Nature, Nurture or Both?

Uplifting thought processes!

As human beings, we are endowed with all kinds of skills at varying levels. However, some exams test certain skills more than the others; hence, students endowed with a modicum of the relevant skills tend to do better in those exams.

Next, the varied skills and their levels that we are endowed with is a result of the varied characteristics of each individual’s brain since the brain is literally the ‘command and control center’ of higher organisms. These individual characteristics also result in different IQs in humans.

Therefore, to a great extent certain abilities are endowed. However, the brains of toppers are a little different compared to an average individual. As a result, toppers may be able to come up with solutions faster than an average aspirant; in addition, sometimes, they may come up with an innovative solution too.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/412678/brain-images-reveal-the-secret-to-higher-iq/

For example, a class of 40 students given the same assignment produces different outcomes. Some students are able to do the assignment, perhaps, due to their better skills and, also, the way they think which many people don’t account for. We have a term of this; it’s called lateral thinking. Also, some do it quicker than others due to their higher processing speeds and other factors. So the ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work in JEE prep and mentoring becomes an essential component for success. Please see Is a Mentor necessary in JEE prep?.

To a significant extent, the lack of ability can be mitigated by working hard but given the limited time and the vast JEE syllabus, it is difficult for a student at the bottom of the class to top it unless he has the innate ability. Please note that I’m not saying that the student can NEVER become good but it is the lack of time at his disposal that prevents him from preparing well enough to overcome the odds. After all, there are many aspirants who work hard for 2+ years and, yet, are unable to overcome the odds, let alone top the JEE Advanced.

The repetition of a task makes a person better and better but that requires dedication and time. A student may have the former but only a limited amount of the latter. And, perhaps, that is why many students begin their JEE prep early (before Class 11) or drop/repeat and fare better in the subsequent attempt.

As mentioned in the image above, our naturally endowed abilities do play a significant role since 85% of the visuo-spatial skills, mathematics and logic are inherited. But, Nature has left us a tantalizing 15% for us to supplement through hard work and practice!

However, that doesn’t mean that everybody who works hard for ‘x’ number of years will succeed in getting into an IIT. This is because, frequently, this ‘hard’ work is misunderstood to be school work. In fact, in my opinion, it has nothing to do with school but it has everything to do with extra-curricular work that helps improve our logical reasoning and other relevant skills in general. Playing chess, for example, is one of them. Even regular physical activity has been shown to enhance mental capabilities!

This brings up another point. Just because a topper has used certain resources/methods to do well in the JEE doesn’t mean an average aspirant can use the same methods successfully because the tools (read the attributes of the brain) that the topper has at his disposal are different. Therefore, the average aspirant needs to first check whether the same resources/methods would benefit him.

For instance, a potential JEE topper may be directly able to attempt Irodov in Physics whereas an average aspirant would first have to begin with his coaching class material, then work the questions given in HCV/Resnick and, finally, move on to Irodov. This is also the part where working hard comes in when an aspirant gradually and painstakingly enhances his skills to finally manage to solve Irodov. This has also been mentioned, albeit briefly, in

1. Books for JEE prep and
2. Board vs JEE Preps.

This suggests that toppers can be a great source of inspiration but not necessarily a great source of information because they may not be able to fathom the difficulties that an average aspirant faces. Taking an example from sports/athletics, often we hear that great players usually don’t become good coaches whereas average players become great coaches and can produce the best results from average players.

Next, a Board exam checks whether you know the answers to the questions given in the recommended books whereas JEE tests your ability to reason logically by applying the PCM concepts. In addition, the Boards test a student’s skills at a much lower level compared to the JEE.

Therefore, as shown in the image above, learning and memory can be improved significantly since only 45% is inherited whereas 55% depends on the hard work one is willing to put in. This suggests that a student can improve his Board result significantly by working hard, i.e., studying the same material repeatedly. In contrast, I believe the JEE tests your logic, visuo-spatial skills, mathematics, learning and memory by checking whether you can apply the concepts to questions from PCM.

Thus, in short, I believe that it is a combination of IQ and hard work and not just any one of these factors that enable an aspirant to crack the JEE. However, I would consider guidance too as an enabling factor; therefore, it is a combination of IQ, hard work and, perhaps, guidance that enables an aspirant to crack the JEE. Please see Is a Mentor necessary in JEE prep?

On a related issue, the toppers have proved their expertise in a certain area. But, that does not mean that they are gifted in other areas of intelligence too. Please see Theory of multiple intelligences

 

Therefore, an average aspirant may beat a topper in a different area. It’s just that these skills/abilities are not being tested in the JEE.

