Preparing for Scholarship Exams

Scholarships are a great way to ease the financial burden an individual has to take when studying. Scholarships are grants, often in monetary form, given to select and outstanding students to enable them to continue their education without having to worry about the financial burden that comes along with studying.

However, scholarships are not for everyone as there are only a select few that will be granted scholarships every academic year. Some people will consider you lucky if you manage to land a scholarship, but luck plays no significant role in deciding whether you can land a scholarship or not; it all depends on the work you put into it.

This article will walk you through how to look for and prepare for scholarship exams so that you will have a high chance of getting that scholarship.

How to look for a scholarship

Before diving into how to prepare for a scholarship exam, it is first of great importance to ensure that you have a scholarship program to apply to. Here are a few tips on how to find a suitable scholarship program to apply to:

1. Search the web

The internet is home to an almost bottomless pit of knowledge. One of the pieces of knowledge included in your search engine’s archive is knowledge about scholarship programs that you can avail yourself of. However, make sure to limit the scope of the scholarship programs you are looking for as there will be a time when international scholarships get mixed in with local ones.

2. Consult the school

If you want verified information about scholarships and not some shady ad from a certain website, then you can always opt to ask your school about possible scholarship programs that they have. Most schools award the top of their class with scholarships to accredited or sister schools. You can also ask the school that you are aiming to apply for if they have scholarship programs as well.

3. Make sure you qualify

Even though you have found a great scholarship offer, it would be meaningless if you cannot qualify for it due to failure in requirements. Most scholarship programs require your report card from the previous years, as well as a few legal documents. Scholarship programs also require a certain grade as the bare minimum for qualifying for the grant. So, before you go hunting for scholarship programs to apply to, make sure to complete the documents required and ensure that you meet the standards for the scholarship.

How to prepare for scholarships

Now that you have found the scholarship you will apply for, it is now time to prepare for the exam that will dictate whether one will be granted a scholarship or not. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for scholarship exams:

1. Stay calm

The first and most important thing to cement in your mind when preparing for a scholarship exam is to remain calm. Panic brings nothing but negative outcomes, and it will do you no good to be overwhelmed by your nervousness.

Take a few deep breathes whenever you feel like you are losing your cool and relax for a bit. This will allow you to effectively store memory when studying and allows for better memory retention when taking the exam. Staying calm will also help you make rational decisions when answering questions that you are not familiar with.

2. Study up

It is also important to note the common questions that will be found in most scholarship exams. The most common type of questions found in scholarship exams is almost identical to the ones found in most entrance exams to well-known universities. This is why it would be a good idea to study on:

• Verbal reasoning

Verbal reasoning questions are questions that test one’s ability to correctly use words that are appropriate for a certain situation. These questions often measure the amount of knowledge one has in terms of grammar and vocabulary, as well their knowledge in the structures of sentences.

• Numerical reasoning

Numerical reasoning-type questions are questions that measure an individual’s knowledge in the field of mathematics. These questions can range from simple fractional problems to interest rates, and up to algebraic equations.

These types of questions are commonly found in scholarship exams that require knowledge of mathematics. So, if the scholarship you are applying for is dedicated to arts, then you can rest easy as these types of questions rarely come up. However, if the scholarship program you are aiming for is for engineering, then expect to see a lot of these in the scholarship exams.

• Abstract thinking

Abstract thinking is a trait that is very tricky to measure. After all, it is the ability to understand concepts that, although are real and present in the world, are not closely tied to a concrete object. However, most exams can get a vague measurement of one’s abstract thinking by providing problems involving shapes, patterns, and sequences.

If you have had barely experience in these types of questions, then there is a good chance that it will take you by surprise and you will hardly find an answer as these questions are not the conventional type. This is why it is important to study up on these types of questions before taking the scholarship exam.

• Reading comprehension

Reading comprehension questions are, as the name suggests, questions that test one’s ability to comprehend and remember the details of a certain passage that one has read. These questions are often preceded by a passage from which the questions will be derived. However, be careful about relying on the passage too much as there will be times when the answers to these types of questions are not found in the passage and are instead based on one’s understanding of the passage.

3. Review on previous exam questions

Knowing the types of questions that will appear in the scholarship exams is not nearly enough to secure a spot in the list of qualified scholars. One also needs to be aware of the structure of the exams they will take.

For instance, it is important to know how many of each type of question will come up and how much time is given to answer the exam. By doing so, one can create a general timetable to the time they will allot to each type of question there are in order to maximize efficiency.

Although some factors may change like the number of questions in a certain type or category of question, it is still better to have a plan that you can use to manage the time given to you rather than taking the exam completely blind and unaware.

4. Practice a lot

Practice makes progress. No matter how confident one is about their knowledge and intellect, it still pays to be a little cautious and practice for the upcoming scholarship exams. Practicing allows one to hone their skills and improve on what one lacks.

Nobody can be truly prepared for what is to come during a scholarship exam. However, by taking practice exams before the actual scholarship exams, individuals can be more experienced with the types of questions that will come out of the exam. Furthermore, practicing allows one to improve on the portions they are weak at by having them repeatedly solving and answering types of questions that are similar to the ones that they are weak at.

5. Take online mock exams

One of the most effective ways to practice for scholarship exams is to take mock exams. Mock exams for scholarship exams can be found on a lot of websites and are very helpful with one’s practice. You can even look for SAT exam questions to answer as a mock exam as the questions that will be asked in scholarship exams are sort of similar to those in the SAT.

6. Mind the clock

Another great pointer to help you prepare for upcoming scholarship exams is to time the mock exam you are taking. Most scholarship exams have a time limit as to how long an individual can answer the given questions. This due to the fact that it allows them to gauge the speed of processing of one’s brain.

One should limit the time spent answering the mock exam to about an hour if there are more than 50 questions or 30 minutes if there are only 20 or so questions. This recreates the sense of urgency that the exam will have and will enable you to get used to the tension better.

7. Hire a tutor

If you feel like your efforts alone will not suffice to the required level of intellect needed in order to grab a scholarship, then you can always rely on external help. While it is too late to ask questions to your teacher about certain topics that have been previously discussed, it is never too late to ask the aid of a tutor.

Private tuition is a great way to build up knowledge and revisit previously stored information that has already been forgotten. Most tutors will be glad to see an individual who is passionate about studying in order to land that scholarship. Tutors will also be able to mediate the mock exams you execute to ensure that it stays as close to the actual experience as can be.

If you are interested in hiring a tutor for your private tuition needs, then consider visiting us at FamilyTutor. we are Singapore’s leading home and online-based tutoring agency which is home to thousands of highly skilled and capable tutors. We offer private tuition in Singapore on a variety of subjects as well in order to accommodate the private tuition needs of all.

Carelle

Carelle is a teacher who has been through the ups and downs of the teacher and learner life. She wishes for every learner to gain educational satisfaction that will help embody the people they want to be in the future.

Preparing for Scholarship Exams

How to look for a scholarship

1. Search the web

2. Consult the school

3. Make sure you qualify

How to prepare for scholarships

1. Stay calm

2. Study up

• Verbal reasoning

• Numerical reasoning

• Abstract thinking

• Reading comprehension

3. Review on previous exam questions

4. Practice a lot

5. Take online mock exams

6. Mind the clock

7. Hire a tutor

Carelle

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