Each Olympiad created to focus on different disciples or subjects demands separate kinds of preparations from the students depending on how the paper is designed. For instance, International English Olympiad calls for an excellent command over grammar with an unfaltering knowledge of daily communication and usage of the English language. The questions included are not direct but require an understanding of the application of the concepts studied. Like in normal English exams, in IEO papers you may not find many questions where they ask questions that directly point at the theory learned.
Questions are usually application based and they will probably ask to choose the most appropriate option to make a meaningful sentence or conversation. The paper here wants the students to apply their understanding of concepts such as noun, pronoun, adverb, adjective, preposition, conjunction, or articles to arrive at the best possible answers from the given choices. Focus is given mostly on the usage of English based on context and situations rather than any mugging up theories or prose and poems. Also for the preparations of IEO usually online methods are preferred with online platforms that support students with instant detailed solutions and tailor-made material for understanding complex concepts.
But when it comes to the International Mathematics Olympiad, more often than not both students and teachers prefer offline methods of study. This is because maths usually involves solving and working out lots of questions which are easier when written down in papers than calculated mentally. It demands from the students more practice on paper by figuring out solutions for different problems by using formulas and necessary steps. Although the paper usually includes only multiple-choice questions, it might less difficult for students to do rough work before concluding with an answer to the questions.
To get ready to start preparing for a competitive exam like the Maths Olympiad which is of such an intensity, getting an early start becomes of utmost importance. This can be achieved with the help of a well-designed timetable that has enough space to squeeze in required breaks and time for relaxation instead of packing it with study time alone. Time is an important element when it comes to exams and allotting time in a way that helps the students to study better is crucial. It should also be prepared in such a way that it gives the students adequate time even after the completion of studying the entire syllabus so that there is sufficient time for revision and mock tests as needed by the student.
Once the timetable is intact the next major step is to gather the required materials beforehand. Searching for materials at the last minute might be very time-consuming and will put the students under more pressure. It will surely result in such a loss of time and this can be avoided by identifying all the materials that are needed for the preparations months before the exam. Students can keep adding to the bulk of notes and resources as and when required during the study. While searching for resources to study learners shouldn’t forget to look through websites that focus on helping students with preparations for various levels of exams.
As of today at a time when anything and everything can be availed online and online mode has taken over the education sector, it has become a not-so-surprising phenomenon to find many websites online that support and assist students in their preparation for Olympiad exams. Students can find dozens of websites and agencies that sort to create content and manage different methods that make it easier and more comfortable to get on track for the required preparation. Some of them even provide exhaustive and very focused study materials exclusively for IMO. Their warehouse of resources might include a whole package of necessary materials including sample papers, previous years’ question papers, separate and specific notes for each topic and some might even provide video lectures on difficult topics.
Even though as mentioned above, students mostly stick to offline methods when it comes to mathematics, currently, several essential resources can be found online which may be of much help and students are advised to make maximum use of them wherever possible. For example, a student of class 5 can easily get hold of IMO Class 5 2012 Question Paper by typing the same in the search engine and the students can download it for future use. Most students generally wait to finish up the entire syllabus and cover full portions to revise the already learned topics. This might not be the best strategy as there are higher chances for students to forget what they have learned. It is essential that before learning new topics students refresh their memory on the precious concepts learned either by going through the theory part or by trying to solve questions related to those topics. This will help students to keep track of their progress regularly and devote their time and efforts to specific topics if necessary.
Unlike common belief, it is not that important as to how much students spend on studying but instead, the thing that strikes the most crucial ultimately is how efficiently they studied. This why studying smart is significant. Students can go on spending hours and days going through the syllabus and the concepts under it, but what is more important especially when it is subjects like maths is how many questions could they solve and try working out. Students can utilize set aside time to go through sample question papers and attempt those questions meticulously. Also, do not forget to take mock tests to help you assess and analyze your knowledge and level of preparation. Spotting patterns in the question papers and using them to your best advantage is a trick that students can use along with trying to find easier ways to solve problems rather than taking longer routes leading to several pages of calculations which in turn result in losing more time. This proves that smart studying is just as important as studying hard for exams. With such methods, students can easily and effortlessly excel in Olympiads or any kind of exams for that matter.
