My Coaching Experience: Preparing for JEE from a Small Town

Hello everyone, my name is Shikhar Dixit. I come from Etawah, a small city, and like thousands of students in India, I once dreamt of cracking JEE Mains and Advanced. My journey had ups and downs, and though I couldn’t achieve what I initially aimed for, I believe my story can help many aspiring students.


In my school days, I was a studious kid. I scored 97% in my Class 10th boards, and naturally, I was motivated to take on the challenge of JEE. With high hopes, I joined online coaching at Unacademy in Class 11. Many of my teachers were previously HODs at Allen, and to be honest, I had never seen such dedicated and brilliant teachers before in my life.

Since it was online, the atmosphere was very different from what you find in offline institutes. The teachers were supportive, classes were structured, and in the beginning, everything seemed great. In fact, I even came first in weekly tests during the starting days.

But slowly, the lack of real competition and being in my own bubble distracted me. Unlike Kota or offline institutes, where you feel the pressure and motivation of peers, online classes didn’t give me that same push.

My daily routine looked something like this:

• Waking up early and starting live lectures at 9 AM.
• Classes continued till about 3 PM.
• I had taken a dummy school in Class 11th and 12th, so academics outside coaching didn’t bother me.

On paper, it looked like the perfect routine. But in reality, my practice was lacking. And if you’re preparing for JEE, let me tell you honestly: without practice, everything else is meaningless.

• Distractions: The comfort of being at home made me complacent.
• No competition: I couldn’t feel the same competitive spirit you get in offline classes.
• Inconsistency: Initially I was sincere, but gradually my momentum broke.
• Repeating mistakes: Even after taking a drop year, I joined the same online coaching, repeated the same habits, and got the same results. Ultimately, even after a second drop, I couldn’t succeed

Though my journey didn’t end the way I wanted, I have some clear takeaways that I wish someone had told me earlier:

1. Focus on What’s Taught

• Don’t run behind multiple “fancy” books like Cengage or Arihant.
• Your coaching modules are more than enough. Most students can’t even complete them fully

2. Practice Is Everything

• Attending lectures is just the first step.
• What really matters is solving homework and practicing problems regularly.

3. Revise, Revise, Revise

• Even if you solve a thousand problems once, they won’t stick.
• Regular revision is the only way to strengthen concepts.

4. Mocks Are the Key

• Take as many mock tests as you can.
• They reveal exactly where you are lagging, and give you the reality check you need

Looking back, I don’t blame my teachers or coaching. They were some of the best mentors I ever had. The fault was mine — I lacked discipline and practice. If you’re an aspiring JEE student reading this, remember:

Coaching is a support system, not a magic wand.

Your success depends on how sincerely you practice, revise, and test yourself.

I hope my story gives you some insights into the reality of JEE preparation. Success or failure, every journey teaches something valuable.