How to crack an MCQS Based test

In my life, I’ve given multiple McQs based tests and despite acing them, I never could share my secrets of cracking an McQs based test.

To establish myself as a reliable person to write on this subject, let me tell you my rankings in admission lists in Engineering universities of Pakistan. The tests were 100% MCQ based.

• GIKI : 1
• PUCIT : 1
• FAST : 7
• PIEAS: 14
• UET : 22
• NUST : 32

Apart from these I didn’t give any entry test at that time, and Alhamdulillah, the worst rank I got still allowed me to get admission in the first preference I selected in my entry test form.

This success was all due to the efforts of my parents and teachers.

Now let’s dive into techniques!

Divide and Conquer

First thing when a question paper comes into your hand, you have to do is:

Reserve 10% of time at the end to review missed questions.

No matter how long or short the paper is, always aim to complete the paper in 90% of the time. In completion process, it doesn’t mean you have to answer all the questions, but, better to answer 80-90% of the questions atleast. You have to answer and fill circles of 90% of questions within 90% of time and make sure you do these initial set right.

How to give 90% correct Answers

This part is your learnedness and command on subjects conceptually. And concept building better should be done during FSc or A levels or DAE or other equivalent 10 to 12/13 year degree program. This is a harsh truth. I used to play games during entrance test classes and still got these scores. Reason being I had so rigorously asked questions in my FSc classes that I no more needed to invest time in concept building after graduation from FSc and entry test duration.

What to do in 90% time?

You have to divide the 90% time on total number of questions. For example, if total questions are 100 and total time is 1 hour. (Pretty tough example 😋). 90% of 60 min is 54 min. Then 54min/100 is 0.54min which is roughly 30 seconds. So we will be attempting each question for 30 seconds at max. Ideally, just by reading the problem statement we should be able to get the answer in our head. But if it’s not the case, then try to identify answer out of the options for few seconds.

Some times there come some exceptions where you have to solve the options also to find right answer. I encountered such questions in GIKI test. Give those questions there due time while keeping in mind that you have to take that time out of other easier questions to compensate this one.

What to do in 10% time

Let me chalk out the tasks here:

• Run through your impression sheet and count how many questions you left.
• Again divide remaining time over total questions
• Directly go to leftover question, do due diligence and fill the impression sheet with an educated guess. Not a random guess. Educated guess means what you feel closest to the truth.
• Go to next question, and next question and so on.

Thing about Negative Marking

While 10% of your time at the end, be extra cautious and only take educated guesses and do answer the questions. Leave those where you are clueless.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, cracking an entry test is not as difficult as it seems. Dividing time among actually answering most questions and then leftovers is the major key. All you have to do is stay ahead of time!

Good luck 🤞