Starting by not writing. Input techniques for mastering Imperial University secondary exams
April 9, 2026
A night strategy to reduce mental cost and build a foundation for thinking about difficult problems
On weekday nights, I have introduced five elite study materials as the main battlefield for secondary exam preparation. I chose the 'World's Easiest to Understand' series for Mathematics, English, Chemistry, and Japanese, which verbalize the thought processes unique to the most difficult levels, as well as the 'Biology Thinking Ability Problem Intensive Course' to touch upon the depths of experimental analysis.
The World's Easiest to Understand: Kyoto University Science Mathematics Success Course
The World's Easiest to Understand: Kyoto University English Success Course
The World's Easiest to Understand: Kyoto University Chemistry Success Course
The World's Easiest to Understand: Kyoto University Japanese Success Course
Biology: Biology Basics/Biology Thinking Ability Problem Intensive Course
In aiming for the high peak of passing an Imperial University, the tactic we first chose is a style that seems unlike exam preparation at first glance: reading through lightly without writing anything at all.
Grasping the rhythm of logic as reading material
Imperial University entrance exam questions are not just puzzles of knowledge. What intention does the questioner have in setting the question, and what kind of beauty of logic are they seeking? Grasping that rhythm is prioritized above all else.
Instead of grabbing a pen and struggling immediately, accumulating frustration at not being able to solve them, I first enjoy the explanations as reading material while getting an overview of the whole. The goal is to familiarize the brain with the high-level logical rails required by top-tier universities as if they were scenery.
Strategic low-load considering fatigue
Night study time is also when the brain feels most tired after finishing a day of learning. I believe that tackling heavy descriptive problems head-on here is high-risk from the perspective of continuity.
Therefore, I first discard the high load of writing and focus on being convinced by the logic of the explanations through reading. By doing so, I carefully remove the psychological barriers to the university's unique way of questioning, and I am careful not to impose excessive loads until the pieces of the solution are gathered in my brain. By creating this state, I intend to turn night study not into mere penance, but into a place of intellectual discovery.
Transitioning from understanding to solving
Of course, ultimately, the ability to weave answers with one's own hands is necessary. However, it is not too late to do that after the map of thought is completed in the brain.
At the stage where I am accustomed to the content and the thinking habits of the Imperial University level feel natural, I will face a blank sheet of paper and move to the phase of writing and solving. If it is a path I have already traveled through reading, there should be less hesitation when writing, and I should be able to focus more purely on polishing my expressive power and the rigor of my logic.
More haste, less speed. Facing the wall of the most difficult level, I first capture its outline lightly. I believe that this depth of input will become an unshakable foundation for exerting explosive power in later output.