On What to do about low ranks in Test Series

This got asked twice already, so I’m writing about it.

So you attended lectures, and then diligently answered a subject wise test right after reading your notes.

And your rank is rubbish. It’s like you haven’t even read anything.

Good. That’s what was exactly my case too.

Part A

My rank used to be poor even after reading notes, while other’s used to get really good scores.

But it doesn’t matter.

It’s normal to not know anything after a single read. But through answering the test you’ll realise how and what questions are asked and you’ll pay more attention while revising your notes the next time...

... And then be surprised at how you missed important points during your 1st read even though you’d read dedicatedly. That’s how the brain works- unless the hippocampus is hammered with something repeatedly, it deems it unimportant and forgets.

So what do you do?

Revise again and answer another SWT.

Your focus shouldn’t be on how many questions you got right, it shouldn’t be on the percentage.

But rather your focus should be on your percentile.

What does this mean?

NEET PG isn’t just about getting all answers right. It’s about competing and getting answers right more than the other person.

This means that when answering, you not only focus on the correct answer, but you focus on how many questions you should attempt so that your luck can cover up for your wrong answers and get you a higher rank and percentile.

Even if you’re scoring just 50% right answers in a test but getting 75th+ percentile- that’s good. Everyone else also found the test hard.

This you learn only through answering tests, and changing the amount of questions you answer, and taking risks against negative marking. Every extra mark counts towards a large jump in rank for NEET PG.

On the other hand, of you’re answering just 50% right answers but are under 45th percentile, you really really need to study harder. This means that since most people found the test easy, your rank has dropped drastically. You should have answered more questions correctly.

Part B

Here’s my experience:

In the very beginning, post a lecture, and reading notes and answering a SWT, I’d get about 50% right answers or so, and my rank would be in the 10,000s.

Over time, my percentile slowly kept rising, without much change in my percentage: From 60th percentile 4–5 months before exam, it went to 75–80th percentile 2–3 months before.

The last month I was crossing 90th percentile in the SWTs/CBTs/GTs.

The ranks will vary depending on how many answered, but your percentile should keep rising through each SWT, even with different subjects.

Why?

Because for each test and MCQ solving you’ve learnt ways to approach different MCQs and you’ve learnt how to attempt an MCQ, and this reflects on each subsequent SWT.

Your intuition builds up.

So keep solving and focus on somehow getting your percentile to rise.

Part C

What should be your aim for a good rank?

Minimum 85th+ percentile 1–2 months before the exam; but ALWAYS aim for 99th Centile.

You’ll get it.

{This article is a part of the CostaPG publication.}