The right approach helps you reach your dreams faster
Dreams of wanting to study or living abroad obviously begin with a thorough appraisal of your own abilities, a long-term appraisal of what you intend to do there, and knowing the English language. I have talked about the Pearson PTE Academic Test as The Third Alternative in an earlier post that I wrote in April this year. For those who have decided to opt for this test as their vehicle to prove to the authorities that they have the necessary prowess over the language, this post aims to tell you how to tackle the test itself. The PTE Academic Test is a standardized English language test accepted in multiple countries and is the first step to secure your chances to study or live abroad.
There are no secrets to success more relevant than knowing and doing all the right things before the exam, during the test, and after it is over. All these stages matter because each of them has the power to bring you closer to success.
Before the test
The most important approach to any test, including the Pearson PTE Academic test is to be aware of what you are going to be tested for. The entire study material is available on the Pearson PTE website and those registered for it can access it any time to know and get familiar with the various sections and sub-sections involved.
Once this preliminary task is done, it is better to set-up a study time schedule. After all, it is well known that those who sweat more in training bleed less in war. This needs a fair degree of self-discipline and obviously the will to maintain a schedule. Mastering the concepts is as important as mastering test techniques and the best way to do this is by testing your progress periodically. It is obvious that throughout the schedule you may need to pace yourself in ways that the entire testing pattern is thorough. It isn’t enough to just familiarize yourself with concepts and test techniques because going through the entire cycle of knowing and testing is anyway going to make it easy for you to get a good score. In case this isn’t enough, the Pearson PTE website has the facility of online tutors as well that can be taken advantage of.
During the test
Preparation is just the first half of getting a good score. The test day is when you will need to approach with a clear mind that isn’t cluttered with any unnecessary diversions. Thus it is better to stay away from all sorts of diversions like browsing the phone for the latest Whatsapp messages or scrolling endlessly through social media pages. This creates vital brain space that helps you stay calm, cool, and collected.
It is vital that you reach the test venue with your ID at least 45 minutes before the start. I have known a lot of students completely hassled and searching desperately for not just their test ID card but also things that they need during the test. Keep everything handy and know that even as the test begins, the concept of pacing still goes on.
‘What?’ a few may ask, ‘what has pacing to do with the test?’
Well, for instance there is the listening test for which you may have to keep just that bit of extra time as you need to listen to passages before you get down to answering the associated questions.
After the test
The Pearson PTE Academic test results are generated in 3 to 5 working days and you obviously need to have your login details with you to go online and know the details. Acceptance of the results is important as they will finally tell you how you need to approach the next step.
The best way to predict the future is to create it… and those who intend to study or live abroad need to begin well in time so that they are not rushing through any of the steps mentioned above.
You can access more details on this test here.
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Are you ready for your exams?
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Arvind Passey
18 December 2018
