Welcome to the third entry of the four posts that we have written to help you prepare for the Selectivity exams:
- Tips on how to prepare for the Selectivity
- What to do on the day of the Selectivity exams?
- How to answer in exams? (this post)
- What to do immediately after the exams?
How to get the most out of exams?
1. DON'T GET NERVOUS. The most important point of all. The one that can ruin all your previous work. The fear of failure. You must forget your fears and set out, with determination, to pass the test. Feeling nervous is normal, and even appropriate, as it will give you a heads-up. But you can't succumb to it. The method to combat that nervousness is confidence. In the following points, we will tell you how to gain it.
2. OUTLINE YOUR STRATEGY. Approach it like a battle. You need to give it your all, and to do that, you must organize your work. Keep in mind that exams can last a maximum of 90 minutes, so you have that time to develop your plan. When you receive the exam, take a few minutes to review the format , the length of the questions, the estimated time it will take you to answer each one, and where you will begin. This way, you will have a preliminary outline and a strategy for tackling the exam.
3. SCORE, SCORE. Answer the questions you know first. This way you'll start accumulating points from the beginning and gain confidence. Decide if you prefer to start with the questions that take the most time or the easiest ones, such as the multiple-choice section. Once you've finished all the questions you considered easy, move on to the rest.
4. MAKE OUTLINES AND DRAFTS. Use the sheets provided to jot down concepts and perform calculations. This will make your exam neater and more presentable.
5. WRITE CLEARLY. Legible handwriting makes it easier for the examiner to understand. Spelling mistakes will deduct points. Don't lose by writing what you've gained by studying. If you make a mistake, simply cross it out. Don't erase or use correction fluid.
6. PRESENT YOUR IDEAS CLEARLY. Often, it's better to write less but in a more organized way. This makes it easier for the examiner to read and gives them the impression that you understand the question. Don't write excessively if it's not necessary. It won't earn you points (quite the opposite, it will cost you points, since the examiner will see it as redundant) and it will take time away from answering other questions. The idea is this: to help the examiner with the grading and to show them that you know what they are asking.
7. ANSWER ONLY WHAT YOU KNOW IN THE TESTS. Don't answer questions you don't know randomly, and if you're unsure, only answer those where you have a low degree of uncertainty. Remember that points are deducted for each incorrect answer.
8. MANAGE YOUR TIME. Some questions are worth little but can take up a lot of your time. Estimate how long you'll need and plan your approach for each question on the exam.
9. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CHEAT. Do not cheat or try to cheat. All you will achieve is having your exams cancelled, losing your money and time, and, depending on the severity, losing your chance of getting into a Spanish university.
10. REVIEW THE EXAM. Very important. You may have made spelling mistakes, remembered something you forgot to write, or noticed an invalid answer. If you have time, try to reread the entire exam and check for typos. You'll be surprised by the number of errors made when typing quickly and under time pressure.