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

Filling Up Of Choices in JoSAA

How should I go about it?

First, you have to decide what is more important to you – branch of engineering or college.

Second, rank the relevant branches in descending order. For instance: CSE, Electronics, Electrical, Mechanical.

Third, rank the colleges in the same way. For example: Trichy, Surathkal, Warangal.

Let’s say branch is more important to you than college. Then, you would have the following order:

CSE Trichy

CSE Surathkal

CSE Warangal

Electronics Trichy

Electronics Surathkal

Electronics Warangal

And, so on..

If college is more important than branch, then you’d have the following order:

Trichy CSE

Trichy Electronics

Trichy Electrical

Trichy Mechanical

Surathkal CSE

Surathkal Electronics

Surathkal Electrical

Surathkal Mechanical

And, so on..

This method will give you an overall idea of what your list should look like. After that, you can make further changes to the order as per your preference.

Caution: The above is just an example of how you should go about it. Your list of colleges should be realistic. In other words, please check out the approx branch and college that you can get here: JoSAA 2018 Closing Ranks. Once you know this, your list of preferences should be based around this branch and college.

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

Maharashtra FY Engineering 2017 Admissions

 

What dd I get?

The admissions’ procedure to the Maharashtra State Engineering colleges has begun. The schedule is given here: https://fe2017.dtemaharashtra.gov.in/StaticPages/frmImportantDates.aspx

As the admissions’ process moves forward, the above page will be updated. Therefore, the candidates should keep checking it on a regular basis, preferably daily.

The details of all the relevant aspects of the admissions’ procedure is given here: http://fileserver.mkcl.org/FE2017/OasisModules_Files/Files/192.pdf?did=1795

After the final merit list is displayed, the candidates will need to fill in their list of preferences of courses and colleges in order to participate in the admissions’ process. The seat matrix, i.e., the list of colleges, branches and the number of seats in each college and branch is expected on 22 June 2017.

The seats will be allotted as per the candidate’s merit rank, expected on 22 June 2017. Therefore, the candidates need to do their homework regarding the colleges and their courses.

Also, the detailed info about a college and its courses is given here: https://www.dtemaharashtra.gov.in/approvedinstitues/StaticPages/frmInstituteList.aspx?did=63. Therefore, if a candidate has any queries about a college, he/she needs to check out the info in the link before filling in their preferences of colleges and branches.

Further, in my opinion, the combination of college and branch should be ranked instead of just the college which is what most students do. In any case, it is combinations that have to be entered in the list of preferences before the CAP rounds.

Also, please take a look at the following examples:

1. Comp Engg was still the most wanted branch in 2016.
2. Mech Engg was selected ahead of Electronics and Telecommunications Engg at, both, VJTI and Sardar Patel, Andheri. This is a variation from JOSAA where Electronics and Telecom usually come second to Comp Engg. It seems the top Maharashtra students prefer Mech Engg to Electronics!
3. Also, Mech Engg at Sardar Patel, Andheri, closed higher than Electronics at VJTI in 2016.

This shows that students were quite partial to Mech Engg since it closed higher in Sardar Patel, Andheri, than Electronics in VJTI but lower than Electronics and Telecom at VJTI. Sardar Patel is an excellent college; but, the above examples show that, sometimes, it is better to take a slightly lower branch in a good college rather than a high branch at a not-so-good college. Also, if a certain branch is not so good at a reputed college, the combination of college and branch would alert you.

For Mah engineering admissions, apart from the usual caste reservations, there are many parameters that are considered such as Mah State/All India candidature, Ladies/otherwise, Home University/Other than Home University, Minority quota, etc. So, it’s difficult to predict the results of the CAP rounds.

That’s why I suggest that you make a long enough list of preferences that combines the college and branch rankings and enter this in the list of preferences in the Option form for CAP. Subsequently, when the results of Round 1 are declared, you can always use the float, slide and freeze options to effect minor adjustments to your allotments during the subsequent CAP rounds.

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you need any help with the order of preference of branches and colleges for the Maharashtra State Engineering admission process, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

Which branch can I get with my JEE Main AIR?

Exam Results!

The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) 2019 should go online only after the JEE Advanced 2019 results. However, you can get a pretty good idea of what branch you can get in the NITs, IIITs and CFTIs from the JoSAA 2018 site, https://josaa.nic.in/webinfocms/Handler/FileHandler.ashx?i=File&ii=139&iii=Y

The schedule for the combined admission process to the IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs will be given when JoSAA 2019 goes online.

