I noticed that many are asking the things that they need to do in order to pass the board exams. There's nothing wrong with that actually but I guess it would also be nice if we have an idea on the things that we should avoid while preparing for the board exams right?
Here are some things that I personally believe that will contribute to failing the board exams. This is based on my observations as well as the observations of other people.
1.Collecting all notes/books/reviewers/alleged leakages-
This is a common practice among reviewers (me included)..However, its almost a guarantee that you will not be able to read/go over all of them. This will just confuse you further and can greatly affect your confidence..Here is a concrete example :
"Board Exam is fast approaching, you already feel the pressure and then you see the piles of notes that you have'nt gone through. What would you feel?"
2. Studying till the break of dawn-
This is also a practice which I am guilty of during the early days of the review. However, I was enlightened by my mentors (Thanks PERCDC)..Studying till the wee hours of dawn is not effective and is highly discouraged. Why? The answer is simple, You will be taking the board exams from 6am up to 6pm. Now if you have been studying during nighttime for the entire duration of the review. Your mind will become accustomed to working at these hours and believe it or not. It is already a big factor during the exams.
3. Trying to Cover all the Topics-
Yes you can try but I will bet that in the limited time of your review, you will be able to accomplish this. That is why we enroll in review centers, for guidance on the things that we need to focus on. So do not feel overwhelmed by Tomasi or any other book for that matter.
4. Studying Hard
Hey! Are you sure about this.. Yes folks you read it right. STUDYING HARD CAN HELP YOU FAIL..why? Let me first define what is studying hard. When I say studying hard,it is when you try to absorb all the topics given to you,pushing your mind to memorize the confusing formulas in geometry,the periodic table, the constants..and etc.. In this way, you are already overworking your mind.Here is what I suggest: DO NOT STUDY HARD BUT RATHER STUDY SMART! ..Yes..there's a big difference between the two..Observe the trends by reviewing past board questions, and of course,refer to your Review Center.
5. Passing Ahead of Time During Weekly Exams,Practice Exams, Etc
"Ohh, Look at me, I finished 3 hours ahead of time."..Well congratulations! You fail! Let me explain to you why passing early on practice exams help you fail..The board Exams is 4 hours for Math and GEAS and 5 hours for Elex and Comms. Now with the time allotted,(except for Math)..the average student can finish ahead on time especially for Elex..However, imagine all the things that you could have done if you decided to wait it out and maximize your time.Once you have passed, its already over for you. You have no more chance of maximizing your score. Just imagine all the points that you could have made if you just maximized your time. Remember, in the board exams, every point matters..
Well, I guess thats some of the few..I encourage those who read this to post comments or any violent reactions to my post...:)
The answer is an obvious YES. Actually it is very much encouraged that you take some time off and ENJOY the Holidays, However this does NOT mean that you actually stop studying (as well as visiting this site for updates). Take time to celebrate but do not lose momentum, Think of it as this way, as of this moment, your mind is already attuned to studying to such an extent that it's already a part of your system. Now, if you suddenly stopped, all the momentum that you built up from the previous months will be gone and this can lead to undesirable events (trust me..the probability that you will forget all the things that you have studied prior to the vacation will increase). Be sure to maintain a steady study habit but do not forget the holidays. After all, we all need a break once in awhile.
Here are some of my tips for celebrating your holidays as well as not losing focus on your review:
1. Make a schedule of activities. Plan all your parties and if possible allot a time for studying. It just depends on your "diskarte"
2. Do not tire yourself needlessly. Proper sleep plays a sufficient role in retention.Be sure to have plenty of rest before review classes resume.
3. Avoid too much alcohol intake (I did not say you abstain from it.But please drink moderately)
4. Avoid doing things that might jeopardize or prevent you from resuming review classes or worse, taking the board exams. (untoward incidents such as firecracker accidents,barfights,untimely pregnancies, etc etc)
5.Lastly, never stop praying and asking for guidance!
Enjoy your holidays, future engineers and coleagues. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !
We all passed a point in our student life wherein we have to memorize/remember long lists of information. Not everyone is gifted with a photographic memory and most often than not, we tend to forget what we have memorized as time passes. If only we can create a way to remember them just like we remember our names.That is the purpose of Mnemonics. With a little creativity, we can say farewell to traditional memorization.
Here are some tips (based on my experience) on making effective Mnemonics:
1. Organize the Information into a sequence such that it can make sense to you.
2. Create a story using (as much as possible) the 1st letter of each item.
3. Use short and easy to recall words (You made a mnemonic to compress the information, not to burden you further)
4. Once you've made a story, Write it or shall I say practice Writing it. Writing really makes a difference, It is much more effective than just relying on verbal repetition.
