ive been doing UIL/TMSCA competitions since 5th grade (im a junior now), and nowadays i mainly compete in calculator, math, and science. im half-decent in number sense, but i come no where close to the other people on my team, or our competition. do any of you have some advice for improving my score? i know thats pretty vague, but i dont want to really ask my team members, more like come up and surprise them.. *haha fat chance...*
-megan
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i was going to conquer the world... but i got distracted by something sparkly!
The summer time is the perfect time to hone your skills. 99.99% of the people won't do anything in the summer. If you take 3-4 months, you can really help yourself. I did this in the summer of my junior year and lo and behold, the very first test I took in competitions, I blew every one away, and never got anything but first in every competition since. So use it and take advantage of the summer!
To be honest...I don't know. I don't know if you can afford it or not, but I used Leo Ramirez's tests. I know some have said some bad things about his tests, but they are good. It is good to change it up though. If you practice on only one type of test written by the same person, you will get into a bad habit, because writers tend to have their own flow. So switch it up whatever you use.
So these tests youre talking about... you have to order them? hmm... I think I'll probably raid my coach's filing cabinets and get a very large handful of tests...
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i was going to conquer the world... but i got distracted by something sparkly!
I've never known anyone to be good at NS w/o taking masses and masses of tests. From right before District to State, I probably took 4-5 tests a day as a freshman (mainly in class). You know you're taking enough if you are creating your own problems in your head involunterily. I didn't see much improvement right away (Dist: 120ish, Region:160, State:143), but I didn't touch a test all summer and I made a 294 on the 2nd invitational this year. In my experience, it doesn't require constant practice, but you really have to at one point be really into it and once you get to the point that your finishing tests and making 300s, you won't lose it. Now as for not screwing up at the meets, that is a mystery I have yet to uncover.
i hope i can get to the point of consistantly reaching at least the 2nd column of the back page... right now (dont laugh) im lucky to even get past the first page.. i think too slow to compete well, but i hope that changes soon lol
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i was going to conquer the world... but i got distracted by something sparkly!
