Mistakes to Avoid During NEET MDS Preparation

NEET MDS exam is India’s most coveted medical entrance examination in the field of dentistry. It opens several avenues for fresh BDS graduates and gives them an opportunity to pursue specialization in the field of their choice. But with humongous competition, making it to the merit list is no cake-walk, especially when the selection ratio is 1:500. Most students get confused and demotivated just at the glance of vast syllabus of NEET MDS. In such a scenario, the students need to opt for a fool-proof strategy. The article aims to equip students with the right preparation strategy with special focus on mistakes that should be avoided during NEET MDS preparation.

• Be an Early Mover

Ensure that you start early, without procrastinating and waiting for the right time. By starting early you will have an edge over those he begin late as you will have ample time at your disposal. It will also keep you away from stress or exam anxiety. This way you will also be able to spend a judicious amount of time per subject. Note that starting late will not only prove to be detrimental from exam point of view but will become an added cause of stress and worry.

• Studying Haphazardly

The NEET MDS exam should be approached in a highly strategic manner to avoid any regret at the later stage. Your preparation schedule should be laid out well in advance with a daily, monthly and weekly planners well charted. This will save a lot of time as every day you get up, you would have a mission to accomplish in the form of finishing a topic. Hence lay stress on two prime things:

1. Having a Target
2. Following a timetable

You should divide your preparation into four phases viz-a-viz First Reading followed by three revisions.

• Avoid Studying Comprehensively

NEET MDS is an objective type exam with each question provided with 5 options of which one is correct. The task at hands of students is to select the right choice and that too in a timed environment. In such a scenario it is pertinent that students avoid studying through the length and breadth of the subject. In fact, the students need to approach the exam preparation wisely for effective results. It is thus advised that students opt for Smart work rather than hard work. In order to do that, the students should do selective studying. Now the question is how to do that? Here’s a step-wise guide:

1. Study Previous Year papers thoroughly
2. Take note of the frequently asked topics from each subject
3. Make a list of ‘Must-do’, ‘May do’ and ‘Leave out’ topics
4. Also, decode the weight age of each topic
5. Accordingly, plan your studies around these topics

Here is a look at the subject-wise weightage:

The trick here is to finish of with the high-yielding topics in the first phase of your preparation followed by those carrying less weight age. Though the aim of selective studying is to save time and energy, it doesn’t mean that you should leave out a certain number of topics.

• Being Unaware of the exam Pattern

The exam pattern of NEET MDS is such that if students are ignorant, they will end up viling away time understanding the nitty-gritty’s of the exam when they appear for the time. This will do more harm than good as it will end up confusing you. Thus, you should be well-versed with the exam pattern and the marking structure. Here’s a quick look at the NEET MDS exam Pattern:

• Not Attempting Mock Tests during Preparation

Mock tests give you deep insights on your level of preparation. It is a great tool to evaluate yourself and learn from your mistakes. Attempting mock tests will not only help you to test yourself but also will acquaint you with an idea of how to manage your time during the exam. It also enables you to find out if you give in to guess-work during the exam or attempt the ones that you are sure of.