Key 6 : WORK TO IMPROVE YOUR AVERAGE

How many of you make easy subjects your last priority? Don't!

• Imagine your 5 or 11 subjects are like 5 or 11 mango trees. Your job is to get the most mangoes off these trees in the shortest possible time. Would you first go for the mangoes that are far away from you or those that are nearest to you? Obviously, you can get more marks with less effort in topics which are easier for you to master in all the subjects. It is just like plucking off all the "easy to get" mangoes from all the trees first.


• First cover all the topics in all subjects which are easy for you to master, then the moderately difficult topics in all subjects and then at last cover the most difficult topics in all the subjects.


• Sometimes, you may have to drop the most difficult topics in some subjects altogether if time is short, or you will lower your average to below what is possible for you to get in the time available. Again, think of this as getting mangoes off a tree. If you aim for the most difficult to get mangoes, you will lower your average number of mangoes in your basket in the time available.

DON'T WORK ON YOUR WEAKNESSES.
AIM TO IMPROVE THE AVERAGE.

What is your plan to improve your average?
Do you work on your weaknesses first?

The AVERAGE is the most important figure for you to focus upon.

• When it comes to the examinations, the most important number is your overall average by which your success will be gauged.


• Strategy for improving your overall marks, therefore, is not about giving even treatment to all subjects. It is about the bottom line–your overall average. Plan to gain these marks in whichever subjects and topics you can easily do so.


• I know of students who will leave their easiest subject to revise last of all subjects. Why? These are marks waiting for you. Why not first earn these marks and be sure to get them by going over the past papers in these subjects quickly.


• It would be silly to gain 5 marks in 5 hours of work in a subject difficult for you than to gain 20 marks in the same 5 hours in a subject which is easier for you to master.


• Sure enough, after you have gained marks on your easy and moderately difficult topics in all your subjects, it is time to move on to difficult topics in all the subjects to gain every possible mark out there but not before other, easier to get marks are first earned.


• Think of how you can improve your OVERALL average in the time available to you. There is never enough time for all that you need to master towards an examination, so you must use your time judiciously to focus on improving your average.


• Imagine if you have to make up 40 percentage of marks between now and the exam day, which subjects and topics are the easiest for you to build up your marks with?


• Many students spend a good deal of their revision time on studying difficult topics that take longer to master than the easier topics. By working on their difficult topics first, they gain but a few marks while they sacrifice many marks. The result is poorer overall average.


• Can you ensure that in the topics that are EASY for you, you will score 100% marks without making mistakes and complete them in a timely manner? What are the NEXT most important topics that will help YOU increase YOUR average marks? These are the topics you can master with less effort than the difficult topics. Focus on these next. Finally, and only after you have mastered the easy and moderately difficult topics, must you move on to the most difficult. This is because they take the longest to master and do not increase your average percentage marks as fast as other easier topics.


• Some of you will need to eliminate some topics which are the most difficult for you but this may be the best way to ensure that you get the best possible marks on exam day.


• For students in the top rung of your class, since you have already mastered ‘easy’ topics, you will need to focus on your moderate and difficult topics to gain every possible mark. The rest of you must work on easier topics first, else risk losing time and marks.


• Avoid overconfidence. Make sure you are able to score full marks on your good topics, without committing careless mistakes. Always recheck you work.


• Do not focus on improving your weak areas at the cost of losing on the average marks.


• Focus first on those topics and subjects you can gain you more marks with less effort.


• Make sure you are able to score full marks on your good topics, without careless mistakes.


• The overarching goal must be to improve one's overall average.

“If man sleeps, it should not be for pleasure, but to rest
the body in order to do better…”