Tips & Strategies for BITSAT, IITJEE and AIEEE 2009

28 Dec 2008

Tips and Strategies( BITSAT)

BITSAT score is the main and only criteria for attaining admission in the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani. Intelligent studying is the key to getting good scores. Read on to find out more.
It is essential to cover only the prescribed syllabus. More the time you spend on studying outside the syllabus, the more time you may be wasting on questions that might not even be included in the final BITSAT
Since the test is computer based, you should have at least a working knowledge of the same
It is a good idea to start by revising your 11th and 12th standard NCERT syllabus for mathematics, physics and chemistry
For additional preparation you can also rely on numerous reference books easily available in the market. Stick to the ones recommended by other students who have already studied from them
Reference books should provide you with a wide variety of multiply choice questions, covering the entire syllabus
Don’t rush into taking mock BITSAT’s. You should cover the entire syllabus once and practice from reference books at least 2-3 times before attempting the preparation test for BITSAT
You should be thorough with basic concepts and formulaes
You are not allowed to use a calculator for solving mathematical questions. It is, thus, important to brush up on your calculation skills
Study from a good quality study material for the reasoning section of BITSAT. Try to devote a specific amount of time to the preparation of this section daily, as you might not have studied reasoning in your 11th or 12th standard
At the time of the exam, start with the section you are most confident about
As there is a negative marking of 1 marks for every incorrect answer, try to avoid wild guessing. However, a calculated guess will not do too much harm. Remove the option which is least likely to be correct. Guessing from 3 options would obviously reduce the risk factor a great deal
Time management can help you succeed in BITSAT. Allocate a specific time to every section and try to complete the section within that time frame
Don’t get stuck at one question. If you are getting confused and are unable to find the right answer, skip the question

Tips and Strategies(IITJEE)

It is always a good idea to start preparing for IIT-JEE at the beginning of 11th standard. However there is a way out if you are among those who started late
Try to capture at least 80 % of the total syllabus. However, if you have started your preparation late then it is always a good idea to cover minimum 60% of the total course and be thorough with it instead of trying of to study the entire curriculum
Incorporate difficult topics if you already have a sound understanding of them. If not, start with the easier topics and master them. Once you are done with the relatively easier and interesting topics, tackle the difficult ones
Make sure that you use the right reference and study material as it can make a tremendous difference to your scores. It is recommended to study from the books which contain numerous solved questions. Focus on the method of solving the problems instead of simply mugging up the answers
Spend the initial few months in revising the basic concepts learnt in standard 9th and 10th
Ensure that you study concepts like algebra, mechanics and stoichiometry extensively as not only are they high scoring but they also form the basis of several other topics
At the time of examination avoid the urge to start solving the questions as soon as you receive the paper. Instead, quickly scan the paper and mark the questions you can easily answer. Begin with them
After you are done with the questions you knew by heart, handle others. This not only would increase your confidence level and help to keep the nervousness at bay, it also creates a good impression on the examiner

Tips and Strategies(AIEEE)

AIEEE is not difficult. However, its questions do have a need of being tackled with different tactics and perspectives.
Each question is different in its own way with an element of surprise in it. Candidates who know how and what to look for in a question are likely to score high in the test.
Since the most questions are basically designed to evaluate the conceptual clarity of the candidates and application of fundamental concepts, you should be focused on mastering all the fundamentals well.
You need to attain minimum qualifying scores in subject. Thus, focusing on one subject and ignoring the other may land you in a hot soup. So, divide your time among the subjects more equitably.
Focus on solving the problems on your own, while preparing for the exam. Here is a step-by-step guide outlining the ideal process for solving a problem:
Try conventional methods first.
If they don’t work out, try to understand the problem again and find clues that can lead you to solution.
Go through the concepts related to the problem once again and see how they can be applied to the problem in hand.
Try to relate the problem to real-life situations. It will help you to analyze it better.
Consult the solution, only when you have exhausted your limits. See, what you had missed earlier.
Practice similar problems.
Devise your own shortcuts and ways to tackle particular kind of problems.
In AIEEE, both speed and strike rate matter. You need to be quick and accurate to achieve high scores. High speed with less accuracy can actually ruin your results.
Never use calculator while preparing for the AIEEE exam. Being adept in mental calculations can actually increase your speed to a great extent.
Select your questions wisely. About 25% questions in the examinations paper are easy, 60% are average and 25% are difficult. Attempt easy questions first.
The cut-off for AIEEE examination is generally around 60 to 70%. So, if you just solve easy and average questions correctly, you can easily get through. Once you have exhausted these questions, you may attempt difficult ones to make merit.
If you indicate more than one answer for a particular question, it will be considered as an incorrect response and you will lose marks on it.
Once you are done with the questions you know well, apply the method of intelligent guessing and elimination for questions you are not sure about.
Since you only need to choose one of the four given options, your chances of choosing a correct answer is 25%.
If you eliminate one incorrect answer, your chances improve to 33%. If you are able to strike out one more option, your chances of choosing the correct answer will be as high as 50%.

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