Blogisode 6: Click This To Pass Your Next Exam (Hopefully) Part Dos

"Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it." 
 -Hans Selye

A second part to the previous blog (Click here). Why? Cause exams don't end after school.



Now last time, I covered the brief aspects of the tests and exams most of us face in school (in my view atleast). And as said last time, it just became the start for the series of the test or examination formats to go through for a single lifetime. A wide variety never the less, from online to verbal to also what seems to be an 'elocution' exam (I kid you not). Now some of these had a point, as to why they were conducted, but others, it might've seem to have a point at the point, but looking back at them now, errrr, fun, I guess? Without much waste, let's get back to the test timeline (of what so happened till now).

PART III: SAT Subject Tests

Being an Indian raised far, far away from mother land, it was brought to me that in order to secure the ideal, full scope of college education, it was best to do it in India, and like almost all the NRI kids back there in the UAE, we all went for the DASA scheme. The DASA scheme, to all those who don't know about it, talks about getting a seat among all of the top government colleges (except the IITs, cause of course not). And in order to get the seat, it was all a matter of the SAT Subject Test score (Physics, Chemistry, Math II), we would get. To prepare for that test, I remember having to through all sorts of materials - online, offline, tutors; you name it. Coming to the day of the test, the stress wasn't about whether or not I knew the concepts and all, but divided among parts.

1. Whether or not the test form was accepted, because once you fudge up the form, YOU CAN'T WRITE THE TEST! Boom, instant waste of 300 dollars.
2. Whether or not I got the bitchy foreign invigilator, cause once you get that sort of invigilator, INSTANT TEST SCREW UP! (You got to write the test in peace right?) Boom, instant waste of 300 dollars.
3. Whether or not my 'pencil dotting' gets registered into the system, cause you fudge that up, THE POINT OF THE TEST BECOMES POINTLESS! Boom, instant waste of 300 dollars.

So looking at all these conditions through and through, a visual representation of a guy writing comes somewhat like this (with the added bonus of using a calculator just for the Math test, weird right?).

So, it's not all that easy how I got that admission now, is it?

PART IV: Entrance Exams

Now some of you might wonder, if one seats already guaranteed, then peace right? But, have you experienced that 'What if?' scenario that plays in your head? Moments where you would think that you stand a chance too, through the normal approach. After all, I didn't get signed up onto 2 years coaching classes for nothing right?

So, looking at the whole entrance exams scheme-ology in India (for engineering), we have the Mains and the Advanced as the most notable ones and then some for reputed private institutes. So guessing about 3-4 entrance exams for the average engineering student. But not for me. Not one, not two, but six. The placing of these exams, couldn't be better. A month after the EXAMii BOARDus, when you get about a 2-3 month to finally chill out, or properly lay out college plans. So while that happens, I find myself surrounded with entrance exam books and past editions of these papers during those months. Oh Joy!

 Some of the tests,were just like the SAT IIs mentioned earlier, where 'dotting' was key, and some based online. Though tests formats differ, the patterns the same, to screw you up. With questions of severely high end, that they appear alien, and in case you do understand the logical flow of approach, MCQ answer choices way broad the answer you eventually get. And then there are the multiple answer type questions, where you would think that there would atleast be some emphatic hope of pity, in case one answer ended up right.

Once all these exams get over, so begins the immediate praying sessions. I mean, even I might be about 95.99% sure I'm not going to qualify for them, you got to have some hope right?

(Assessment aside, I eventually did manage to pass most of the exams #HumbleBrag)

PART V: College Exams/College Assessments

Ironic that I write about this amidst a test series here in college, but nevertheless just like your usual school exams, you have college exams. But this is the kind of exam in which despite knowing the syllabus, portions and probably even the question paper, you have no idea to get things done. To start things off, a day before the exam I would get all material that needs to be prepared without a single clue what's in store, and the first time I have a look.

So in an attempt to make sense of all this and finally schedule a 'plan', and well.....

Furthermore, in order to understand concepts even more, there exists Group Studies, and it may work out (more or less), but eventually it gets to a point like this.

