Common Mistakes Students Make in the Selective Entry Exam (And How to Avoid Them)
Even well-prepared students can stumble on exam day. Here are the most common pitfalls and proven strategies to overcome them.
The Truth About Exam Performance
Most students who underperform in the selective entry exam don't fail because they lack knowledge — they fail because of preventable errors in strategy, time management, and exam technique. The good news? These mistakes are entirely avoidable with awareness and practice.
Mistake #1: Poor Time Management
The #1 reason students leave questions unanswered
The selective entry exam is intentionally time-pressured. Most students won't finish every question perfectly — and that's by design. The exam tests not just what you know, but how you perform under pressure.
What Goes Wrong
- • Spending 5+ minutes on a single difficult question
- • Not tracking time during each section
- • Rushing the last 10 questions and making careless errors
- • Leaving easy questions at the end unanswered because time ran out
How to Avoid It
- Know your pace: With 20 questions per section in ~30 minutes, you have roughly 90 seconds per question on average
- Use the "90-second rule": If you can't make progress on a question within 90 seconds, mark it and move on
- Check time at intervals: Glance at the clock after every 5 questions
- Leave 5 minutes: Reserve the final 5 minutes to return to skipped questions
- Answer everything: Never leave a multiple choice blank — guess if you must
Pro tip: During practice tests, simulate real exam conditions. Use a timer, don't pause, and practice the discipline of moving on from tough questions.
Mistake #2: Misreading Questions Under Pressure
Answering a different question than what was asked
Under exam pressure, students often skim questions and miss crucial details. They answer confidently — but answer the wrong question.
Common Misreads
Question asks: "Which is NOT a factor..."
Student reads: "Which IS a factor..."
Question asks: "Find the perimeter..."
Student calculates: The area
Question asks: "According to the author..."
Student answers: With their own opinion
How to Avoid It
- Read twice: Read the question once for understanding, then again to catch key words
- Circle key words: Mentally (or physically if allowed) highlight: NOT, EXCEPT, LEAST, MOST, ALWAYS, NEVER
- Check what's being asked: Before calculating, confirm: Am I finding the right thing?
- Verify your answer matches the question: Does my answer actually address what was asked?
Mistake #3: Getting Stuck on Hard Questions
The sunk cost fallacy in action
"I've already spent 3 minutes on this — I can't give up now!" This thinking costs students more points than almost any other mistake. Hard questions are worth the same as easy ones.
The Psychology Behind It
Students feel emotionally invested in questions they've spent time on. They think: "If I skip it now, that time was wasted." But here's the truth: the time is already spent regardless. The only question is whether you'll waste MORE time on a question you might still get wrong.
How to Avoid It
- Set a hard limit: After 90-120 seconds with no progress, STOP
- Make your best guess: Eliminate what you can, pick an answer, mark the question
- Move on guilt-free: Tell yourself "I'll come back with fresh eyes"
- Remember the maths: 3 easy questions answered > 1 hard question maybe answered
Strategic insight: Often, returning to a hard question later with fresh perspective leads to a breakthrough. Your brain continues processing in the background.
Mistake #4: Careless Calculation Errors
Knowing the method but getting the wrong answer
Nothing is more frustrating than understanding exactly how to solve a problem, setting up the equation correctly, then making a simple arithmetic error that costs you the mark.
Common Calculation Errors
- • Sign errors: losing a negative sign mid-calculation
- • Transcription errors: copying "56" as "65" from one line to the next
- • Order of operations: forgetting brackets or doing addition before multiplication
- • Decimal point errors: 0.25 × 4 = 10 instead of 1.0
- • Unit confusion: mixing cm and m, or forgetting to convert
How to Avoid It
- Write clearly: Messy working leads to misread numbers
- Check reasonableness: Does your answer make sense? If a question asks for someone's age and you get 247, something went wrong
- Use estimation: Before calculating exactly, estimate the ballpark answer
- Double-check high-stakes steps: Verify your setup before grinding through arithmetic
- Watch for trap answers: Common errors are often included as wrong options
Mistake #5: Not Using Elimination Strategies
Trying to find the right answer instead of eliminating wrong ones
Many students try to calculate or reason their way directly to the correct answer. But on difficult questions, it's often easier to eliminate impossible or unlikely options first.
