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The cognitive skill test forms one of the most critical parts of the National Aptitude Test in Architecture (NATA). Needless to say, it is a tough nut to crack. However, understanding and following some simple tips can help you ace this test too!

So, what are Cognitive Skills?

Put in simple terms, cognitive skills, also known as cognitive capacities, cognitive abilities and cognitive functions, are brain-based skills. These are the core skills your brain uses to think, process, learn, remember and concentrate. They play a pivotal role in processing incoming information and make use of these pieces of information in your everyday life. When trained and utilised wisely, this accounts for your everyday problem-solving skills.

The core cognitive skills begin with sustained attention. Without this sustained attention, learning and processing of information do not happen. Once you learn something the speed of processing this information, working memory and response to the situation becomes important. Working memory and pattern recognition helps you to make a practical and functional decision.

Can you enhance your cognitive skills?

The good news is, cognitive abilities are not fixed - they can be nurtured over time and with a lot of practice. There are four simple ways by which you can do it.

   1) Physical activity: All work and no play makes you a dull person, find time to work out. The hormones released during exercise can help improve memory says a study by the Boston University School of Medicine.

  2) Social connections: Go out and mingle. Feeling lonely or cooped up can trigger psychological and  cognitive decline.

  3) Reduce stress: If you are feeling stressed, you cannot think properly and your attention span reduces drastically.

  4) Give your brain some exercise: Find and work on activities that keep your brain active. Solve puzzles, play chess or read a book to keep your brain revved up.

 The same pattern works for cognitive skill tests too, including the NATA exams. Remember your main objective when it comes to an exam is to score high. And for that, you have to take as many practice tests and be prepared. When you get the test, read through it patiently and note how many answers you can answer correctly. Answer the ones you are sure of, before moving to the ones you need to think over. Time is of great essence. If there is a penalty for a wrong answer, do not attempt guesswork.

To sum it all up, here are the five tips that you have to keep in mind to ace the cognitive ability test for NATA

   1. Aim for Excellence, Not Perfection

   2. Know Your Strengths

   3. Keep an Eye on the Time

   4. To Skip or to Guess?

   5. Be Prepared!

At SDS NATA we have taken care to come up with a curriculum to enhance your cognitive skills. We train you to ace your NATA exams.

 

 

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