“All progress takes place outside the comfort zone.” — Michael John Bobak

Every year millions of students appear in competitive exams like JEE and NEET. Still, only a fraction of them manages to secure their spot in top colleges. As per the data released, a total of 1,55,538 students appeared in both papers (1 and 2) of the JEE Advanced Exam 2022, out of which only 40,712 candidates have qualified for the exam.

Every student works hard to achieve their goals; the difference lies in preparation, study techniques, and consistency that separates toppers from the lot. Some students implement effective study techniques and score success by studying only for 6-9 hours daily, while others spend 10-14 hours and still get dissatisfactory results. If you are amongst the latter, wondering how to study effectively for competitive exams. In that case, we present ten effective study tips you can utilise to crack competitive exams like NEET and JEE.

Top 10 tips to Study for Competitive Exams and advice from ALLEN Overseas’ experts:

1. Make a schedule and stick to it:

One of the most effective ways to Study for Competitive Exams is to create a well-planned, realistic and productive study schedule. Plan every hour of your day, allotting specific hours to each subject and topic and completing your work before moving on. It is better to write your study schedule on paper and stick it on your wall or somewhere visible to you. It will be a constant reminder of what needs to be accomplished in a day.

2. Set up your study area:

Set up your desk before you begin studying. Sit in a quiet and comfortable place with adequate lighting and space for your stuff. Remove distractions, switch off your mobile phone, and clear the clutter. Keep your study space clean and organised. Take everything you need, like notes, textbooks, practice sheets, and stationery, to save time.

3. Revise and re-revise:

Revision is the most critical study technique that could make or break your results. Revision improves your ability to retain and recall information during the examination. Of course, you can spend more time on complex topics, but revising everything (your complete syllabus) is advisable without leaving anything behind. Revise what you’ve learned every day before going to bed, and re-revise your whole week’s syllabus on weekends.

4. Make your own SMART notes:

Just reading and re-reading information won’t cut for top-level competitive exams like JEE and NEET anymore. Smart study techniques involve making SMART notes in your own language. Write down short summaries, and create flashcards, mindmaps, flowcharts, diagrams, bullet points, etc., to better understand the information. For equations and important formulae, use flashcards and keep them with you so you can revise them whenever you have spare time.

5. Take refreshing study breaks:

Instead of long and exhaustive study sessions, effective study tips involve studying in small sessions divided by regular and refreshing study breaks. It allows you to study for long hours without getting tired. Also, taking a small break after a rigorous study session provides enough time for your brain to retain that information better. Therefore, take a short 5-minute break after every 25-minute study session and longer 15 minutes break after 2 hours, and do something productive to re-energize your body and mind for the next session.

6. Test your knowledge:

It is equally important to apply your knowledge by taking regular tests. Practice as many questions as possible, and solve previous year’s question papers, question banks, and daily practice sheets to ensure that you understand the concept and its application correctly. In addition, take regular topic-wise and major tests of the complete syllabus in real-exam-like conditions to learn effective time management and evaluate your performance to rectify the gaps in your preparation. This will also acquaint you with the exam pattern, boost your confidence, and help you strategise your approach accordingly.

7. Set realistic study goals every day:

Qualifying for competitive exams is not an overnight thing. It’s a long-term process of persistent efforts, hard work, and effective study practices that will take you toward your goals. Therefore, you must set daily study targets for each subject and ensure you achieve them before retiring. For example, decide that you’ll study Ohm’s law in the next hour and practice all its relevant questions. Remember, for your journey towards success, every day counts.

8. Study before bed:

This may seem a little weird but scientifically proven to be one of the most effective study tips. Studies suggest that when you sleep, your brain refines and reorganises the information you’ve learned to retain it better and recall it when required. That’s why rather than pulling up all-nighters, revise all your notes or important concepts before you go to bed.

9. Learn to teach someone:

You must learn and understand something thoroughly to teach it to someone else. Therefore, it is recommended that when you are learning something new, try to think about how you would explain this new concept to someone else. What examples would you use, how is it connected to your previous topics, and how can you define its application? This technique will help you invent your own style of learning and understanding new information for quicker recall.

10. Ask for help:

Lastly, if you are stuck somewhere, and can’t understand something, any topic, equation, numerical, or concept, do not hesitate to ask your teachers or mentors for help. Leaving your doubts unsolved can cost you your whole year. Therefore, ask for help and guidance whenever you need it.

These are the top 10 study tips that you can use to accelerate your journey toward success. If you need more help and guidance, contact our experts with your queries, concerns, or problems and receive the best career advice for unparalleled academic excellence.

The post Study Tips: How to Study for Competitive Exams? appeared first on ALLEN Overseas.

