- Preparation- The be-all and end-all!
Students who plan to attend a short high school should begin preparing as early as possible.
Early preparation is very important, because the nature of the examination tasks is very different from the secondary school material. Almost every student needs some time to get used to the new form of the tasks and the speed at which they should be solved. Often, gaps in knowledge and comprehension problems become apparent.
Especially at the beginning, the mountain of new theories, task forms, solution methods, comprehension problems and the time pressure as well as the exam setting seem huge, overwhelming and frightening. Often the examination material was not fully dealt with in secondary school, there is a lack of space and time to specifically support individual students or the individual needs of the students were not sufficiently addressed. Often it is also neglected to teach the children how to learn correctly and efficiently and how to develop their own thinking patterns for a sustainable learning success. Especially logical thinking is essential to pass the entrance exam. Therefore, it is important to start preparing as early as possible and to stay with it continuously in order to get rid of comprehension problems as quickly as possible, to get used to the tasks and to gain speed in solving the exercises.
- Practice makes perfect
The more often you practice, the more you will get used to the form of the exam questions and gain speed. It is important that you not only memorize or read through the exam material, but also practice it actively and continuously. You also learn a lot about yourself, recognize where your weaknesses and strengths lie and what you should work on more. Several types of tasks, tricky exceptions and complex questions can then no longer surprise you or throw you off your game at the entrance exam. If you practice a lot and continuously, you can take the exam calmly, confidently and self-assuredly. It is during practice that it becomes clear whether the theory has actually been understood or whether there are still problems with comprehension.
Attention: Practicing also includes the subsequent checking and working up of mistakes. What mistakes were made? Is it a careless mistake or a basic comprehension problem? Is the mistake made over and over again? It is best to analyze the task and solve it again at a later time (without solutions) until you can do it smoothly and without help.
- Set yourself a time frame
It is often underestimated that there is an enormous time pressure at the short high school entrance exam and that solving the tasks quickly is essential to achieve the necessary score. Therefore, it is important to practice solving the tasks under time pressure during the preparation. The aim is to solve all the examination tasks in full or in part within the given time (partial points are also decisive). This increases the chance of a high score. Students should be able to solve the tasks quickly, but also cleanly and without errors, so as not to cause any subsequent errors. Points that are given away due to careless mistakes are very annoying. The more often they are practiced in advance, the fewer they will be made. In addition, nervousness also plays a major role in the exam, which should not be underestimated.
- Be sure to seek help if you have difficulties
It is important that if you do not understand something fundamentally, seek help. Do not ignore difficulties or mistakes that you make over and over again. Tasks are designed to cover several theoretical bases. So, to solve the task successfully, you need to master all the topics. It is very annoying if you can't solve a complete task or if you get stuck in one of them because of a supposedly smaller hurdle that you didn't understand. If you are unlucky, this topic appears in several tasks of the exam and you cannot solve half of the tasks. The material builds on each other and only becomes more complex. In addition, what is tested in the entrance exam will be required at the Kurzgymnasium.
Therefore, be sure to seek help if you don't understand something. Ask your teacher or a classmate. For deeper problems, you should consider professional tutoring, which is specially trained for this.
- Learn efficiently
Make sure you are concentrated and focused during your study time. There is no point in studying for hours without energy, because then you will forget most of it again and the subject matter will not be consolidated. Rigid memorization is also not recommended, because then you will not understand the theory correctly and you will not be able to react to changes in tasks at the exam. In addition, you will lose motivation if you study for too long or if you are unfocused and have too much trouble solving the tasks. Therefore, make sure that you are focused while you are practicing.
- Make sure you get enough sleep to be fit for learning
- Take breaks from studying or stop when you realize you can't do it that day
- Find a balance to studying, e.g. sports, an activity in the fresh air or meet with friends
- Learn also together with others, that is often more fun and together you can work out different solutions (Attention: Make sure that you really learn and don't distract each other).
- Nutrition also plays a role; a wholesome and healthy diet provides you with enough energy and strength while learning
- Professional preparation courses
It is highly recommended to attend a professional course in addition to the preparatory course of your secondary school. The teachers are specialized in the short high school entrance exam and can prepare their students optimally, work up important theoretical basics in depth and prepare the students specifically for the exam. Many years of experience and proven concepts are an enormous plus. Professional grammar school preparation courses differ greatly in quality and intensity from voluntary secondary school courses and are systematically structured. The entrance exam is on the one hand very demanding and comprehensive and on the other hand a completely new situation for the students.
Preparation courses can focus specifically on the participants and teach a wide variety of solution methods. Students, after attending a professional preparation course, should be able to solve the tasks confidently, off the cuff and with some speed. Any fears and knowledge gaps should be reduced and the participants will also be prepared for the following time at the short high school.
- Tips for the day of the entrance exam
- Lay out everything the night before so that you don't get stressed out or forget anything in the morning.
- Don't have a learning marathon the day before; you should be fit for the exam. If you still don't know the exam material by the day before, you won't be able to cram it in on that one day.
- Go to bed early enough the night before so that you are well-rested
- Avoid stimulant drinks like energy drinks or high-sugar soft drinks
- Be ready 15 minutes before the exam starts
- Go to the toilet during breaks
- Take a snack with you that will provide you with enough healthy energy
- Try to keep a cool head and don't put too much pressure on yourself; take it as a chance to prove your skills and show off everything you've learned.
What is the short-term high school?
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How to pass the probationary period at the short-term high school
