As well as all your normal study habits and preparations, you will need to do the following:

Before the exam

  • Ask your teacher what worked best for them in this subject; they must’ve found out the secret of how to study this subject because they are very successful in it.
  • Revise regularly. This will be much more effective than leaving it to the last minute and trying to stuff your head full of facts, and worrying that you’ve got so much to do.
  • Sandwich revising your most challenging subjects between those you enjoy.
  • Test yourself regularly: look at your subject and invent questions from the material, and then answer them!
  • Ask your teacher for past exam papers, so you can rehearse and practise answering them.
  • Mental rehearsal – when you get discouraged or tired, just spend a few moments imagining yourself finishing your revision and completing your exam easily and effortlessly.

The night before the exam

  • The night before the exam spend some time in this mental rehearsal. Walk yourself through the day ahead in great detail, including seeing yourself reading through the exam papers and being pleased the questions are on topics you’ve revised well. See yourself answering the questions easily and congratulating yourself on how well you’ve studied.
  • The night before make sure you’ve packed in your school bag all the stationery you’ll need for the exam including:
    • two or more pens
    • pencil
    • pencil sharpener
    • eraser
    • ruler
    • calculator
    • highlighter
    • coloured pencils (if required e.g. Geography)

During the exam

  • Answer the easy question first. This helps to build your confidence. The next question should be the hardest while you’re still fresh.
  • Recall information from your notes by remembering the colours and by remembering sitting studying. Answer the questions as if you are sitting in your study space.
  • Keep breathing! Remember to sit up straight. This will help get oxygen to your brain which will help it to work well for you.
  • Check you’ve answered all the questions you have to.
  • Remember that you have put in all the hard work studying and preparing so just relax as much as you can and DO YOUR BEST. That’s all you, or anyone else, can ask.