Exams are coming…
So, it’s now getting eerily close to that time you’ve been feverishly working towards for the last few years, to that time parents and teachers have been going on about for what seems like your whole life, to that time you can finally prove that you deserve the grades you want. We can put it off no longer – it’s exam season, and it’s time for 5 essential last-minute revision tips!
At this point, your revision timetable has been on the wall for months, you’ve been stuck in revising for weeks on end, and your days seem to be getting longer and longer. There was no end in sight, until now. It’s only a few weeks before your exams will actually take place, and it is time for the final push.
Knowing the best way to go about preparing for this final push can be tricky, as you may think that there is no need to modify your revision patterns too much from what you’ve been doing long-term. However, we believe that these last remaining weeks before exams start require special attention, and therefore require some specialist action.
5 essential last-minute revision tips for exam success:
Tip 1 – Know the Syllabus
Of course, you will have looked at the syllabus for the subject you’re studying to plan and focus your revision before you started. However, it is of vital importance that you refresh your memory and make sure you know exactly what the exam boards themselves want you to know, and what they will test you on. Making sure that you go into the exam with an extremely clear view of what examiners want to see from you – be it content, analysis, or technique – can only serve to boost your marks. Check out your exam boards’ websites, as most of them provide extensive resources on the aims, content, and assessment objectives for their modules. Although these are there to provide guidance to your teachers, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t use them to your advantage!
Tip 2 – Become a Past Paper Pro
This might seem like the most obvious of the last-minute revision tips, but, in the final few days and weeks before an exam, you should not stop at simply doing past papers! Start to analyse them more closely. Look at how they ask questions, and the way they answer their own questions in the mark schemes and examiner’s report. Doing so can afford you invaluable information on how your exam will be structured, and how they want you to to answer the questions. Once you get the structure/style of questions down in your mind, 50% of the battle during the exam will already have been won. This should be a top priority in the last few days running up to your exam.
Tip 3 – Prevent procrastination
Of course, during any stage of the revision process, it’s extremely important to win the battle against procrastination. So, when it comes to the final days of weeks of your exam preparation, maintaining concentration is vital. Studies show that your brain takes around 10 minutes to refocus properly once you have spent as little as 2 minutes on social media, so having your phone near you/a Facebook tab open when you are trying to revise, probably isn’t the best way to go! Factor in plenty of breaks, sure, but when you’re revising, make sure you’re actually revising! Set time limits and have a rest activity in mind, this will motivate you.
Tip 4 – Make the most of not revising!
As you well know, proficiency in time-management is a key skill when it comes to revision, and it is important not to forget that your non-revision time is just as important as your revision time! Be sure to pencil in in plenty of time to exercise, especially in the final few days running up to your exam. This will increase blood flow to the brain and generally make you feel sharper. Similarly, ensuring your diet is on point in the week or so before exams start will put your brain in its best form possible. These two aspects of your routine, as well as giving yourself adequate break time, will minimise stress, and maximise brain power. This will make you generally happier, and compliment your results no end! This is the most important of the last-minute revision tips!
Tip 5 – On the day…
So, it’s finally here – your first exam, probably of many, is tomorrow. What do you do? Change your name and hitchhike to Luxembourg? No, save that for the summer. Start by condensing your notes down to their core, detailing what you judge to be the most important of the important points, spend some time on a leisure activity, and get a good night’s sleep. Then it’s up early, ensuring you have plenty of time to eat a good breakfast, and arrive at your exam hall without panicking about being late. Reading over notes in the morning can do no harm, and could provide you with last-minute information that you can draw upon when your time starts. Of course, don’t rely on cramming!
So, now you can do no more, and any worries you may have should be banished to get you into an ideal frame of mind for the exam.
Use these essential last-minute revision tips wisely, and GOOD LUCK!
(Bonus tip: While revising, keep in mind that you have a long, relaxing summer in store for when this is all over, and that the hard work now will undoubtedly have been worth it!)
For revision resources, follow this link!
