Mock Test - What Exactly it is, Why it's Conducted, How it's Organised? Go through to Recognise Top Tips and Strategies to Leverage Mock Test!!

Abstract:

Mock tests basically are practice papers that are prepared purely based on the latest exam pattern and syllabus of the respective examination. These are a simulation of actual exams practising which aspirants can gauge their actual potential.

It prepares students to write themselves for various entrance examinations. 

Nowadays, giving entrance examinations is mandatory if a student wishes to obtain a job in a certain sector, like Railways, Defence, Government Jobs, or the Education sector. 

Depending upon the industry one wishes to secure a job in, entrance exams can be attempted after 10th / 12th / grade / after graduation or post-graduation. 

Before appearing for the actual entrance exam, there are test series for entrance exams that can be given. They can be given online or in person. These test series help one be prepared for the actual exam. These test series are also called as mock tests or mock exams. 

Keywords

Mock Test, Entrance, Examination, Strategies, Examples, Skills, Assessment 

Learning Outcomes 

After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following:

1. What's exactly a Mock Test?

2. Why Mock Test is so significant?

3. What's the characteristics of Mock Test?

4. What are the types of Mock Test?

5. How Mock Test is carried out?

6. What are the advantages of Mock Test?

7. What are the limitations of Mock Test?

8. How analysis of Mock Test is done?

9. Strategies for success of Mock Test.

10. Ideal time for conducting Mock Test and optimum practice duration.

11. Conclusions

12. FAQs

1. What's exactly a Mock Test?

MOCK Test Full Form is "Multiple Order Checklist Test." Mock Tests are exams that are prepared on guidelines same as real exams. These follow the same pattern, set of questions, difficulty level, and also time limits. And just because these mimic the real exam, these are called “Mock” tests! 

Mock test meaning is not just practicing for the exam, but it lets you feel how the exam paper is going to look like. It prepares you for the real show.

2. Why Mock Test is so significant?

Any exam preparation is incomplete without practicing the topics you are studying. For getting the best results, you need to test your preparation. Practicing mock tests provides a better perspective of what kind of questions will appear in the exam. They also help in improving the score in competitive exams.

3. What's the characteristics of Mock Test?

The characteristics of Mock Test are as follows 

• Reliability or Consistency. 
• Validity.
• Objectivity.
• Comprehensiveness.
• Absence of Ambiguity.
• Well structured Preparation.
• Ease in analysis
• Purposeful 
• Tactical
• Giving feelings like original examination.
• Skills enhancer

4. What are the types of Mock Test?

Types of Mock Tests are

• Full-Length Mock Tests. These practice tests replicate the entire exam experience. ...
• Section-Specific Mock Tests. These practice tests focus on specific sections or parts of the exam. ...
• Subject-Specific Mock Tests. Subject-specific mock tests focus on a particular academic subject.

Types of Mock Examinations

Paper-Based Mock Examinations: 

Paper-based mock examinations require students to write down answers on a sheet of paper within a specified time frame.

Online Mock Examinations: 

Due to the growing popularity of the Internet, online mock examinations have become common. Online mock examinations help students attempt exams from their laptop, PC, or other electronic devices.

5. How Mock Test is carried out / Conducted?

Mock test are practice tests that are designed to be similar to actual exams. They are used to help students prepare for exams by giving them the opportunity to practice answering questions under similar conditions to the actual exam.

So Mock Test are carried out in the actual situation of the original examination with keeping intact like

Set of questions

Time allotment 

Instructions 

Marks allotment

Examination patterns

Venue

Question type, etc

6. What are the advantages of Mock Test?

Advantages of Mock Tests are the following 

• Introduction with Examination Format and patterns 
• Knowledge Testing. 
  
• Teaches how efficient you are in Time Management.
• Identify Strengths and Weaknesses and enables carrying out SWOT analysis.
• Supports Stress Management.
• Boosts Confidence. 
• Gives Real-time Feedback without attempting the original examination 
• Teaches to redefine strategies how to make preparations 
• Supports Efficient Exam Preparation
• Simplify PDCA ( Plan Do Check Act ) and enables SDCA ( Standardise, Do, Check, Act )

7. What are the limitations of Mock Test?

The limitations of the Mock Test may be

• Stress and Anxiety: Examinations can cause stress and anxiety among students. 
• Limited Assessment: Examinations only assess a student's ability to perform in a particular test-taking environment.
• Cheating: Examinations can encourage cheating among students.

8. How analysis of Mock Test is done?

Analysing does not only mean 'aiming for a specific score', but a lot of other things 'Where you went wrong?', ‘Where did you spend more time than required?', 'On which questions you should have invested more time?', 'With which questions you should have started?' 

This gives you a broad idea of the areas on which you need to work more.

• Before going into detailed analysis, let’s see why do we need to analyse a mock test?
  • To assess your current level of preparation
  • To maximize your strengths & minimize your weaknesses
  • To design an appropriate strategy
  • To avoid repeating the same mistakes

So the right way is to project a score for each mock and each section of it and then start performing. 

After completing the test, evaluate your accuracy and try to increase your target to a higher number. 

If you follow this approach, then you will surely see your performance increasing.

9. Strategies for success of Mock Test.

Now, let's explore ten tips on how to make the most of mock tests and secure success:

• Start Early. 
• Keep Consistency is Key.
• Mimic Real Exam Conditions. 
• Analyze and Learn from the mistakes
• Set Goals on how to achieve 
• Learn Time Management through Practices. 
• Decide on how to adopt Question Prioritization.
• Improve Subject Knowledge identifying Most important, Important and Somehow important.
• Schedule your time table
• Note down your analysis on pen and paper.
• Pay attention to improve your weaker sections or subjects.

10. Ideal time for conducting Mock Test and optimum practice duration.

As students progress in their preparation, they should gradually start incorporating full-length mock tests into their study routine. The mid-preparation phase is the ideal time to attempt mock tests, as it allows students to gauge their overall performance and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

A practice of 10 to 12 mock tests per week will make their preparation thorough. In week 2, aspirants can practise mock tests for Chemistry. Students are advised to solve at least 5 mock tests per week to strengthen their Chemistry concepts. In the third week, students can practise Maths Mock tests.

The maximum duration of a Mock test can be 180 minutes (3 hours). There is no time limit for Practice Test.

11. Conclusions

Mock tests are an essential tool for preparing for exams, especially when it comes to managing time and allocating specific minutes per question for optimal performance. 

By simulating the actual exam conditions, mock tests allow you to practice time management strategies and improve your efficiency in answering questions.

It is time to start preparing for your entrance examinations. We hope that you discovered mock tests that can help you prepare for them. Best of luck!

12. FAQs