There is no doubt that hard effort and preparation are the keys to success in Olympiad exams; but, when it comes time to take the exam, how you act in the room and compose your paper are equally crucial. Many students, albeit inadvertently, make blunders during Olympiad exams, resulting in them failing to achieve a good grade despite having worked hard to prepare for the exam.
It’s a common blunder made by practically every kid. They begin attempting questions without any method or plan as soon as they receive the question paper. This can lead to you spending too much time on the first few questions, leaving you with insufficient time to finish the paper on time. As a result, you must first scan the full exam paper before beginning to attempt it. The components in the SOF Olympiad exam are weighted differently. Each question in the Achievers Section is worth 2 or 3 points. First, try to answer those questions. Though they are difficult in terms of complexity, it is recommended that you do not spend too much time on any one question. Practising on previous year’s papers is a wonderful technique to solve questions with a planned strategy. From there, you may estimate how much time you’ll need to answer each question.
The human brain has a tendency to perceive what it wants to see, which is especially true in the high-stress environment of the exam room. If you don’t read a question thoroughly, your brain may display the question you expect to see. For example, a question on the IMO exam might ask, “Which of these possibilities is not a rational number?”
However, many pupils rush through reading and skip the word “not” and immediately begin answering the question.
The format of the SOF Olympiad exams is unlike any other school exam. It uses an objective question pattern rather than a subjective question pattern. Students must mark their responses on an OMR sheet provided with the question paper during these exams. The majority of children in school are unaware of OMR-based exams.
Instead of using an OMR sheet, they write their answers on the question paper and leave the OMR page blank. As a parent, you must provide your child with ample opportunities to practise like taking OMR-based exams using the Olympiad Skills Development System. It’s a downloaded test series with eight papers and OMR sheets, just like the Olympiad exams.
Another common blunder made by Olympiad students is marking two answers to the same question. As a result, both responses are incorrect! And it didn’t cost you any points for that question. So, carefully mark your answer on the OMR page, making sure that only one solution is circled for each question. Another misstep students make is forgetting to skip the answer number from the OMR sheet when they skip a question without responding to it. As a result, all of the responses marked from that point are incorrectly matched to their question number. This is a terrible situation for any student. As a result, mark your answers with extreme care.
Students in lower courses are more likely to make this type of error (Class 1 to 3). As a parent, you can assist your child by teaching them how to use an OMR sheet to avoid making such mistakes.
Students frequently fail to write their names and other personal information on the answer page. This error may result in no result at all. The best way to avoid making this error is to double-check that you have written down your name and other personal information correctly before beginning to compose your report. Also, before submitting your work, double-check that everything is in order.
When you Finish Your Exam Ahead of Schedule, it Feels Fantastic.
However, do not leave the exam room until the final bell has rung. Some students make the mistake of exiting the exam room at this moment. It’s too late once you’ve left it — you won’t be able to go back and mark unmarked questions. Make use of this time to double-check and tally the full OMR sheet to ensure that you’ve answered all of the questions to the best of your ability.
You will never be able to give your best if you are experiencing worry and terror. In the Olympiads, many students struggle with time management. Students who do not pay attention to time management usually begin to panic at the end of the exam. This is the source of inexcusable errors and even blunders.
To avoid this, take online tests that imitate the exam setting and allow you to become familiar with the exam format and time limit.
Do you have a lot of anxiety over the paper before it starts, and your heart begins to sound like a machine?
This is the worst thing that may happen during a test, as it raises the chances of making mistakes.
Make an effort to relax. Clarify any questions you have about each class, plan ahead of time to avoid panicking, get plenty of rest at night, and be confident.
It Will Help you Relax During the Exam and improve your Results.
After scanning your question paper, begin your paper. The sections in the SOF Olympiads are assigned different weights. In the Achiever Section, each question is worth 2 or 3 points.
First, try to answer those questions. However, do not devote any more time to a single question. Always attempt to divide your time according to the marks you’re working on, and always wear a watch to keep track of your time.
We understand that it is easier said than done, but by being extra cautious of these errors, you will naturally rise through the ranks. You can be anything if you trust yourself and stay true to yourself.
You can refer to Class 10 IMO Question Paper 2013.