Sandra Ruffiangel: "Motivation is essential for opponents"

Preparing for oppositions is much more than memorizing notes, manuals and textbooks: it involves adapting our mind to a long-term project that will be able to test psychological capacities beyond the memory. That's why, in many ways, it's important to have help and not just be "solo" opponents. Not taking advantage of this type of support would mean missing an opportunity to study in a much more efficient way and with less risk of making us throw in the towel.

This phenomenon explains why they have appeared opposition preparation academies. But... How do they work and what do they provide? In this interview with Sandra Ruffiangel, from Aranda Formación, we talk about it.

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Interview with Sandra Ruffiangel: what does preparing an opposition in a specialized school contribute?

Sandra Ruffiangel is Head of the Aranda Formación School of Oppositions, a center specialized in the preparation of these entrance exams to which thousands of people dedicate most of their time and efforts each year. In this interview, he explains to us what this mental training process that many opponents go through consists of.

What are the main benefits of preparing an opposition in a specialized academy compared to studying self-taught?

Study an opposition in a specialized academy such as Aranda Formación has enormous advantages. The main one is that our students have an updated agenda, where we incorporate all the modifications that are produced in their respective agendas and with a virtual campus that works 365 days. A fundamental tool for the student since in it you will find the agenda, tests, mock exams, recorded classes...

In addition, from Aranda Formación we notify students of all the calls that are published, as well as presentation deadlines, requirements, agendas...

What advantages does an opposition preparation school offer in terms of time management and structuring of study sessions?

It is very important to manage time when we study an opposition. We must take into account, first of all, our personal situation since it is not the same to work and study at the same time, than to have 100% availability to dedicate ourselves to our opposition.

For this reason, from Aranda we have mixed classes (face-to-face and virtual) which students can watch as many times as they want during seven days. In this way, the student who has a more restricted availability is allowed to make his own schedule so as not to lose the rhythm of study.

In addition, our teachers help students by guiding and advising them to guide the study at all times.

How do you achieve a balance between supporting opponents and promoting individual autonomy when studying?

At Aranda Formación we have a class schedule (both face-to-face and virtual) that helps opponents to establish their own study routine. It is the students, knowing about her personal situation, who by virtue of these schedules can develop their own habits and pick up the pace of study. However, they always have the support and guidance of the academy.

What are the study techniques that you most recommend at Aranda Formación?

Without a doubt, the most important thing is to study every day. It is useless to study 8 hours one day and the next day nothing. As little time as you have available, you have to try to read, review or watch classes. For this reason it is essential to take a study routine and in this routine reviews are essential to strengthen the concepts.

What type of additional support is offered in a school for competitive examinations, such as personalized tutoring, mock exams or individual monitoring?

The students who enroll in Aranda Formación know that they have the support and support of the teaching staff. And in that support is the possibility of having individual tutorials with the teachers and expressing their doubts or concerns.

However, when a student enrolls in Aranda Formación, they receive a personalized tutorial in which the how the campus works, how to access virtual classes and recorded classes, how to take tests and when is the right time to make them….

What is the main added value of having specialized teachers with experience in the field of study, compared to studying on your own or collaborating with others students?

By having specialized teachers and many of them working in administration, students feel more motivated when working to achieve their goal. In addition, they guide them and help them with all the doubts that arise about what it is like to work in the public service, what positions to choose, how to enter the stock market, etc. In addition to explaining the agenda with practical examples from day to day in the public company.

To what extent are motivation and discipline encouraged in an academy for preparing for oppositions?

Motivation is essential for opponents since, as everyone knows, an opposition is a long-distance race. And it is essential not to lose sight of our objective, despite the ups and downs. And that is where the academy comes into play since all of us who work at Aranda Formación try to motivate, encourage and encourage our students. Without a doubt, discipline is achieved as we said before with routine and habit. Apart from this, in the different classes we prepare tests and mock exams so that our students are best prepared on the day of the exam.