Tips for Exams. 12 Secrets to Success on the Panhellenic Exams from DIAKROTIMA
BEFORE THE EXAMS
- From now until the last week, we’ll create a study and review schedule, which we’ll follow closely. We should set aside at least three consecutive hours per subject, and it’s best to study one or at most two subjects each day. However, we shouldn’t try to study all the subjects on the same day.
- We follow the schedule for the Panhellenic exams.
In other words, we go to bed early and wake up at the same time we would on exam days. That way, our bodies will get used to this schedule and will function better when the time comes to take the exams.
- We eat a healthy diet, drink juices, and engage in moderate exercise so that we are in good physical—and therefore mental—condition to combat the inevitable anxiety that everyone experiences when taking exams.
- We’re thinking positively. Our lives don’t begin—and they certainly don’t end—with the national college entrance exams, no matter what our results may be. The goal is to achieve the best possible result; even if we don’t get into ourfirst-choice school, getting into oursecond orthird choice is still a success.
Life isn’t black and white; we must always remember that. There are situations that fall somewhere in between, and it’s very important to make the best of them as best we can.
After all, during the battle, we think only of victory.
- We shouldn’t get caught up in rumors about SOS issues that someone predicted, that are long overdue, that our classmate saw in a dream… and so on. We get worked up for no reason, and they almost never turn out to be true.
- On the night before the exam, we avoid overeating and NEVER stay up late. On the day of the exam, make sure you’re ready early so you don’t get stressed out if there’s a delay on your way to the test center.
DURING THE EXAM
We have everything we need with us:
- Identity card or passport
- Examinee Form (Card)
- 3 pens (blue or black), a pencil, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener
- Geometric instruments (when needed)
- A small bottle or thermos filled with water or juice
- Timeline for managing the estimated time
- We read thefirst question without rushing or feeling stressed. There’s no point in rushing; we don’t gain anything by reading it 5–10 seconds faster, and we’re more likely to make mistakes.
We solve it (never in the scratchpad and then copy it over later—that’s a pointless waste of time and energy) calmly, and if necessary, we use the scratchpad for a calculation or a thought that we’re not sure will pan out.
We repeat the same process step by step for the remaining topics.
- We don’t get discouraged if a topic is difficult for us or if we don’t know it. Difficult topics are difficult for everyone. We’ll try to write down what we know so we can earn as many points as possible. Even if we’re not sure, we have to aim for as many points as we can get.
- We shouldn’t stray from the initial timeline we’ve set for each topic. We write as much as we can and then move on to the next topic. Once we’ve finished writing and return to that topic, we may notice things we didn’t see the first time around. If we finish early, we don’t stop there; instead, we reread the questions and the answers we provided to make sure we’re confident in what we’ve written.
- We don’t rush, we don’t get too excited, and we don’t get discouraged. All of these can lead us to make mistakes. When the exam is over, we calm down and try to put that subject out of our minds. What’s done is done. Going back over what we wrote won’t change anything. Let’s not forget that we’re being compared to the other test-takers.
Our focus now is on the next lesson.
AFTER THE EXAMS
- We fill out our computerized application form with the guidance and support of a specialized career counselor provided by the DIAKROTIMA tutoring centers.
CONCLUSION
The DIAKROTIMA Tutoring Group has been active in the field of education for 25 years.
Many thousands of our students have taken exams, with some achieving excellent results and others less so.
Some of them are now teachers or directors at our tutoring centers, some bring their children to us, and we certainly feel that same bond with all of them—the kind that teachers feel when they help their students make their dreams come true.
Let’s always remember that:
Exams are an important milestone, but they are not the end of the journey. Opportunities are available to everyone, and there are countless opportunities throughout your life.
We must have faith, strength, and the determination to pursue them.
We wish all students faith, strength, and success on their exams!
Written and edited by:
Theodoros Kalaitzidis
Mathematician
President of the DIAKROTIMA – AFTER SCHOOL Group
