance exams. The sure shot way to make fruitful use of time is by to wasting time in taking tension by giving into “what would happen†scenarios in your mind. Stick to your deadlines and also keep sufficient time for sleeping, doing yoga or any other exercise, recreation activities and the like. Don’t go overboard on any as that will affect the entire circle of your preparation activities.
When you follow these simple and smart secret ideas you will be able to prepare well and also perform much better than you expected. The outcome of which is going to be excellent!