How To Pass Exams

How to pass exams
There's more to life than books you know—but not much more. So sang ace
British rock band The Smiths back in the 1980s. If you're studying in school or
college right now, you probably identify quite strongly with that sentiment. You
might feel your whole life revolves around exams, and no sooner is one lot of
study out of the way but you're immediately pitched into another! If you take
up a profession such as medicine or accountancy, the bad news is that exams
continue well into your twenties. Fortunately, there are a few things you can
do to make the pain easier.
Photo: No-one much enjoys sitting exams. Make sure you're prepared and you'll stand a far better chance of
success. Photo by Charles Oki courtesy of US Navy.
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1. Ask the teacher
As far as you're concerned, teachers probably have a single function: to help

you pass your exams and either get a job or move on to the next stage of your
education. Teachers themselves see things a little differently—don't forget that
they have to get hundreds of students through exams each year—but
generally their aims are in tune with yours. Remember that your teacher is not
your opponent or your nemesis: he or she is not out to frustrate you or irritate
you. However it might seem at the time, teachers are always trying to help
you. Take advantage of that help and you'll never regret it. Ask for help
whenever you need it: that's what teachers are there for.
2. Beat the teacher
Having said that, as you'll have discovered for yourself, there are many good
teachers and quite a few bad ones. Most of your teachers care passionately
about how well you do (even if they don't let on) and one or two truly couldn't
care less what happens to you (especially if you don't care very much
yourself). The first top tip I have is not to rely on teachers to get you through
your exams. Teachers will help you enormously, but ultimately it's your job
and yours alone. The older and more senior you get, the more you'll find that
teachers and lecturers put the responsibility of passing exams onto their
students. What does that involve in practice? The first thing is to understand
the curriculum or syllabus you're studying and exactly what you're expected
to know about each subject. Ask your teacher to supply you with a copy of the
curriculum you're working to or look it up for yourself on the Web. (Note that
different examining bodies may use slightly different curricula, so be sure to
find the correct one.) Armed with this information, you will at least know what
you need to know, even if you don't know it. Got me?
Photo: Once you're in the exam, you're on your own—without even your phone to help you. Make sure you're
prepared. Photo by Brien Aho courtesy of US Navy.
3. Understand the marking scheme
Before you go anywhere near an examination, it's vitally important to

understand how the marks are allocated. You might find that 75 percent of the
mark comes from the exam you sit at the end of the academic year, while the
remainder is allocated by your teacher based on coursework or projects you
do during the year itself. It's very important you understand the marking
scheme, whatever it is, right at the start. If 90 percent of your mark comes
from coursework and you do that poorly all year, you can't expect to save
yourself at the last minute with a sudden good exam performance. Similarly,
even if you've done brilliant coursework, if it counts for only 10 percent of your
total mark, you still need a good performance in the exam. If you understand
where your marks will come from, you can allocate your efforts accordingly.
4. Plan your revision
More than 20 years after I last sat an exam of any kind, I still get a recurring
nightmare about not having started my revision in time! Chore though it is, you
can never really spend too long revising. Teachers will tell you that it's
generally easier to spend a small amount of time each day revising over a
long period than to try to cram in all your revision the night before your exam.
But different strategies work for different people. Some people find
concentrated revision suits them best. Some prefer to revise one subject
entirely before proceeding with another topic; others prefer to alternate
revision between different subjects. As you become proficient at exams, you
should find a pattern that works for you. One good tip is to make revision a
habit: treat it like a job and make yourself revise between certain set times of
the day whether you feel like it or not. No-one ever feels like revising, but if
you get into a routine where you always begin and end at the same time, you'll
find it a whole lot easier. Another good tip is to intersperse your revision with
relaxing activities to stop your brain overloading. Go for walks, listen to music,
hang out with friends, play sports—whatever you like— as long as you
understand the distinction between break and distractions. Probably give
reading books a miss until your revision is done, however.
5. Prioritize weak subjects
Aim to revise everything but devote more time to things you don't understand
or know less well. It sounds obvious, but it's surprisingly hard to do. Why?
Because we like doing easy things—so our tendency, when we revise, is to
concentrate on the things we already know. If you're not sure what your
weaker subjects are, ask your teacher or look at the marks you've received on
coursework through the year. Prioritizing weak subjects also goes back to
understanding the marking scheme. Let's suppose your examination involves
you writing three essays. Most likely they will carry equal marks. Even if you
know two subjects off by heart and get perfect marks, if you can't write a third
essay you risk losing up to a third of the marks. So weak subjects will have a
disproportionate effect on your total mark, dragging your overall grade down
much more. That's why you should give weak subjects most focus.
6. Be honest with yourself
What are you good at and what are you bad at? Maybe you think you're good
at everything, but you'll still have weak points you need to focus on. And if you
think you're bad at everything, that's probably not true either. Ask your
teachers to spend a little time with you helping you to understand where you
need to focus your efforts. Most often they'll be happy to oblige.

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How To Pass Exams

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How to pass exams

1. Ask the teacher

As far as you're concerned, teachers probably have a single function: to help

2. Beat the teacher

3. Understand the marking scheme

Before you go anywhere near an examination, it's vitally important to

4. Plan your revision

5. Prioritize weak subjects

6. Be honest with yourself

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