Brief Summary
This video provides advice on how to approach university exams effectively, particularly in the context of MBBS. It emphasizes that success isn't solely based on knowledge but also on presentation skills and smart study techniques. The speaker shares insights on understanding the examiner's perspective, utilizing concise notes, and optimizing exam-taking strategies to improve marks and ranks.
- Examiners want to pass you, approach exams positively.
- Presentation skills are as important as knowledge.
- Smart work and concise notes can significantly improve your performance.
Introduction
The speaker introduces the topic of how to approach university exams like a topper, emphasizing that many students underperform due to not knowing how to effectively present their knowledge. He claims that by using smart strategies, students can significantly improve their marks and ranks. He credits his wife, Dr. Anjali, a university topper, for guiding him. He also shares his experiences as an MBBS student and surgery resident, noting that the system sometimes seems designed to make students fail rather than pass.
Understanding the Examiner's Perspective
The speaker advises students to change their mindset about MBBS exams, stating that examiners generally want to pass students. He clarifies that failure usually occurs only when students leave the paper blank or make significant errors. He encourages a positive approach to exams, warning that fear can lead to forgetting known topics. The speaker highlights that examiners are often burdened and uninterested in thoroughly checking papers, spending only about 10 minutes per paper, with the initial impression being crucial.
Utilizing Notes and Smart Work
The speaker addresses the common question of whether it's possible to pass university exams and score well by studying concise notes like those from Marrow. He confirms that it is possible with smart work, as these notes are essentially summaries of extensive textbooks. He points out that in an exam setting, students summarize information anyway, so using pre-made notes can save time. The speaker cautions against doubting one's study methods due to the abundance of resources and the influence of peers, which can lead to wasted time and lower marks, especially for students from peripheral colleges lacking guidance.
Presentation Skills and Exam Strategies
The speaker emphasizes the importance of presentation skills, stating that knowledge only accounts for 50% of success, while presentation makes up the other 50%. He criticizes the common practice of writing answers in lengthy paragraphs, similar to textbooks, which examiners don't have time to read thoroughly. He advises writing answers point by point in a neat and clean manner. While using notes like Marrow can provide concise information, students need to beautify and format their answers to fill the required number of pages.
Diagrams and Visual Aids
The speaker encourages students to use diagrams, charts, tables, flow charts, and graphs as much as possible in their answers. He notes that these visual aids are often included in notes and can be created by converting line-by-line text into tables or graphs. He shares that he scored 70% in his final year university exams by following this advice, as examiners appreciate diagrams. Presenting information concisely in a diagram demonstrates smartness and saves the examiner's time, leading to higher marks.
Final Thoughts and Additional Tips
The speaker summarizes the key points for approaching university exams like a topper. He cautions that directly reading concise notes without understanding the underlying concepts can be challenging and lead to forgetting the information. He briefly mentions additional tips for time management during exams and smart note-making techniques.