Elimination Strategies
- Look for obviously wrong answers: In maths, if you're calculating a percentage and one option is 350%, it's probably wrong
- Check for extreme options: "Always" and "never" statements in reading comprehension are often wrong
- Use logical constraints: If the question mentions a positive result, eliminate negative options
- Spot distractor patterns: Two similar options often mean one is the trap and one is correct
- Work backwards: Plug answer options into the problem to see which works
Example: Working Backwards
Question: If 3x + 7 = 22, what is x?
Options: A) 3 B) 5 C) 7 D) 15
Instead of solving algebraically, test: 3(5) + 7 = 15 + 7 = 22 ✓ — Answer is B. This can be faster and less error-prone than solving.
Mistake #6: Overthinking (or Underthinking)
Finding complexity that isn't there — or missing complexity that is
Overthinking
"This seems too easy... there must be a trick I'm missing."
Some students see a straightforward question and convince themselves there's hidden complexity. They second-guess their correct answer and change it to something wrong.
Underthinking
"I know this one!" *selects first answer that looks right*
Conversely, rushing through without fully engaging leads to missing important details or selecting trap answers designed for quick, shallow readers.
Finding the Balance
- Trust your preparation: If an answer seems obvious after proper reading, it might just be... obvious
- Don't change answers without reason: Your first instinct is usually right unless you find concrete evidence otherwise
- Read all options: Even if A looks correct, verify B, C, D aren't better
- Ask: "Did I consider everything the question asked?"
Mistake #7: Reading Comprehension Traps
Falling for answers that sound right but aren't supported
Reading comprehension questions are designed to test whether you can distinguish between what the text actually says versus what seems plausible or what you personally believe.
Trap #1: The "Sounds True" Answer
An option that is generally true or makes logical sense — but isn't what the passage says. Always ask: "Can I point to evidence in the text?"
Trap #2: The "Too Extreme" Answer
Words like "always," "never," "completely," or "only" often signal wrong answers. Real texts rarely make such absolute claims.
Trap #3: The "Partial Match" Answer
An option that correctly states something from the passage — but doesn't actually answer the question being asked.
Trap #4: The "Personal Opinion" Answer
What YOU think is reasonable vs what the AUTHOR argues. These are often different. Base answers on the text, not personal views.
How to Avoid These Traps
- Find the evidence: For each answer you consider, locate the supporting line in the passage
- Watch for qualifier words: "Most," "often," "suggests," "may" are safer than absolutes
- Answer the actual question: Re-read the question after selecting your answer
- Distinguish author's view from your view: What does the TEXT say?
Mistake #8: Poor Physical & Mental Preparation
Showing up tired, hungry, or anxious
Your brain needs proper fuel and rest to perform at its best. Cramming the night before or skipping breakfast can undo months of preparation.
Common Pre-Exam Mistakes
- • Studying until midnight the night before
- • Skipping breakfast or eating sugary foods that cause energy crashes
- • Arriving rushed and flustered
- • Letting anxiety spiral during the exam
- • Not bringing required materials (ID, pencils, water)
How to Prepare Properly
- Sleep: Get 8+ hours for at least 3 nights before the exam
- Eat: Have a balanced breakfast with protein and complex carbs (eggs, oatmeal, fruit)
- Arrive early: Be at the venue 30+ minutes before to settle nerves
- Pack the night before: ID, pencils, eraser, water bottle, watch (if allowed)
- Have a calming routine: Deep breaths, positive self-talk, or a lucky item if it helps
Exam Day Checklist
The Night Before
- Pack your bag with all required items
- Check the exam location and plan your route
- Set TWO alarms
- Do light review only — no new material
- Go to bed early
Exam Morning
- Eat a good breakfast
- Arrive 30 minutes early
- Visit the bathroom before the exam
- Take deep breaths to calm nerves
- Remind yourself: "I am prepared"
During the Exam
- Read every question twice before answering
- Watch the clock — check time every 5 questions
- Skip hard questions after 90 seconds — come back later
- Answer EVERY question (never leave blanks)
- If stuck, eliminate wrong options and make your best guess
- Stay calm — one hard question doesn't define your result
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to avoid these mistakes? Practice under realistic conditions. SelectiveHQ's weekly tests simulate real exam timing and pressure — so you can make mistakes in practice, not on the real day.