A pep talk before English part 2

Yes, this is something to motivate you.

Clearing an examination needs hard work, intelligence, perseverance and a systematic approach.
There is one more quality, or rather virtue, to help you sail through.
Positivity. Optimism. Faith.

Be positive, it makes you happy. And why should you be tensed? The CLAT is not in our hands. The paper setters decide it. If you are positive, Lady Luck will definitely wave and smile at you. Or atleast you will feel so. In case you are very good at cracking a few tough questions, and not many easy questions, and the paper is a very very lengthy one?
You need luck. That being said, honing of skills is required. Think of yourself as an uncut diamond. Polish from all sides.

You might think, does a good college matter? Yes, it does. In case you do not make it, for whatever reasons, you can carve a niche for yourself, by studying well in the college. If you do not study, and then say a good college does not matter, that is wrong.
If you are tensed, find out what is making you stressed. Peer pressure? Forget what your friends will say. Parental pressure? Study hard and show them:) Self pressure? It is good. Channel the pressure in the right direction.

The Bhagavad Gita says, 'Work hard, but do not bother about the result'. Nishkaam Karmayog.
Become spiritual. The tension will ease:)

Meanwhile, wait for 'English Part 2'.

CLAT-English (Part 1)

CLAT is a dynamic exam, the pattern of questions change from year to year. CLAT 2011 had only comprehension passages, CLAT 2010 had passages and vocab and much more.
You do not know what to expect from CLAT.
So, if you wish to, buy these books for preparation(apart from your coaching class material). I did so, after thinking a lot and preparing my gameplan.

• A grammar guide (If you find Wren and Martin outdated, buy another one)



• GMAT(Pearson Vue) and LSAT books(Kaplan). The advantage of these books? They will help you in critical reasoning also.



• English test papers of CET and CAT (these are found in the book of test papers for CAT and CET, but they will also have their subject papers. Try getting only the English papers photocopied)



• Any book on English comprehension passages

Apart from the books and the coaching class material, what should you do(in terms of material)?

• Get your doubts cleared on this blog or on the internet or ask your teacher. (eg. difference between among and amongst)



• Search for English papers online - http://www.indiastudychannel.com/ helps.



• Get a soft copy of the vocab book for GRE, from the internet.



• Play a spelling quiz or a vocab quiz. It is good fun, plus it is educational.

Now, if you have got your material ready, get some markers and underline difficult vocab words.

In the next post, I'll deal with the oft-asked questions- How to go about it? How to study for English? For how many hours a day?

I remember I had these doubts, and I figured them out myself. It does give you tension and stress.

Tell your friends about this blog. Help in reducing stress. The colour green is a soothing colour. Which is why I've used green colour in asking you to reduce your friends' stress.

DISCLAIMER:

I do not gain anything from this blog. So there is no marketing. I also do not want people to visit the blog just for timepass. The only reason why I want you to get your friends is because I want people to be stress-free. So even if one person reads this, and his/her stress is reduced, it is good.

RSS feed

You may subscribe to the RSS feed. One tip to lessen anxiety- think of a beach. The ocean. And smile. :) More tips, and much more info, in the next post.

CLAT- an introduction

What is the purpose of this blog?
I am Sarayu Satish, and I have secured admission in NLSIU, Bangalore. I had chanced upon a lot of study material on the internet, and I want the same for any law aspirant. I hope this helps you. You can ask questions on how does one script one's success story in CLAT, read the material here, and moreover, realize that someone has 'been there done that'. Any queries on how I approached this examination, what all does a candidate require(in terms of material), how to reduce anxiety, how to be positive, how to manage CLAT and board examinations...feel free to ask! If this helps in reducing your anxiety pangs, solving your doubts...it is good for you, right?:)
The introduction given by me for CLAT is for those who have just stumbled upon this blog, or those who want to pursue law but do not know how to go about it.
What is CLAT?
It is the Common Law Admission Test. It is for law aspirants who wish to study in the 11 national law schools of India, namely
NLSIU- Bangalore
NALSAR- Hyderabad
NLIU- Bhopal
WBNUJS- Kolkata
NLU-Jodhpur
HNLU-Raipur
GNLU-Gandhinagar
RMLNLU- Lucknow
RGNLU-Patiala
CNLU-Patna
NUALS-Kochi

This is not the ranking of these institutions, it is arranged in this order based on the year of establishment.
What are the subject areas in CLAT?


English
40 Marks
General Knowledge/ Current Affairs
50 Marks
Mathematics
20 Marks
Logical Reasoning
45 Marks
Legal Aptitude/Legal Awareness
Are you sure of your career choice?

You can visit these websites, to know what law is all about, and whether you are cut out fot it. If your parents are against your career decision, convince them by doing well in your mock tests. Tell them why you want to pursue law. If the profession of law is being forced down your neck, do speak up.

www.legallyindia.com

www.barandbench.com

Go to Wikipedia, and get to know what law is about.

What factors should influence your decision?

Coming to the tricky part. You might be sure you want to do law or do not want to do law. There are certain factors, which will influence your mind. Do any of these factors strongly figure in the reasons for your decision? If yes, do reconsider. These reasons can influence your decision, but they should not influence it strongly or in a wrong manner.

• Hatred for staying in a hostel


• Fear of being away from parents


• Lucrative paypackets


• A 24 by 7 fun job


• Expensive fees


• 'Cool' profession


• Quick bucks


• Less to study


• Love for staying away from home, so CLAT is a wise choice

All these factors influence you, albeit negatively. If the amount of fees is too high for you, there are bank loans and scholarships. If lucrative paypackets influence you, it is okay, but it should not be the only factor. Your career is important, so do not bring in hostels to mind while taking your decision.

Remember, this decision will be an important one. Talk to a senior, or post your query(on CLAT, not about the intricacies of the legal field), or talk to a lawyer you know.

Do not make your decision emotionally.

Are coaching classes required? Will information on the internet suffice?

The answer is yes, classes are required, and no, the information on the internet will not suffice. Some people may have got in without the help of coaching classes, but in CLAT, where 22000 people take it, do not play with your chances. The open seats in law schools are less. It is important to have a structured approach, mock tests and class tests. That is my personal opinion.

More on how to prepare, in the next post. In the meanwhile, take a proper decision, and if you decide to do law, head to this blog again and look out for new posts.

45 Marks