Board Exams vs Entrance Exams: Steps to Ease Stress & Achieve Success

Board and Entrance Exams are two pivotal steps in every student’s life. While board marks are a lifetime companion, entrance examinations decide the path of your career. If you’re one of the many students who feel like walking a tightrope while trying to establish a balance between these two exams, you’re on the right page to help yourself out.

Although the preparation strategies vary from board to board and lean heavily on which entrance exam you are preparing for, we have provided below some strategies that almost work for all.

Align the Common Topics

It is almost always that you have some common topics between your board and the entrance exam you are appearing for, and the best thing about is that it can be used as a major factor to your advantage. List down the common topics for each subject, and when you study these topics next time, study from the perspective of both board and entrance examinations. For example, you may go in-depth of theory for your boards and zoom through shortcuts for your MCQ-based entrances.

Also Read: How to Prepare for NEET 2022 alongside board exams?

Set Your Priorities

Almost all board exams throughout the country happen before entrance exams, and once you’re done with the common topics as mentioned above, you can focus on your boards for the remaining topics. But you mustn’t completely ignore the preparation of your entrance examination. For example, out of 8 hours of study, you may give six hours for boards but be sure to dedicate the rest two hours for entrance exams.

Also Read: NEET 2021 Question Papers - Download PDF for all codes.

Don’t Ruin Your Individuality

It is very often that you may try to follow what works for someone else while forgetting that their success does not essentially imply that their method is a formula. There are equal chances that it may work and may not work. Trying is not harm when you have ample time but if you’re near approaching the exam date, it is best to sit down and figure out what could possibly work for you based on your past studying habits and what kind of routine suits you. For example, the person you’re trying to follow is a morning person and waking up early is not one of your traits, it is best to study until late at night, for if the start of the day is ruined, the day generally turns out to be futile.

Also Read: NEET 2020 Question Papers - Download PDF for all codes.

Give Mock Tests

The best way to know how far you’ve come is to attempt mock tests. Not only does it tell you exactly how far you’ve come but it also tells you how fast you are (along with telling you all you need to know about paper patterns, types of questions, etc). Be it boards or entrance, time managing holds supremacy. If you practice enough times, it is bound to increase your speed. But writing down all the descriptive answers proves to be a very lengthy task so it is better to recite the subjective answers in your head and solve/write down only short questions or MCQs. Solving numerical problems thoroughly is highly suggested as such type of questions are all about steps and speed, actually solving them in mock tests improves your overall performance.

Properly Utilize Your Time

The timetable for board exams sometimes spans a large duration between two consecutive papers that usually isn’t needed. This time can be utilized to study for the entrance exams and you’re in luck if this gap turns out to be for one of the subjects in the entrance exam. Regardless, you mustn’t let this time go to waste. Study as much as you can.

Moreover, between most board exams and entrance exams, there is also a long break. It is observed that students tend to let their studies fall slack after they are done with the boards. It may be nice to take a break, and you do deserve that after months of constant preparation, but losing focus can affect your performance in the upcoming entrance exam by blocking your flow and efficiency. It is better if you at least spend an hour or two daily studying for the entrance exams instead of, say, eight hours. You may then gradually increase this time to restore your pre-board peak or, who knows, achieve another altogether.

Also Read: Preparation Tips for Board Examinations.

Conclusion

All in all, effective ways of planning do help to reduce what has come to be known as exam pressure. It is a detrimental factor that every student is supposed to stay far away from yet find themselves right in its bounds if they do not follow a proper strategy. Follow the tips given above and achieve your desired goal without falling prey to this exam pressure.

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