8 tips for successful exam +2 preparation

Exam season is one of the most stressful times for both parents and students alike. The HSC exams play one of the most important roles in determining the future of the candidate and the streams they may follow. Students undergo a lot of stress and anxiety. But that doesn’t have to be the case if you prepare efficiently.

In this article, you will find step by step guide on how to have an effective study plan and score more than 90+ in 12th class.

1. Challenge yourself
You can be your greatest ally and contender. Maintain 2 scenarios, first is your present and the other is your past. Now create a challenging game in your mind where the objective is to score a higher percentage than the previous exam. E.g.: if your scored 50% in your previous exam, try to get 60% in the next exam. If your aim is to get a great percentage overall, then keep that as your target. Create a visual table of all your previous marks and the individual subject break up, this will help you to be objective.

2. The syllabus book is the most important
Most students make the mistake of running behind umpteen reference books. Reference books are a great resource when you are preparing for your competitive exams. They may help you with tips and tricks to understand a concept easier, but never underestimate the importance of your syllabus book. If you notice, you will see that students who score high marks always stick to the syllabus book.
The syllabus book is designed under a strict syllabus; all the questions asked during your final exam will be under this syllabus.

3. Focus on your weak points
What are your weak points? Make a note of the portions you are not strong at. Analyze your previous exam papers and find your mistakes, take a note of the areas you are poor at. Working on your weak points will ensure that they will not affect your overall percentage. The biggest mistake that students make is they keep practising questions in their strongest areas and skip the weak portions.

4. Time Management is key
HSC is going to be one of the toughest exams you will face. Proper time management skills are what is going to make or break your exam scores. Make a daily schedule and stick to it. Utilizing whatever spare time you have is going to boost your marks considerably. Focus on tougher subjects in the morning when your mind is fresh. Take advantage of your free periods. If your focus is to score above 90% then keep aside 8 hours of your day for effective preparation. Never skip language subjects like English, they can prove to be a real percentage booster.

5. Solve previous year question papers
Previous years papers can be a great asset for students. You will find multiple resources online. Solving previous years papers is like attempting to write the final exams. Try and attempt the whole paper keeping track of time as if you are in the exam hall instead of answering only a few questions. Analyze your answers and work on questions or topics you are not confident in. You may not score great on your first attempt, but if you keep practising you will see good improvement which will also boost your self-confidence.

6. Maintain a neat answer sheet
When trying to get a good score, every answer counts. Your answer sheet is the only thing on the basis of which your marks are calculated. So avoid multiple strikethroughs and scribbles. Underline important points, make boxes around formulas or around final answers. Such simple things can help you increase up to 10 marks. Understand that your invigilators have many answer sheets to read through, so the objective is to make it visually easier for them to give you marks.

7. The night before the exam
You would be surprised to know that 10% of your marks depends on this crucial night. Do not focus of learning new topics the night before. Try and keep your mind relaxed and sleep earlier so that your mind will be fresh to tackle the questions the next day.

8. On the exam day
Just like the night before, don’t try to learn new topics or discuss difficult topics with friends right before entering the hall. Make sure you read through the questions in a calm mind before attempting to answer and strategize your game plan.
If you are coming across questions you are unaware of, do not panic. Always attempt the 5 marks questions first, because it is difficult to tackle these questions during the final minutes of the exams but you can manage to answer 1 to 2 mark questions with ease. If you are unable to do a question, leave it and get back to it later. As mentioned earlier do focus to maintain a legible and neat answer sheet.

Finally, as you are done with the exams do not be in a hurry to leave. Utilise this time to cross-check the answers and attempt questions you found difficult.

Apart from the above-mentioned tips, always keep in mind that getting more than 90% is not an easy feat. You have to work hard and keep your focus. Try to go light on social media, if possible do not use it during the final 3 months as it can be a very time-consuming activity.

Put these tips to practice and you can score very well for the exams.
All the best!