Information regarding your JEE Main result can be obtained here: https://jeemain.nic.in/webinfo/Public/Home.aspx.

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

Tips for a JEE dropper.

Invaluable guidance!

First of all, sometimes a JEE Main candidate manages to score well due to educated guesswork. Of course, that may not work every time; hence, the score could drop the subsequent year. Therefore, a candidate needs to be honest with himself and decide whether he would really like to give JEE another shot.

Having said that, the decision to drop should be taken after careful consideration. Please see https://mentoringjeeaspirants.wordpress.com/2016/06/13/to-drop-or-not-to-drop-that-is-the-dilemma/.

Next, if a person is taking a drop for the right reasons, the next question is whether they would need coaching or not. After all, coaching is not a panacea for everything regarding JEE. Let me explain.

Usually, a student’s prep follows a certain progression: learning the theory, understanding the concepts through practice and, finally, increasing the speed and accuracy.

The theory part is easily handled en masse by a coaching class but the rest have to be customized for each student. Thus, there is no one-size-fits-all kind of a reply in such cases since a person’s prep during the drop year really depends on his level of prep after his first attempt. As is obvious, if a dropper enrolls in a coaching class, he will be learning the theory aspects again, albeit briefly. Therefore, if his theory part is well done, this would be a waste of time for him.

Now, about the rest of the prep, i.e., understanding the concepts and improving the speed and accuracy. This is where the part about working hard smartly comes in and, as mentioned above, it varies for each student. A guide/mentor is needed here who will nudge him in the right direction instead of him trying to figure out what he needs to do. Please see https://mentoringjeeaspirants.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/is-a-mentor-necessary-in-jee-prep/.

Next, if he does need a coaching class, again there is no straightforward answer. This is because what’s good for somebody may not be for another; so, there is no one-size-fits-all here too.

Besides, think about it this way. If there were one single class that was THE BEST, students would flock to this one and all other classes would have to shut shop, wouldn’t they? But, that doesn’t or hasn’t happened. So, I would say that all established classes are good. It really depends on what suits the relevant person best.

However, there are factors that are used to decide which coaching class is best for you. Please see https://mentoringjeeaspirants.wordpress.com/2016/06/09/how-do-i-select-a-coaching-class/ .

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

To drop or not to drop; that is the dilemma.

Should I take a drop?

First of all, why is it that a student would want to take the JEE Main again? To get at least a NIT?

In that case, let me mention some stats. The total number of seats in all the IITs is about 11k whereas the seats in the NITs, IIITs and GFTIs make up about 24k in all. Thus, there are a total of 35k seats available through the JEE Main route. Of course, as you know, the 11k seats of IITs are filled through an additional exam after the JEE Main, i.e., the JEE Advanced.

Let me use some figures to elucidate what I’m trying to explain. Usually, 11–15lakh (average = 13lakh) students took the JEE Main every year. Thus, what are the chances of a student getting into any of the IITs, NITs, IIITs or GFTIs? 35k/13lakh ~ 2.7%.

That means a student has to be in the top 2.7% of the country. If a student belongs to the open category, the number of seats that he competes for is half of the above 35k. That means his chances are approx 1.35%.

Also, as you can see from the figures above, the chances of getting into an IIT are even slimmer. I know it is hard to give up on your IIT dream but cracking the Advanced needs more than just hard work; it requires tremendous talent and, more importantly, training over the entire duration of schooling with the training raised several notches in Classes 11 and 12.

The above is also validated by the scores obtained in the JEE Main over the past few years where the top 1% candidates scored about 50–55%+ only. In contrast, the top 1% candidates of Maharashtra State Board score approx 85–86%+ and above in Physics, Chemistry and Math in their HSC exam; for CBSE, the corresponding figure is usually 95%+.

Many students take it easy during Class 11. Perhaps, they are fatigued by their rigorous effort for the Class 10 Board exams; this is a strategic error on the part of the parents and/or students. Also, preparing rigorously for the Boards could lead to an erosion of the skills required for the JEE (to know why, please read Board vs JEE Preps).

However, they are motivated to work hard in Class 12 in order to crack the JEE Advanced. By that time, it’s a little late since they are pitted against others who have been working diligently for many years. So, it becomes a difficult task for them and they begin to entertain thoughts of dropping a year.

