The advent of pandemic has ushered us into a new era. Nature has thrown us in challenging times to come up with a coping mechanism to prepare for NEET at home.
As a NEET aspirant, adapting yourself to the lockdown and inability to attend individual classes can give you a tough time. I have gone through this exam and I completely understand that preparing for NEET itself is a tough ride, let alone a pandemic, to complete it.
How to prepare for NEET at home?
In this post, I will give you the most beneficial tips to prepare for NEET at home but before we go any further, I want you to take charge. You have to sit in the driver's seat and take responsibility for all your actions. Keep in mind that every action you take will affect your journey.
I hope you understand this and agree to proceed on this wonderful path that will help you crack the NEET exam. Given below are the most effective strategies that will ease the arduous journey of NEET preparation at home for you.
Strategy to prepare for NEET online at home:
- Switch to NEET online classes.
- Participate in live sessions and discussions.
- Create a virtual study group.
- Limit social media.
- Practice blocking time.
1. Switch to NEET Online Classes
The pandemic shocked us but there is one important tool that was given to us long before the pandemic - the 4G network. If you are someone who has already started NEET online classes, congratulations! You are ahead in the game. If you are someone who has never taken online classes before, don't worry, I've got you covered.
In view of the lockdown and social distancing, most of the coaching classes and institutes have moved to online mode of teaching. If your institute hasn't switched to online classes yet, it's time to switch coaching.
Why online classes at home are necessary for NEET preparation?
- You get 24×7 access to the material – I remember going to classes at 6:00 am in my coaching, and I had to get up at 5:00 am to reach on time. I am very grateful for those valuable classes, but wouldn't it be much better if I had 24×7 access to this class. It would at least save me 1 hour before class. The good thing is that even if you are a night owl, you can study according to your comfort level.
- You can choose the subject as per your choice - you are not limited to the class schedule prescribed by your institute. If you want to start your day with some brain exercises by solving Physics Numericals, then go ahead.
- You can choose a topic from the lecture - for example you are studying the reproductive system. If you know the anatomy of the testicles well you can skip that part of the video entirely and start with the physiology of sperm production. Won't this save you from the boredom you feel in class when topics you already know are just being repeated? think!
- You can customize the speed of the video - if you're a good listener, you can even speed up the video up to 2x the speed. This will save you so much time. I also want you to note that this is an advantage of video lectures but don't compromise on quality. If it's difficult for you to understand, don't speed up.
- You get access to renowned NEET faculty at your doorstep - offline classes can limit your access to a faculty member who lives in a metropolis far away from you. However, through an online platform you can get access to many renowned teachers from all over the world who are just a click away from you.
How to make the best out of NEET online classes?
- First, analyze which is your weakest subject. It is the subject you are afraid of or something that you never feel like studying. I am sorry to inform you but with a heavy heart you have to give priority to this matter first. I promise you that by the time you are close to your exam, you will love it. So let's be friends with our enemy first.
- Since you have identified your weakness, it is time to come up with a plan. I am assuming that your weakest subject is chemistry. You have to make your study schedule in such a way that you practice chemistry daily. One way to do this is to dedicate a day to lecturing and learning, and the next day you can solve a few questions to keep it light. I recommend you to do at least 2 subjects in a day. It is possible that you just get into a state of fluency and study only 1 subject all day but the exam will cover all 3, so be wise. While the percentage of questions in biology is high, getting a hold on chemistry and physics should not be neglected.
- After creating a plan, watch each video or hours of online classes you have to cover. Make sure you keep this in mind while making the study plan. Don't put too much burden on yourself.
- Keep practicing the questions. You can access the question bank from online resources and also add a lot of NEET MCQ books available in the market. One advantage of practicing NEET tests/questions online is that you get a score to compare with your peers. This shows whether you are doing well or there is more work to be done.
- Take the Grand Test. To be honest, I was always afraid of the Grand Test but I know it played a major role in my success. After giving such huge tests, I was accustomed to the NEET exam pattern. I had an idea about which section I have to attempt first, how many questions I need to attempt, which question I can risk taking chances, etc. If you are giving direct exam without any similar exam inviting concern. Don't wait to complete the syllabus and take the exam. You will never finish the course. It's the harsh truth, even a minute before the exam, something will happen that you didn't read, and that's totally okay. you will survive. When you are 6 months away from the exam try to take at least one grand exam in a month and then increase it to twice a month. Better late than never.
2. Participate in Live Sessions and Discussions
There will be several live classes and test discussions on the NEET online platform. Be sure to attend live sessions from time to time, especially test discussions. If you are spending 3 hours on a test but don't review it then it will all be in vain. It is equally important to review the exam and learn from your mistakes. In the live discussion, teachers share some pearls that you will always remember. highly recommended.
3. Create Virtual Study Groups
Preparing for NEET at home can be tough as there is no one standing over your head who will motivate you to complete a chapter or sit for the exam. It's important to hold yourself accountable to someone so that you stick to a routine. The best way to do this is to form a study group with like-minded people.
Note that I wrote like mind. This is because your study buddies must have the same goals as you, then only you can proceed well. If your goal is to get an all India rank of 10000 and you are studying with someone who wants to be in top 1000 rank then this is not the best deal for both of you. Another important point is that there should be a uniform approach to the study. It would be easy for me to say that I want rank in top 1000 but I am not working for it, in that case even God can't help me.
You should have a group of 3-4 people (no more than that) who have the same goal and the same level of seriousness to study.
You can all agree to cover the same topic in a day, then discuss questions, teach each other certain concepts, and more. It will help you to learn better and also make it interesting. Help each other, you are competing with millions of students, your friends are not your competitors. Considering the pandemic, it will be difficult for you to meet your friends in person, but you can call or video conference. Make sure you stick to studies only during the call.
4. Limit Social Media
The pandemic has made us all in the habit of endlessly scrolling through Instagram. A motivational post on Instagram can definitely give you a boost to study for NEET, but before you get to that motivational post, you should get your friend's birthday party pictures or a mesmerizing slice of pizza. Must see which is not even available at your location. Or the worst part, maybe your friend posted about scoring 90th percentile in the test, but you just got 70. Why distract your mind?
I know you need a break from studies but social media is like a slow poison, you will not even realize that it is harming you. Fine! I don't want to take the fun out of your life. So, let's make a deal here, you will limit your time for social media to 30 minutes a day and you will use it only after achieving your daily goals. Should I close the deal?
5. Blocking Practice Time
In the end, the important thing is to block your time. It is likely that you are staying in a hostel either with your family or with your friends, which may lead to some disturbances between your study sessions. No matter how supportive your friends and family are, it happens unannounced. Your grandma called and now your dad wants you to call with him but you're trying to figure out rotational acceleration. How would you handle this situation?
You can avoid this dilemma by blocking your time. Decide the hours of the day that are best suited for your study, and inform your family and friends that you will not be available during this time. Before you sit down at the study table, make this clear to everyone around you. If they want your best, they won't even move around in your room.
Lastly, I want you to know that everything I mentioned above is impossible. You are the master of your life. You can definitely get the rank you are striving for. If you are preparing for NEET at home, it does not mean that your chances are less. A pandemic doesn't have the power to take your dreams away from you. You got it and I'm on your side. I am waiting for you to get good rank in neet exam. Go for it.