Simple tips for exam success

Examination and test results influence your life by opening or closing career options. To perform well in the test and be ready to show your knowledge, you must have a plan ahead. Choose great study strategies when you start a course. Do not wait till the very last minute.

Pace your studies throughout the year and you will be ready to sit in exams with confidence. Make notes as you revise to as it assists you to learn and memorize key points. Build a realistic & practical revision timetable to soothe exam nerves.

Here are 5 suggestions to help get you through this period:

Know thyself: What kind of learner are you? Do you study better in the early morning or at night? When it’s daylight or when it’s dark? Do you learn by hearing, by watching?

Understanding what works great for you is an essential part of reading. There is no point in setting your alarm for 6 AM if your mind can’t get going until mid-morning. Conversely, if you are regularly falling asleep by 10 PM it may not be a great approach to scheduling your study sessions for late at night.

You must know precisely how your brain and body function then act accordingly.

Exercise, eat well, and rest: There is a mountain of research to show the advantages of getting a great night’s sleep, eating healthy and receiving regular exercise.

Rest improves focus your concentration and strengthens memories. Exercise provides you with more stamina and eating well helps you concentrate and focus on the task at hand.

Stop burning the candle at both ends, regularly get a full nights sleep, throw away the junk food and get on your bike. You’ll thank yourself no matter your exam outcomes.

Reduce distraction: A well organized, peaceful space with access to the internet is greater than the center of a packed food court.

You may be motivated to read with a partner however you should only do this if you are both ready to focus on the task at hand. If your partner is a distraction the advantage from having them with you may be negated by the time you lose.

Research further recommends that listening to music can either assist or hinder results depending on the person, so act accordingly.  

Focus on your weakest subjects: The more time you contribute on a subject the better you will get at it, so it’s essential that you give the most time on what you’re not great at.

This doesn’t imply you should ignore what you are good at, it just indicates that you need to give those subjects a little bit less time than the ones that require work.

You will develop your weaker subjects whilst still guaranteeing you do well on stronger ones.

Stay Positive: This may sound like “new-age” joke but the proof is in. Not only is a positive outlook linked with long-term health benefits, but it is also further well correlated with lifetime success.

This suggests staying positive will assist you with your results and even make you more prone to find the best job, not to mention live a long and happy life.