A few good hours before the test, I would look at the main key concepts before the test and leave out whatever seems to miss your eye or appear 'complex'. Fast forward to once I get the paper in the hall, and the next thing I know, what I missed out comes as a hefty maker.

While in the hall midst the exam, I would look around and see a bunch of guys 'aiding' one another, and being the pure idiot that I am, I would think that, since I'm not using unfair means, I would be aided from above. Yeah, nope. So, in an attempt to try and remember something, I would try to ask the invigilators indirectly any solution, and well.....

So coming out of the exam, thinking it's over, I would hear the usual people discussing the paper. To this day, I still don't get the point of discussing immediately after the paper. As if you can change your answers now. I mean you could always discuss after you get the answer paper right?

And if anyone did ask how my paper went. I had two reactions, as before.

If it goes horrible (About 90% of the time)

If it surprisingly actually works out 

You would think, it gets easier with one paper done that day, but with the fudge-all scheming of these tests, there would be days of 2-3 tests a single day. So yay, fun.

But one thing guaranteed about college tests, the degree of seriousness of these tests over time fades. From crucial notion of securing a high grade, to just make sure you pass.

 PART VI: Interviews

Not the conventional exam you expect, but a varying exam type. Basically judging the diction, fluency and confidence by which we can speak. But there isn't a definitive format of how to prepare for these kinds of stuff, you just need to be ready. Sure you have the basic questions like:

'Introduce yourself?', 'Why this?', 'Where?', etc; you would have a basic idea about how to go through it. However, you need to make your answers to them seem interesting. 

So during my interview prep, I would go around talking, begging people to hear my answers to these 'sure-shot' questions. Some of them agreed, some didn't. Apart from that, looking at the mirror helps. Being extremely extremely judge-mental about oneself, so yeah.

Now what about the questions that come out of random? Trying to minimize all sorts of mumbling, I usually used a large compilation of words, hoping they make sense. And to aid with that, use an life-example (mostly fake), trying to make the interviewer, nod with awe.

PART VII: GRE

This may seem unusual but yeah, I wrote the GRE. Why though? For 'experience'.
The ideal GRE preparation plan is about 3-4 months with close to 2-3 hours study each day. So imagine prepping such a vast portion over just 2 weeks.

Consisting of Math and English, the GRE isn't your average entrance exam type test. And I think it can be safely said, it's mostly the English you need to worry.

Going full Shakespearean, all throughout those two weeks, reading all sorts of vocabulary and trying to make some sort of sense with all such ludicrousness. Now, seeing that the preparation just lasted for two weeks, it's a no brainer, that I've screwed up. But nevertheless, 'experience'.



Now after going through all of these, there's a part of me that wants to think that it's majorly done (the whole exam prep scenario). And another that honestly knows, there isn't an end. It just goes and goes and goes. So if there's any point to stress about any of it, at times, yes, but based on circumstances. But in the eventual long run, despite knowing how much you've screwed up, you just got to let it be. Move ahead stress less. Be unprepared, because a life too planned, is mostly boring. An in case you are stressed about these things, don't them too seriously. Manage to see the easier side of them. Take a break if you have to. And even if, it didn't work out, hey we're human, we've all been there, and it'll be even better soon enough :).

So go ahead, face the adventure of life's examinations.


**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

If you've made it this far, first of, Thanks for reading the whole thing (or just scroll down to this), means a lot. And secondly, I honestly have no clue about how to end said post. Probably due to the flow of the nature of each part, somewhat contradicting or going haphazardly across each part. But I'm just learning and six blogs in, I'm more honestly surprised I'm managing to keep up the new year's resolution that I've made. Also a small part of me thinks, it's the fact that I'm very very tired with all of the tests going on right now, and the lack of sleep, but who knows?

Also, the blog wouldn't be complete without some sort of wacky video or song related to the theme. So as a tribute to all 'group studies', here's my video of it. (P.S Sorry Sai and Anand :D)

As always, appreciate that feedback.

Thanks and Regards,

Dull McDummy Face