Preparing for exams can be stressful and time-consuming, yet it does not have to be. By taking these simple steps ahead of time you can build confidence and resilience to tackle any problems in your revision journey and maximise your chances of success.
1) Preparation is the key to success
Preparation means not only understanding the requisite content to pass an exam, but also being able to apply it in contexts that may not be immediately obvious – and that means your revision should also include covering your syllabus specification along with getting an idea of how your exam board marks papers. Print off a specification for your specific subject and check what concepts you understand and have covered through teaching. Then it’s time to divide and conquer, divide up the time you have and make sure you put in time for breaks. If you feel you can’t cover 100% of the content and can only do, say, 80%, then make sure you understand that 80% completely.
2) Appreciate how long it will take you to study
This is a harder truth to grasp, however, reflect on when you have succeeded on previous tests and why you did. Consider how vast the test content was, what you were covering previously, and how well you did compared against how well you wanted to do. Ideally, you want to have enough time to understand the material, practise applying it in the context of the exam, and then review it. Remember, don’t forget to pad out your revision timetables with a few extra days (or weeks!) as a safe buffer in case certain content takes longer to study than you thought. Add keyframes of understanding/progress so you can check if you’re on track with where you’d like to be.
3) Start to revise
Reading through the entire content that will be on the exam will help you to be aware of the information you need. If there are holes in your notes then either ask a friend and confer, ask the teacher specific questions, or go to the library/conduct your own research on the internet for material that is relevant.
4) Make good notes
We’ll do a separate post on this, but it still bears mentioning. The goal is to summarise and explain content to yourself that makes it easier for you to understand.
5) Review information
This is of course dependent on the subject and how you approach learning. What is the content you need to know and how does it relate to an exam? If you have an essay-based subject such as English / Philosophy etc., then being aware of quotes, themes, and ideas that you can use properly is key. Unfortunately this does mean some rote memorisation compared to ‘problem solving’ subjects such as maths and the sciences, but critical thinking skills are invaluable to learn in these less STEM-oriented subjects. Conversely, for maths, appreciating general methods of approaching questions, understanding the question, and what pieces of information you need are essential.
Additionally, when you’re reviewing notes it’s important to take notes whilst you study. Being mindful and appreciating what you could retain and noticing what was more difficult is always helpful, as is highlighting key points that remind you of concepts. Explaining those points in your own words and focusing on the difficult concepts is the most important thing of all, because everyone learns differently.
6) Exam practice
One of the most vital parts of the exam is reviewing past papers and materials. Learning the content isn’t enough, examiners like to be tricky and not just test that you know the content, but also that you can apply it.
If helpful materials like past papers aren’t available online or on your school’s website, try to ask older students in the years above if you can talk to them about the content and common problems they had to face.
Appreciating how the exam is scored and marked is important and if there are any issues you face with this, try to talk to your teacher about them.
The format itself of the exam will help with your preparation. If the exam is multiple choice, essay based, or even split into sections, understanding this structure will help you to focus on specific areas and develop a strategy on how to best tackle a paper.
Revision classes and sessions are also important and often undervalued resources, especially as teachers may give hints and tips on the exams. Remember, they want you to succeed!
7) Study groups
One of the underrated bits of revision that actually makes it enjoyable is studying with a friend or groups of friends. This does not have to be a formal group, but just a gathering so you can review each other’s notes and quiz each other about how well understanding you all understand the content. Plus, it always helps to have people encourage you.
Having to explain a concept verbally is also a way of testing your understanding and having other students to study with who may have different strengths and weaknesses to you will make studying specific concepts easier.
Of course, do be careful that the group doesn’t become a distraction or work against you in the lead up to exam season. Be mindful of your own revision journey, but also be mindful of how you can help each other all succeed.
8) And finally, preparing for the exam itself
Making flash cards is a quick way to turn information you’ve absorbed into bite-size chunks. You can write a question on one side and the correct answer on the other as a little quiz. They’re also portable so you can use them when travelling.
You can also do summary cards – notes which make the content more digestible to help revision or test your understanding
Practice questions and mocks – doing the questions you were assigned in books, reviewing questions that you had made mistakes on then doing extension questions which challenge your understanding further will put you in good stead.
When the exam day is around, having a good rest and sleep is critical. If you’ve followed the steps above, then doing last minute work is unlikely to help improve your scores any further and may make you more stressed which can lead to worse performance. Put an appropriate alarm and a backup alarm, and also give yourself appropriate time to travel. Ensure that you eat correctly and healthily, with the necessary equipment you need already packed the precious evening if possible.
If you would like to discuss exam preparations further with useful techniques and skills, feel free to book revision classes and have a look at the topics we offer. All the best, and good luck!
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