How to Score High in NMAT?

            First of all, not because you’re an average student does not mean you’re fated to score low. Second of all, not because you’re top of your class and you’re expecting to receive Latin honor guarantees a high score. As to how you perform in NMAT* depends on how you prepare for the test. Preparation requires discipline and dedication. Here are few things you can consider doing to jumpstart your dream and score high.

1.    Get the best motivation. Think of any reason why you want to score high in NMAT. You can begin with “Getting high score in NMAT will help me in my application for admission in prestigious medical schools.” University of Philippines and other good schools in Metro Manila require 90 or higher percentile rank. You can also ground your motivation to your parents. Think how happy and proud your parents would be if you get 90-something. Having the best motivation will determine your goal. As to how much effort and time you will spend to reach that goal is best determined by the level of motivation you have. If you set your mind to get 90-something, you will do the necessary preparation. But if you set your mind to less, you would rather be slack keeping your review timetable. 

2.   Gather resources for your review. The part 2 of NMAT will test your academic proficiency in subjects Biology, Chemistry, Social Sciences, and Physics. Your lecture notes in Chem 15 and 16 and in Physics 11 and 12 would be best to remind you of basic Chem and Physics concepts that are most likely to come out in the actual test. Believe me, NMAT would not ask you of concepts in Physical Chemistry or Nuclear Physics. I advise you to go back to basics. If you’re a Bio/Zoo major like me in MSU-Main, it would be helpful if you take extra units in Psych 1 and Socio 1. Actually, December 2012 NMAT had fewer questions that require calculations. In fact, my scratch paper didn’t seem so scratchy. As far as I can remember, I haven’t used so much of my baon na formulas in Chem and Physics. You’ll have an edge if you know what does a formula mean or how one element in a formula gets affected if another element is changed. It’s like this: Given the formula of something, if we double X what will happen to Y?

3.   You don’t need to attend a review class. You don’t need somebody to refresh what you’ve learned. On my own opinion, self-review is the best option. Uhm, it was MY best option. That time, I was budgeting my money and getting into a review class would add my unwanted and probably useless expenses. NMAT will cost you several thousand bills from your registration to actual exam day. Plus, if you’re so much like me that sitting in a chair while listening to lectures is a hell-like experience, then self-review is your best option too. You can study and review the concepts any time you want, without feeling being obliged to go to a room and sit, listen, then done. If you’re a morning person like me, you can reread your old notes before going to your 7AM class. 

4.    Don’t overload your brain with so many information. There are times when you would probably think that what’s in our brain is not yet enough to secure you a high score. Then you would lock your bedroom door, read ‘till you fall asleep. Overloading your brain with so many book facts is dangerous if every time you cover a difficult subject, you tend to forget the basic. Remember my previous tip, keep in mind the basic concepts, okay? 

5.    Don’t put so many concepts in your brain within a day. I remember how a friend teased me saying sarcastically how at ease I was. While most of them are cramming and suffering from the intense pressure of a week-away test, I was more like of excited of the test day. Haha! I saw in them how tiresome they were each day. This is because they overworked their brain by forcing so many concepts to get absorbed by their microscopic brain cells. My advice: Start your review early. Then divide the large subject into small manageable pieces. Go over your review notes each day. A 30-minute reading each day is enough. You can spend more hours but, once you feel like you’re becoming tired already, without having second thoughts, just STOP READING. Save yourself from using so much of your energy. The experience should not be torturous, it should be fulfilling. 

     

6.    Answer the practice set. Upon confirmation of your payment, CEM people would send you the practice set to your e-mail address in their online registration system. This practice set is your best review buddy. I heard of students answering the practice set few days before the test, few scored high (blame chance and dumb luck for this) and some scored not much. If you’re willing to gamble your future, then you may want to do the same. Why is it important to review through the practice set? First of all, it mimics the actual NMAT test in format- font style, font size, paper size, arrangement of questions, and even how questions are written. Needless to say, you will get acclimatized of the test and the day the actual questionnaire is handed to you, you will feel more relaxed since there is already a sense of familiarity. And a relaxed brain spots the right answer right away. Plus, it will save your time from reading the instructions during the test thus giving you more time on reading and answering the questions. Second, you’ll have an idea on which concepts need intensive review and which are not. If you go over the practice set few days before the exam, you would not have the time to improve your knowledge on concepts you are weakest.

7.    Don’t feel bad if you find MSA reviewer way too hard. Like most of what I heard from previous NMAT takers, MSA is way too hard from the actual test. But this reviewer would help you so much especially for the Part 1. The first part would test your mental ability. It covers Verbal, Quantitative, Inductive Reasoning, and Perceptual Acuity. These subtests does not require excellent memory, it does require critical thinking though and sharp eyesight. MSA reviewer would improve your skill especially through their mind-blowing mirror images and letter and number series.

8.    Call 911. No matter how brilliant and smart you think you are, there are some things you really don’t know. At times like this, it is necessary you call a help. Ask a friend about a certain concept you find hard. You can also visit your professors during their consultation hours to clarify things.

Here’s what to do during the test day.

1. Have a good night sleep but don’t oversleep. Six to eight hours of sleep is enough depending on your preference.
2. Go to the test center early, an hour before the schedule is advised. But make sure you had a so-so breakfast. Don’t starve yourself but never eat too much. Recall the physiology of digestion. Eating too much will lessen the performance of your brain and your brain is your weapon during that day, not your stomach!
3. Make sure you bring the documents and things you were told to bring like the identification form, valid ID, pencil and eraser.
4. Bring water or some candies. You can eat them while taking the test. Candies will give you sugar or energy.
5. Bring your lunch. The nearest fast food chain from your test center may get full of customers at noon. You may take the second part without taking a lunch. That’s a huge problem.
6. Answer easy questions first, then go over the difficult questions later if you still have time. Don’t spend so much time in one question. I bet you know these stuffs. Don’t leave any circle unshaded anyway CEM would not penalize you of a wrong answer.
7.  Trust your gut, believe you can score high, feel confident, and pray intensely.

My most essential tip for you to score high in NMAT is not to neglect the role of ALLAH (swt) in this aspect of your life. He has control over everything. Always seek His help in every minute, not only before and after the test but even during the test. Seek for His guidance in times when you are about to shade an unsure answer. I had so many unsure answers I tell you, but I asked for His help while I was shading those circles hoping to help me shade the right circles. The power of prayers is really strong and I did experience that through NMAT. Right after the exam, I was feeling doomed because I felt like I didn’t perform well. Who wouldn’t? Most of my answers especially in Part 2 are guesses. Waiting for the result was like expecting the doomsday. CEM released the result on December 21, 2012, the end of the day according to Mayan civilization. But you know what, my mantra that day was Alhamdulillah (All praises are to Allah). He blessed me with a score I never expected. 

So to all NMAT test takers out there, I hope to have helped you somehow. Seize NMAT. Grill it alive. Your dream to become an MD starts with a 360-item test! Do better. Ciao!  

*****

*NMAT stands for National Medical Admission Test, a biannual test commissioned by Center of Educational Management (CEM). It’s held every year in months of April and December. NMAT is a requirement for admission in any Philippine medical schools. There is no failing mark, but every school has specific cut-off score.