Top tips for exam preparation

1. Find your own deep and compelling reason to successfully learn your subject and pass your exams. 2. Plan your time to include study, revision and social commitments - a balance of having fun, taking breaks and studying is vital. 3. Use multi-coloured Mind Maps® for your notes. 4. Review your notes regularly to reinforce your new-found knowledge. 5. Swiftly skim through your text books and course material before you read them in depth to give you an overview of your subject. 6. Learn how to remember lists of things by linking each item to a location on a journey or route you are familiar with around your town. You could even use your own home. 7. Before you do any revision, warm up by doing some gentle exercise to relieve any tension in your body and to get a rush of healthy oxygen flowing to your brain. 8. Do past papers under thorough exam conditions as often as possible to familiarise yourself with the format and the pressures of working under exam conditions. 9. In an exam, make sure you read the question completely and fully understand what the examiner wants before you allocate your time and begin answering the questions. 10. If you are faced with a mental block breathe deeply, relax and ask yourself "If I did know the answer to this question, what would it be?"