In The Exam – The key to success

Most important lesson: You should NOT be writing for at least the first 10 mins of an exam.

Remember – it is not a competition to write the most or the fastest.

Take 3 slow deep breaths before turning over the paper and don’t get distracted by everyone else racing along: you’ll achieve more by spending 30 seconds calming yourself down.

Spend the first 5 mins quickly reading through the whole paper – this will help you decide how to plan your time.

Spend the next 5 mins briefly writing a time plan – try and allocate time according to the number of marks given. The more marks, the more time you should spend on the answer.

Read every question TWICE. Yes, I said TWICE. The second time round, underline key words and circle action points. Mis-reading questions is a common way of losing out on points.

Remember that someone has to be able to read your answer if you want them to award marks – so write clearly and make it easy for them.

Include all your working out and any notes in a separate area or booklet if possible – many examining boards will often award marks if they see evidence of key points that may be missed in your final answer.

At the end of each answer, read the question and then the answer again. Check that it makes sense, that your grammar and punctuation is good and that you have done the action points circled. It’s easier to do this as you go along instead of thinking you’ll have time at the end.

For mathematical questions – make sure you include the correct units; is it degrees Celsius, Fahrenheit or Kelvin? Is it 1g or 1 Kg?

If you are struggling with a question – come back to it at the end if you have time. The first 50% of marks awarded are easier to get than the second 50% – so giving a decent stab at two questions is likely to get you more marks than just one perfect answer. Also – do your best to stick to your time plan.

Avoid dissecting the exam afterwards – it is often depressing and has NO impact on your performance. Rest for at least an hour even if you have another exam in the afternoon. Your brain needs time to shut down and for the adrenaline to stop. Go for a walk outside if possible – fresh air and natural light are great for refreshing your body and brain.

Top 5 exam songs to listen to when revising:
The Wall – Pink Floyd
Rescue me – Madonna
Survivor – Destiny’s Child
The Scientist – Cold Play
With a little help from my friends – The Beatles

*Editors note- Sinit knows what she’s talking about, she achieved 9 GCSE's - 5A*s and 4 A's, 4 A's at A level (Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths) and completed her degree at Oxford University (Philosophy & Politics). By Sinit Zeru