Well that's it. Your comments and suggestion will also help a lot.
You can Remember! A Home Study Course in Memory and Concentration
My apologies for delayed posting. I have been busy on chores. However I'm ready to blog again. So for our first Mnemonic. We will tackle the different Multi-Fibre Cable Color Coding Scheme. This can be found easily over the net, however, due to the sheer number (12 colors) one might have trouble memorizing/remembering them. So to reduce the load on your memory I hereby present to you the different Fibre cables and with its Mnemonic:
| Position | Jacket color |
|---|---|
| 1 | Blue |
| 2 | Orange |
| 3 | Green |
| 4 | Brown |
| 5 | Slate |
| 6 | White |
| 7 | Red |
| 8 | Black |
| 9 | Yellow |
| 10 | Violet |
| 11 | Rose |
| 12 | Aqua |
| 13 | Blue with black tracer |
| 14 | Orange with black tracer |
| 15 | Green with black tracer |
| 16 | Brown with black tracer |
| 17 | Slate with black tracer |
| 18 | White with black tracer |
| 19 | Red with black tracer |
| 20 | Black with yellow tracer |
| 21 | Yellow with black tracer |
| 22 | Violet with black tracer |
| 23 | Rose with black tracer |
| 24 | Aqua with black tracer |
MNEMONIC: Blue Owes Great Britain Several White Rabbits Because Yellow Violated RA9292.
Notes:
1.The Mnemonic only describes the 1st 12 colors. Cables 13-24 have the same color sequence except for Cable 20 which is Black with Yellow Tracer.
2.All have black tracers except Cable 20(duh!).
There you go guys, I hope this mnemonic will help you in your review for the board exams
Disclaimer: This review is not being paid by either of these two brands and the author is not affiliated in any of the two. This is a review based on the actual board performance.
I have used both Casio and Sharp during the board exams and based on the performance of the two here are its pros and cons that were significant in the exams:
Sharp:
PROS:
*4X4 Matrix
*Faster in Integration
*Ease of recalling constants/conversions
*Shortcut Buttons
*STAT functions are easier to navigate
CONS:
*Different button placements (most if not all are used to casio, so it takes some time to get used to the new layout)
Casio
PROS:
*Table Function (for graphing equations)
*Familiar Layout (Majority of ECE's are casio users during college)
CONS:
*Can only solve up to 3x3 Matrices (To solve 4x4 matrices, you need first to transform the 4x4 to 3x3)
*List of Constants/Conversion Factors are not built in the calculator itself
*STAT Mode can get disorienting with all the menus that you need to go through
So I have listed the PROS and CONS for the 2 calculators and believe me. Both are great calculators, I'll leave the choosing up to you but keep in mind that the calculator is a very powerful tool. SO be very sure that you take time to study and learn the functions of your calculator. Do not wait for the board exam to come close before you start studying your calculator. The earlier you learn and harness the power of your calculator, the more prepared you'll become in facing the examinations.
Passing the board examination is no simple task. It is not just attending review classes,answering thousands of MCQs(multiple choice questions),studying till the break of dawn and other things that typical students(me included) are doing when they are about to take exams. Passing the Board Exams is more than just those things I mentioned above. In fact, I have seen many hardworking/diligent students fail as well as those who have a very good academic standing during college.
It is very safe to say that we all have equal chances in passing the Board Exams. It is just up to us on how we take and maximize this chance. For those who are going to take the Board Exams: NEVER STOP BELIEVING THAT YOU ARE VERY MUCH CAPABLE OF PASSING and if you are having any doubts regarding your capabilities, I strongly suggest that you should immediately stop reviewing for you are only wasting your time. CONFIDENCE plays a big role in passing the board exam, however be very wary because sometimes IGNORANCE can be mistaken as confidence and it can be very fatal.
Believe in yourself but always remember that nothing is achieved without hardwork and of course, PRAYER! During my review, I have this very simple prayer which in fact is very applicable in all aspects of our lives and that is : "Lord,strengthen my heart and enlighten my mind." During the examinations, when I am faced with a difficult question, I would repeatedly say this simple yet powerful prayer.
This is just an introduction for this blog and I wish all those who will take the Board Exams in the future especially this coming March 2010 a VERY GOOD LUCK.
You can do it guys..
Hi guys, welcome to the ECE Hub. This purpose of this blog is to assist young ECEs in their studies as well as their preparation for the Board Exams. Stay tuned and I do hope that this blog will really serve its purpose.