The preparation for any Olympiad can be highly tiring and exhausting for any student, regardless of how bright they may be. When it comes to taking any type of examination, concentration, motivation, and confidence are all critical aspects to consider. Preparation begins with patience and effort on the part of the student. Mathematics is one of those courses that require all of these features, as well as a great deal of repetition and practice. When it comes to studying for a test, many students are at a loss as to where they should begin. Mathematics is one of those courses where you cannot simply learn or memorize the material; rather, it requires you to have strong fundamentals and immense practice.
While it is important to know what you need to do while preparing for a Maths Olympiad, it is equally important to know what mistakes not to make while preparing for an Olympiad.
- Not revising Class sixth Mathematics concepts
A seventh-grade mathematics curriculum is built on the foundations of sixth-grade mathematics. It is critical for every student, regardless of whether or not they are participating in the olympiad, to be thoroughly familiar with the topics that were taught to them in sixth grade. Because these principles form the basic foundation of what you will learn in seventh grade. Students who are having difficulty should set aside some time to review and practice the ideas they are having difficulty with. A teacher or an expert should even be approached for assistance when it is absolutely required.
- Giving an exam without a strategy
A set approach is required for every examination, and this is especially true for mathematics. If you go into a mathematics examination without a plan, you will put yourself under undue strain and squander valuable time. A student who does not have an appropriate technique for navigating through the paper may find themselves caught in a question for an excessive amount of time and lose sight of the passage of time.
This technique would be to skim over the question paper and sort out the questions that are easy for you and fall under the themes that you are most knowledgeable about. Save the most difficult questions for last so that you don’t end up wasting time and lose points on questions that were most likely extremely easy for you.
- Not clarifying doubts
Any student who is prepared for an examination is likely to have doubts and ambiguities about some or all of the topics that will be covered in the examination. The majority of students are too self-conscious to ask for assistance or to admit that they are struggling to comprehend a certain topic’s concepts. Each student has a different ability to remember information than the next, and it is critical that every student understands this. When you ask questions, you are not being naive, but rather eager and willing to learn more about anything. Knowing the solution is not the best approach to proceed; rather, the emphasis should be placed on comprehending the nature of the problem. Instead of memorizing answers, students should concentrate on comprehending the process that brought them to the solution. Asking your lecturers or an expert for clarification is the best approach to get your questions answered. You could even try to enlist the assistance of your peers.
- Not setting an objective
It is necessary to establish a goal or a target in order to kick off the process of preparing for the exam and scoring. When you concentrate solely on one thing, you lose the ability to achieve other goals. The aim should be attainable and should be maintained while taking other aspects into consideration. For example, the goal of children in the seventh grade should not only be to do well in the Olympiad, but also to do well in their school assessments. Setting goals is vital because it helps to establish an atmosphere of dedication and concentration. Students who have a goal are more likely than those who do not have a goal to be more determined than their peers. These children are also more likely to achieve their objectives than the ones without any set goal in mind.
- Not doing enough revisions
While most students believe that they have completed their courses, in reality, they have only begun the process of preparing for their exams. Rather than simply finishing the curriculum, students should concentrate on completing numerous rounds of modifications.
Students should be finished with their education in order to be allowed to practice and participate in mock examinations. Students must take advantage of the resources that are accessible to them in order to assist them with revisions. They must go through IMO Class 7 Previous Year Paper 2013 that is easily available on the internet. This will assist you in understanding the format of the examination and provide you with a general understanding of what to expect from Olympiads. Students should make full use of the workbooks and practice papers that have been made available to them for their convenience. To get a diverse range of content, students should reference a variety of writers, including NCERT texts, in addition to one another.
- Panicking
The sense of uneasiness and being a little terrified is normal since it demonstrates your commitment and serves to sharpen your thoughts so that you do not lose concentration and keep your eyes on the prize, which in this case is passing the Olympiad exams. When uneasiness escalates into a full-blown panic attack or feelings of anxiety and self-doubt, it is considered an issue by the medical community. No matter how well-prepared a person is, panic and worry can impair a student’s ability to succeed. It is recommended that you be cool and composed prior to an examination. Unnecessary stress has its own set of consequences, most of which are detrimental, particularly in courses such as mathematics, which need an individual’s complete concentration and attention.
