10 Tips to excel in Class 6 Olympiad

The Science Olympiad Foundation (SoF) conducts the international Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) every year to discover young hidden talents in kids of classes 1^st to 12^th. The high-level questions asked in this exam are solely designed to check the student’s reasoning skills and intelligence quotient. The highly conceptual exam demands utmost dedication and smart-study to conquer. Kids with love for math are specifically drawn towards this exam but lately it has been a major traction among the school students owing to its value and recognition on a global podium.

Class 6^th is an important stage in a student’s academic life. It can also be quite overwhelming for a student to get introduced to so many new subjects at the same time. Syllabus increases exponentially in 6^th standard with physics, chemistry, biology, geography and so many others joining the curriculum. This is also the perfect stage where their interest in science can be extended and tested. Parents of students of class 6^th should motivate their wards to participate in the national level math competition as this might awaken in them a love for maths.

Math Olympiad is essentially a platform where kids can showcase their mathematical skills. Over 100 countries from 5 continents around the world participate in this competitive examination. Candidates are first chosen at national level and then they participate and represent their country on the global front. As the students have to compete with the best math brains around the globe, their preparation should be top-notch. This article gives 10 best hacks which can help grab excellent scores in the Olympiad.

1. Know your syllabus– Diving headfirst into something without completely analyzing everything about it is unwise. Therefore, before appearing for the exam, students should analyze the complete syllabus with the help of parents or teachers from the official website of Science Olympiad foundation or SoF. Look for the important topics that have been touched the most by the foundation for preparation of Olympiad question paper. You can also take the help of online sources to look for it. Knowing the syllabus is important for preparation of study plan as well as for understanding the level of preparation needed.
2. Begin as soon as possible– Parents should understand and make their 6^th standard kid understand that Olympiad is entirely different from their conventional school exams in terms of conceptuality and difficulty level, both. It should be wise to kickstart the preparation for Olympiad as early as possible from the date of registration. It is imperative to mention here that although the difficulty level is higher than school level examinations, but the syllabus is the same. The students should not wait for the Olympiad schedule to be released. The syllabus is huge and questions asked are tricky, and it requires time to build up the base, so it’s advisable to start preparation as early as possible.
3. Study to build concepts– As mentioned, the questions asked in Olympiads are tricky and the options provided might be confusing, so shallow studies won’t do. The students need to build a deeper understanding of the concepts to be able to solve the highly conceptual questions with ease. Learn the topic, solve the example questions and then practice from the exercises. This will help consolidate the topic and its formulae in the mind.
4. Devise a proper schedule– The next important task is to design the prefect timetable for a scheduled study. A perfect timetable with a balanced mix of school studies, Olympiad preparations and leisure time or time for hobbies and sports. Parents and teachers should help prepare the study plan. Note the various topics from the detailed syllabus and allot them specific number of days to complete. Also schedule weekly tests to keep a track of progress.
5. Understand the Olympiad paper pattern– The Olympiad paper pattern is kind of unique and a lot different from the home exam pattern. Usually, school students are in the habit of attempting conventional papers and not MCQs. Now, Olympiads are MCQ based exam with 4 options and one correct answer. The exam is held in both- pen and paper and online modes. The time allotted for completing the exam is one hour. The students are supposed to solve 50 MCQ questions. Each question carries 1,2 or 3 marks depending on its difficulty-level or the section it belongs to. There are basically two main sections- Logical reasoning and computational questions. Students can also check the latest pattern from the official math Olympiad website with their parents help.
6. Check the progress– Checking the progress of preparation is very important while preparing for any competitive examination. therefore, parents should motivate the students to attempt enough mock tests and solve as many sample papers as possible. The previous year papers are crucial as well as they give an insight into the level and nature of plausible questions that might be asked. Students should be encouraged to search on their own by typing the right keywords. For instance: Class 6 Olympiad Papers with Answers for searching previous year Olympiad question papers for class 6^th. This way the students can become self-sufficient in using the internet for their academic disposal.
7. Learn time management– Class 6^th students are not habitual to lengthy question papers. In Olympiads they might struggle with solving 50 questions in 60 minutes. So, its very important to prepare them for it. While giving mock tests or solving sample papers, they should be timed. This will help simulate the actual exam environment at home and will help boost their confidence. It will also enhance their problem-solving speed and brush-up the analytical skills.
8. Practice makes perfect- The students should understand that a conceptual subject like math and an advanced exam like Olympiad demand hardwork and dedication. The students should be encouraged to practice many questions after studying a topic. Different sources like NCERT books and online sources should be used.
9. Make math fun– The parents and teachers should endulge kids into fun activities, random pop-quizzes and math games to perk-up their love in the subject. They need to remember that students of 6^th standard are still kids and enhancing their love for the subject could contribute an extra edge in excelling at the Olympiad.
10. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body- The parents should ensure that they are not unnecessarily pressurizing their kids. They should make sure that they have a proper sleep schedule and that they are eating right. They should also instruct them to avoid junk food for better metabolism and drink enough water to stay refreshed.