A student has a chance of cracking the JEE Main and Advanced after a drop if he has been working diligently for the entire duration of Class 11 and 12 and, for some reason/mishap, falls short. Or, if he begins preparing for the JEE in Class 11 and finds the prep time of 18 months inadequate, i.e., upto Oct-Nov of Class 12. For an explanation, please see When should I begin JEE prep wholeheartedly?

In short, a score of 10–15% in the Main is unlikely to metamorphose into a score of 55%+ the next year; however, a score of 40%+ could be enhanced to something like 55–60%+. Therefore, in the absence of the latter scenario, I would suggest that he try his luck at his State Engineering Exam, if any, or other private engineering college exams.

After all, life doesn’t stop if he doesn’t get an IIT, NIT, IIIT or a GFTI. He can always prove his mettle when he graduates and is pitted against the candidates from these institutes in a job situation which is an entirely different ball game.

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

DISCLAIMER: The above is only a general opinion. Specific course of action would depend on the individual and his/her circumstances.

Which Institutes use the JEE Advanced scores?

In addition to the 23 IITs, there are other centrally funded institutes that have used the JEE Advanced scores for admissions in the past, as per JEE Advanced 2018 Information Brochure. These include:

• Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (IISc)
• Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) located in Berhampur, Bhopal, Kolkata, Mohali, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram and Tirupati
• Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram
• Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT), Rae Bareli
• Indian Institute of Petroleum & Energy, Visakhapatnam

Next, please check out https://mentoringjeeaspirants.wordpress.com/2016/06/12/which-branch-can-i-get-in-the-iits/ to find out which IIT and branch you are likely get with your AIR.

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

Which branch can I get in the IITs?

Students checking their exam results.

Now that the JEE Advanced 2017 results have been declared, http://www.jeeadv.ac.in/, the question on everybody’s lips is:

“With my JEE Advanced 2017 AIR, which IIT and branch can I get?”

Here, unlike the stock market, the past can give a decent prediction of the near future. In other words, you can get a good idea of the IIT and branch you are likely to snare by checking out the opening and closing AIRs of 2016. Therefore, please check out this link and play with the various boxes given there to figure out what is the best you can get:

http://josaa.nic.in/Result2016/result/OpeningClosingRank.aspx

You need to do this homework well before the admissions’ procedure begins on 15 June 2017. Thus, you would be able to fill in the relevant choices in the right order when the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) comes online.

Finally, please check out https://mentoringjeeaspirants.wordpress.com/2016/06/12/which-institutes-use-the-jee-advanced-scores/ to find out which institutes, apart from the IITs, use the JEE Advanced AIRs to grant admissions.

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

How do I increase my speed in the JEE?

Superhero speeding

JEE tests a student’s understanding of the concepts by checking how fast he/she can solve the given questions accurately. Therefore, many students feel that rote memorization of the formulas will help them to achieve greater speed; however, I have a different opinion.

Rote memorization of the formulas is never good. You have to understand the concepts and also go into the evolution of the formulas. Note, I’m using the term evolution and not derivation since evolution is a stronger term.

Next, a formula is just a tool. If you can understand the concepts in depth then you can apply the formulas even when there is a twist in the question. And, also, since you know the various assumptions that are used when the formula is derived, you know when you shouldn’t be applying it, if such a situation presents itself. In addition, if a person understands the concepts in depth and, subsequently, the resulting formula, he gets a feel for it and doesn’t even need to memorize it.

For instance, we all know the formula

v = u + at

However, this formula can only be applied when the acceleration is constant. If it isn’t, we have to use

dv/dt = a

By the way, the latter is, in fact, the origin of the former.

And, this is what I mean by evolution and not derivation. You have to understand the basis of a formula in order to be able to apply it. Derivation implies rote memorization of the math work that results in the formula while evolution delves into the circumstances/assumptions/other factors that enabled us to derive the formula.

This calls for an in-depth understanding of the concepts; thus, the speed would increase automatically. I know that this is a rather long, hard road to success but, unfortunately, there is no shortcut. Also, please see

1. Board vs JEE Preps and
2. How many hours a day should I study to crack the JEE?

Here, I’d like to mention some of my experiences as a mentor. Frequently, students who have passed their Std 10 Boards approach me for guidance/mentoring. One of the questions I ask them to gauge the depths of their understanding and, consequently, their methods of learning are:

‘Please tell me why 2 x 3 = 3 x 2? I know both are equal to 6. But, I need to know why? And, will it work for any two numbers?’

This question is at the level of Class 3. However, you’d be amazed to know the number of students that cannot answer such a simple question in spite of scoring 90%+ in their Boards!