If you are among them, don’t panic, because in this article, we are going to list some study concentration activities and best practices to study longer without feeling tired or losing focus. So let’s jump right into them…

Best practices to Study for Long Hours without losing concentration and focus:

1. Prioritize your topics:

Prioritizing is one of the best study concentration activities that will help you stay focused on your studies for a longer duration. You need to analyze which topics, chapters, or concepts you are having difficulty in understanding and prioritize them accordingly. Take up the difficult topics when you are feeling most productive – either in the morning or in the early evening. Also, study easier topics or concepts when you are feeling tired.

2. Meditate:

Meditation is among the most implemented activities for long study sessions. As far as academics are concerned, research suggests that 15-20 minutes of mindful mediation calms the mind, relieves stress, anxiety and improves concentration levels for better concept retention. So whenever you are feeling exhausted, close your eyes and meditate for approximately 10-15 minutes. Doing so will replenish your energy for the next study session.

3. Take regular breaks:

This is among the most recommended activities for long study sessions. Taking regular breaks will refresh your mind and also restore your waving concentration. Research shows that your concentration levels start dropping after 50 minutes or so, and if you’ll keep pushing beyond that, you’ll be studying with less focus which is equivalent to wasting time. Therefore after every 40-45 minutes of the rigorous study session, take a 5-10 minute break and do something fun and productive to re-establish your concentration.

4. Mix up topics/subjects:

You tend to get bored and tired while studying the same topic or subject for a long time. Even the interesting one seems dull after a certain period of time. To avoid that scenario, it is recommended to mix up your topics/subjects. Experts advise that while preparing for competitive exams, students should study all the required subjects each day. Allocate specific hours for each subject in your daily schedule and swap topics after every hour or 45 minutes or whenever you feel bored. This way you can retain your concentration for longer study sessions.

5. Nap when needed:

Napping in the daytime has been found to restore our brain energy and improve focus. Also, studies suggest that, when you nap in the afternoon for 30-40 minutes, you’ll feel more refreshed and energetic for rigorous study sessions even late in the evening. So, take a power nap in the afternoon for 30-40 minutes to keep studying late in the night without feeling burnout. Keep in mind to always set your alarm before napping in order to avoid sleeping more and take naps at the same time every day to synchronize it within your biological clock.

6. Eliminate distractions:

Trying to focus on your studies while keeping the television on in the background, or checking your social media feed every time your phone pings would be a complete waste of time, energy, and effort. You can never learn or retain new information when your potential distractions are in your sight. Hence, for longer study sessions, eliminate all sorts of distractions, switch off your phone and television while studying, or if you are getting distracted by something else, remove it from your site for effective learning.

7. Learn while writing:

Research has shown that if you opt for just reading while studying, you are bound to feel grogginess crawling in after some time. Therefore for longer study sessions, it is better to study while writing. There are various benefits of writing like, first, you won’t fall asleep, second, it will make you more alert and you need to engage your brain for recalling information which ensures that you’ve learned and understood the concepts clearly. If you don’t like re-writing your notes, it is better to practice some questions or solve numerical problems. Doing so will also alert your brain and fight off sleepiness.

8. Eat healthy snacks:

Your brain needs energy to stay active for studies. Hence a well-balanced diet is imperative for all aspirants, but excessive eating or binging on junk food can crash your energy levels and makes you more tired than before. Similarly, an empty and grumbling stomach is distracting. So always eat your meals on time and curb your cravings by eating some healthy snacks during your study sessions. Munching on brain foods like almonds, cheese, yogurt, or dark chocolates will satisfy your hunger and boost your concentration levels.

A few science-backed tips & techniques to stay focused for longer study hours:

• Create a study plan and follow it
• Tune in to some soothing background music while studying
• Set up a perfect study space without any distractions
• Stretch your body, workout, or go for a small walk during your breaks
• Avoid procrastination and multitasking
• Reward yourself even for small accomplishments
• Take part in group study sessions to sharpen your knowledge
• Break complex chapters into smaller topics
• Avoid cramming
• Keep yourself hydrated
• Set a timer for each study session/task

These are some of the activities for long study sessions that you can implement to increase your study hours. However, you should always remember that for cracking competitive exams, the quality of studying is always more important than the number of hours you put into it. Also don’t stretch yourself too thin by compromising your sleep and exercise, such a study schedule won’t be sustainable for the long term. If you need more tips or advice regarding your study habits and time management, ALLEN Overseas provide aspirants with the best academic support and guidance to achieve their dream success. Reach out to our experts to ace your preparation for the best outcome.

For more tips and study guidance, you can also check our other posts…

1. How to Plan your Study Hours Smartly?
2. How to Prepare for Your Exams With Effective Study Breaks?
3. Effective Time Management: How To Manage Time During Exams?
4. Tips To Study for Exams
5. How to Score more than 90% in CBSE Board Exams

The post Activities that Help to Study for Long Hours appeared first on ALLEN Overseas.