Have you ever spoken the following words as you exited an examination hall: I wish I had more time; well, now I know what the right response is! Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner? I should not have spent so much time thinking about that question…
We know you’d say yes because this happens to practically every student at least once during test season. Here we will discuss 9 Mistakes Students Should Avoid During Olympiad Exams and possible solutions to them. This will help you improve your performance and avoid mistakes throughout the exam.
- Anxiety during exam time
This is the worst thing that may happen during a test since it raises the possibility of making mistakes. Make an effort to relax. Clarify any questions you have about each class, plan ahead of time to minimise fear, get plenty of rest at night, and be confident. It will help you relax throughout the exam and improve your results.
- Not sticking to a pre-planned strategy
It’s a common blunder that practically every student commits. When they receive the question paper, they begin attempting without a method or plan. This might lead to spending too much time on the first few questions, leaving insufficient time to complete the paper on time. As a result, it is vital to read over the complete exam paper before beginning to attempt it. The components of the SOF Olympiad test are weighted differently. Each question in the Achievers Section is worth 2 or 3 points. First, try to answer those questions. Though they are challenging in terms of complexity, it is nonetheless recommended that you do not spend too much time on a single question. Practice on Class 5 IMO Question Paper 2013 and other previous year papers are a wonderful technique to solve questions with a prepared strategy. You may then calculate how much time you should spend on each question.
- Failure to correctly read the questions
The human brain has a tendency to perceive what it wants to see, which is especially true in the high-pressure setting of the exam room. If you don’t read a question thoroughly, your brain may display you the question you expect to see. For example, in an IMO test, a question may inquire, “Which of these possibilities is not a rational number?” However, in a rush, many students miss reading the word ‘not’ and immediately begin answering the question.
Similarly, many questions in the NSO test are focused on figures, graphs, flow charts, and so on. Before answering such queries, they must be thoroughly examined. You may improve your ability to understand questions accurately by training with specially created SOF worksheets.
- Not familiar with OMR-based exams
The format of the SOF Olympiad examinations is unlike any other school test. It employs an objective question pattern rather than a subjective question pattern. Students in these exams must write their responses on an OMR sheet provided with the question paper. Most kids in school are not aware of OMR-based exams.
They write their replies on the question paper rather than the OMR sheet, leaving the OMR sheet blank. As a parent, you must provide your kid with ample experience in taking OMR-based exams using the Olympiad Skills Development System. It is a downloaded test series with 8 tests and OMR sheets, comparable to Olympiad examinations.
- Failure to correctly read the questions
The human brain has a tendency to perceive what it wants to see, which is especially true in the high-pressure setting of the exam room. If you don’t read a question thoroughly, your brain may display you the question you expect to see. For example, in an IMO test, a question may inquire, “Which of these possibilities is not a rational number?” However, in a rush, many students miss reading the word ‘not’ and immediately begin answering the question.
Similarly, many questions in the NSO test are focused on figures, graphs, flow charts, and so on. Before answering such queries, they must be thoroughly examined. You may improve your ability to understand questions accurately by training with specially created SOF worksheets.
- Not doing calculations on paper
To save time, students frequently complete calculations in their heads exclusively, which is the leading source of foolish mistakes. It is recommended that you always keep a pencil with you so that you may conduct your calculations on paper; this allows you to always review your numbers and reduces the risks of errors. It is preferable to be cautious when answering the question rather than recognizing your error after you have completed the task and wasting time redoing it.
- Answering a Question Twice
Another typical error made by students during Olympiad examinations is marking two answers to one question. As a result, both responses are incorrect! And it will not cost you a mark for that inquiry. So, carefully mark your response on the OMR page, and make sure that each question has just one answer marked. Another mistake students make is failing to skip the response number from the OMR sheet when they skip a question without responding to it. As a result, all of the replies indicated from that point are incorrectly assigned to their associated question number. This is a terrible situation for any student. As a result, mark your answers carefully.
- Failing to write your name on the answer sheet
Students frequently neglect to enter their names and other personal information on the answer page. This error might result in NO RESULTS AT ALL. The best way to avoid making this error is to ensure that you accurately jot down your name and other personal information before beginning to compose your paper. Also, before submitting your work, double-check that everything is in order.
- Panic as the Exam Nears Its End
You can never offer your best effort if you are anxious or panicked. Many students struggle with time management during the Olympiads. Students who do not pay attention to time management tend to worry at the conclusion of the exam. This is the primary cause of stupid mistakes and mishaps. To avoid this, take online tests that imitate the exam setting and allow you to become familiar with the exam format and time limit.
