Reflections and Insights on My Performance in Allen Minor Tests

As I reflect on my journey at Allen, a premier coaching institute for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), I have taken note of my performance in the minor tests. These tests serve as crucial checkpoints for me and my peers, helping us understand our strengths and weaknesses. Here is a detailed analysis of my performance in the two recent minor tests and an overview of my academic journey at Allen.

Performance in the First Minor Test

My first minor test was a significant milestone in the first major phase. It was the first test I took seriously, and the syllabus covered a vast range of topics, necessitating thorough revision of all the fundamentals. Although the syllabus was comprehensive, scoring the expected marks was proving to be challenging. Notably, in bio, the lack of question practice resulted in a drop in marks.

My scores in the first minor test were as follows:

Physics: 166 Chemistry: 160 Botany: 155 Zoology: 176

The question paper was of Allen’s usual moderate difficulty, with some questions being straightforward and others requiring deeper understanding. However, my overall performance was marred by a few mistakes, notably:

Question 116: A simple slip-up caused by a poor understanding of the concept. Question 39: Confusion between proportional variables due to limited practice. Question 102: A doubt that affected my confidence and accuracy. Question 106: An out-of-NCERT question that I guessed incorrectly.

The aftermath of this test was disheartening, but I managed to score 652, with question 116 being corrected post-result to 657.

Performance in the Second Minor Test

My second minor test resulted in a slightly better score of 655 (originally 665, but the score came down to 655 due to incorrect bubble filling). I am optimistic about attaining a higher score of around 695 if the bubble filling was done correctly. The question paper in the second minor test was also of moderate difficulty, with a strong performance in physics and a manageable chemistry section.

My expectations for the second minor test were:

Physics: Good performance, though some questions were tricky. Chemistry: Easy problems, with a strong understanding of the basics. Biology: Easy but with some out-of-NCERT questions that I had to guess at.

Due to a lack of focusing on out-of-NCERT content in biology, my score in this section was meager, resulting in only a 340. However, overall, I was satisfied with the performance of the test.

Academic Journey at Allen

My journey at Allen began in May 2019 during the nurture phase-4. Initially, I had my focus deviated during August-September, but I regained my momentum and started working towards improving my scores. During the first half of the 11th grade, I made some progress but it was not significant. However, this phase was crucial in helping us correct past mistakes and understand different question patterns.

During the second half of the 11th grade, the improvement was minimal, but it provided me with a deeper understanding of how to manage time during exams. This phase was instrumental in enhancing my confidence, which is vital for the JEE preparation. Compared to my 10th grade where I would consistently score close to 90-95 percent with minimal preparation, the 2020 October paper was a challenging one with an average score of just 14 due to strict marking and difficulty level.

The cumulative performance has been gradual but steady, especially after joining the 12th grade in early 2020. I belong to a decent batch, 5th batch out of a total of 44, with a timing of 8:15 to 1:30 p.m. for the morning slots and 2:15 to 7:30 p.m. for the evening slots, often extended to 8:00 p.m. Our physics teacher often worked late to provide us with the best guidance.

The performance in the initial tests for both 11th and 12th syllabus was decent, but it is a gradual process of improvement that we all are striving for.

As I reflect on my journey, I am content with the efforts I have put in and the gains I have made. I want to end my journey at Allen with no regrets.

Goodbye.

Divyansh Yadav