How to Prepare for Competition

[nsguy1350]

I tend to have low NS scores in competition, with pretty much everything else being fine, so is there any advice or routines you guys would like to share so I don't disappoint myself once again? Thanks!

[DentonKnight]

If you have lower number sense scores in competition than in practice, that means that you are not practicing with hard enough tests. I practice mostly with District/Region/State Tests from harder years. Then your scores in practice will be lower in practice and closer to competition scores.

[nsguy1350]

Thanks, I didn't think of that. I want to practice TMSCA tests, but they are very easy. Numsen tests don't offer much resistance either. I need to tell my coach to print off some past DRS tests, but the thing is that there are a very limited amount of those tests, I've already seen many, and when I need to get ready for Region and State, I won't improve off of them, since I've already seen all the material on them. Also, only a few get out every year, so the older ones might be obsolete as well. I need to figure out a way to take hard tests that are similar to DRS, and have many to go around. That'd be great, but I don't know how I could accomplish that.

[SumitG]

I didn't practice much...but when I did, I worked twice as many problems in the same time constraint.

[nsguy1350]

so... 160 problems in 10 minutes? That takes it to a new level of impossible!

[SumitG]

It's definitely doable. In fact, at regionals my sophomore year, I finished in 5 1/2 minutes. The girl next to me looked flabbergasted. It was hilarious.

[michel470]

Anyone practice with music?

[nsguy1350]

I try to practice in silence, but my dad often comes in and interrupts, so I have to tell him I'm busy during the tests. Happens a lot during Math and Calculator tests, since they are longer.

[chrishuff]

[SumitG]

Oh right, I also used to practice with like 290 bpm techno blasting...

[DentonKnight]

I've practiced to musical theatre music occasionally (fast music helps my scores some). I can also carry on conversations while NSing without huge effects on my scores (done this at school a few times).

[michel470]

[BlasianAsian]

I have higher scores in practice than in real time. This can probably be attributed to my lack of sleep on weekends. Unwilling to give up my friday, I sleep till 1 or 2 AM, then wake up at 5:30 AM. Woot. And then I fail.