The usual reply I get is that it is an identity. However, an identity has a rigorous proof which the students are not really expected to know at the Class 3 or even Class 10 level; but, they cannot give a logical reason for it either. Perhaps, this is due to our education system which, in most cases, caters to the masses by teaching Math through rote memorization of facts and procedures.

Next, if the concepts are clear, speed can be enhanced further by doing as much of the quantitative work orally. Many students are forced to write down all the steps in their school and Board exams; else, marks are deducted. This, again, is a requirement of our education system; many teachers are, in fact, aware that this erodes the students’ ability to do oral calculations/manipulations. However, the teachers cannot do much about such rules since they are enforced by the Boards. But, the repercussions of such an enforcement are that the student’s speed is compromised in the JEE.

Also, due to the MCQ format in the JEE, a student need not get the exact answer and can get away with calculations that lead him to an approx answer that enables him to select the right option. Again, our schooling system discourages such methods; consequently, the students never really develop a number sense which is the ability to think and reason flexibly with numbers, use numbers to solve problems, spot unreasonable answers, understand how numbers can be taken apart and put together in different ways, see connections among operations, figure mentally, and make reasonable estimates.

In short, as mentioned above, such a foundation laid during schooling results in subdued scores when the students have to face entrance exams such as the JEE and BITSAT.

As is obvious, JEE prep involves a change or, at least, a modification in a student’s learning and solving methods. Else, a student is unlikely to score well in the frequent tests held by his coaching class. This is because the teachers disseminate the subject matter but the student has to imbibe the material and solve the questions at home through self study.

However, most students are unable to do so because they use the same methods they have used for their school and Board exams, as explained in Board vs JEE Preps. The resulting lack of imbibation shows up in the frequent tests held by the coaching classes. And, worse, many students don’t know what they should do in order to improve their performance.

This is where a mentor would come in handy since he/she would nudge the student to change/modify his learning methods after analyzing his strengths and weaknesses. Please see Is a Mentor necessary in JEE prep?

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!

Is JEE based on luck?

Students praying for luck

A lot of students who, their teachers believe, should crack the JEE don’t while others do. So, this causes people to wonder about the role luck plays in the JEE.

I feel that teachers/coaching classes have tried their best to figure out the path to success in the JEE and failed, unlike the Boards. In the Boards, everything is declared beforehand, i.e., the weightage of the chapters, total marks, format of the questions and even the required depth of knowledge; this allows the students to prepare accordingly for the Boards.

In the case of the JEE Main, only the total marks and the format of the questions are declared beforehand while in the case of the JEE Advanced the students come to know even the total marks and the format of the questions only when they open their exam booklets. That makes it more difficult to prepare for the JEE; hence, the suggestion of the role luck plays in the JEE. Please see Board vs JEE Preps

Accordingly, a lot of the students who succeed in the JEE swear by the coaching class they attended and/or the books/material they used. However, if that were the key to success, everybody in the IITs should have had the same coaching and/or material. That’s not true; if you ask the IITians themselves, they give very diverse replies. Even their methods of prep turn out to be different. So, there is no one set pattern or format to succeed in the JEE, as mentioned above. In contrast, in the Boards, you just have to study material in the text book repeatedly and you will do well.

However, there are factors that contribute towards a student’s success in the JEE. Remember, these factors contribute, not guarantee, one’s success in the JEE. For more information and an in-depth analysis of the various factors that contribute towards your success in JEE, please go through a few of my posts:

1. What kind of coaching class is best for JEE?
2. Is a Mentor necessary in JEE prep?
3. How can I develop my thinking to solve Math and Physics questions in JEE?

Here, I would like to add that many coaching classes offer not only past JEE questions in their booklets but also add twists to these questions in a rigorous effort to prepare their students for the JEE. This approach could work to some extent in the Main because, sometimes, the questions there are modifications of the previously asked relatively easier JEE Advanced questions. However, the JEE Main has also resorted to springing rude surprises, as was evident in 2016.

Also, since the IITs come up with entirely new situations/problems to out manoeuvre such rigorous training methods, I’m not too sure whether this would work because such preps could reduce to a Board type prep and, in fact, reduce a student’s logical reasoning abilities, as mentioned in Board vs JEE Preps.

If you found this post helpful, please don’t forget to like/share it. Also, if you have a specific query, we are available for a consultation. You can contact us in two ways:

1. You can email us through Contact OR
2. You can Inbox your query on our fb page, Mentoring JEE Aspirants.

All the best!