Very little time is left until the graduation exams. This creates additional stress and anxiety for applicants. At the same time, this period is extremely responsible for teachers as well: questions such as how to continue preparation, and how to correctly allocate time and topics come to the forefront.
In this regard, it is of interest how applicants should prepare in the period leading up to the exam and what form of preparation strategies would be more effective.
Education expert Ramin Nurəliyev spoke to AzEdu.az on the topic.
He noted that applicants must also increase their pace at this stage:
"As you mentioned, very little time is left until the graduation exams. The graduation exams will be held on March 9th and 15th. It is absolutely crucial for applicants to correctly manage their time in a short period to complete the program they previously learned, or at least finish the part of the program up to March, and at the same time, be ready for the entrance exams.
If they want to achieve a certain result in this admission process, they must seriously focus their final period on completing their deficiencies. Because we are already approaching the end of the marathon. Near the end of a marathon, athletes increase their speed to reach the finish line faster or to be first. Applicants must also increase their pace at this stage, especially working more on deficient topics.
At this stage, everyone must clearly identify which topics they struggle with. Because repetitions are usually conducted in the period leading up to the exam, and applicants must pay serious attention during these repetitions. If there is a deficiency in any topic, work must definitely be done on that topic.
For example, an applicant knows that they struggle with the topic of complex sentences and make mistakes in tests related to this topic. In this case, they should re-learn that topic with the help of a teacher, ask their questions to the teacher, and work on test assignments relevant to the topic. If there is weakness in open-ended or written questions, attention should be directed specifically to those questions".
Attempting to learn all topics of the academic year from scratch in a short period is neither realistic nor expedient:
"For this period, it should also be noted that whatever has been done up to now, has been done. Because if topics have not been mastered throughout the year, preparing for all topics one month before the exam would be both exhausting and turn into a large and insurmountable mountain in the applicant's eyes.
Therefore, for a specific subject, for example, the Azerbaijani language, it is more expedient to focus not on all topics, but specifically on those topics that are difficult. The applicant knows which topics they struggle with and re-learns those topics, works on relevant tests, and pays more attention to assignments. When working in this direction, it is possible to achieve results. Because it is sufficient for them to simply lightly review the topics they already know. The main attention should be directed to the topics they do not know and find difficult. This is precisely the most important issue.
I am particularly not a supporter of such approaches. Some applicants, unfortunately, fall prey to certain opportunists. Advertisements conducted on social media under the name of “speed groups” are an example of this. Applicants are attracted with promises like “speed groups”, “high results in a short time”, “prepare in one month”, and certain amounts are demanded for these groups".
It is not possible to fully master three subjects within one month:
"In reality, it is neither realistic nor logical for an applicant who could not properly master their lessons throughout the year to fully learn five, or in some cases even six, subjects within one month through speed groups. This is openly absurd. In speed groups, mainly tests are worked on, and applicants can easily work on those tests themselves at home, using existing test materials.
That is, instead of going to speed groups and spending extra money, the applicant can sit down and work systematically on test banks themselves. Frankly, results in speed groups are only achieved if the student works hard themselves. If the applicant is going to work on those tests themselves anyway, I do not see a serious need to pay extra money for this.
The idea that an applicant who has shown no serious results and has weak preparation throughout a year will go to speed groups for 5-6 subjects and achieve miraculous results within one month is not realistic. The same can be said for graduation exams: it is not possible to fully master three subjects within one month.
If an applicant sets a realistic goal and works systematically with the test banks of the State Examination Center, they can already achieve certain results. Working on test banks, difficult, and written questions is the most effective way at this stage. In this case, joining speed groups and spending extra money seems pointless.
Unfortunately, some individuals create such speed groups, run advertisements on various platforms, and try to attract applicants. I believe that applicants should not be deceived by such promises. It is already impossible to “upload” so much material for three subjects into a student's brain within one month, and this approach does not yield serious results. During this period, the main effort should be directed towards working on tests. The applicant has the SEC's test banks, and if these resources are used correctly, it is possible to achieve real results".
