Skip to main content
Book your visit

Search our site...

Skip to search results

Search module

How to plan effectively

  1. Home
  2. Study
  3. Undergraduate
  4. Accept Your Offer
  5. Exam preparation
  6. How to plan effectively

We know that exam season might feel daunting, and it can be difficult to know where to start with your preparations. Here are our top 10 tips to help you keep calm and get the most out of your revision time:

  1. Revise little and often rather than in big chunks. This is much more effective than trying to cram everything in at once.
  2. Find out what your learning style is (there are plenty of tools online) and tailor your revision methods to this. For example, if you are an auditory learner you might want to record yourself reading out your notes and listen back to them.
  3. Make sure you take breaks. We recommend the Pomodoro Technique: 25 minutes of focused work alternating with a 5 minute break, and a longer 15 – 30 minute break after 4 sessions of this.
  4. Try using “Look, say, cover, write, check” - a four-step process where you look over the content, say it out loud, cover over it, write it down and then check it. This will help to solidify the material in your head.
  5. Test yourself using past exam papers to get a feel for how things are worded and what examiners are looking for.
  6. Keep a log of what you’ve achieved and how much time you have spent studying - you will feel great when you see how much effort you’ve put in! You can also combine this with a reward or motivation system e.g. treating yourself to something you really want for every 15 hours of revision you do.
  7. Revise somewhere calm, quiet and free from distractions. If you’re unable to do this at home, try your school or local library.
  8. Mix up your revision - if you find yourself getting bored with writing essay questions on one subject, it’s time to start making mind maps for a different one!
  9. If you need help and support, ask for it! Your teachers and advisors are there to help you so make sure you make the most of them.
  10. Look after yourself. It’s very easy to fall into the habit of late night cramming or relying on caffeine to keep you awake during study sessions, but by planning your time carefully you can avoid this. You also need to make sure that you’ve got plenty of time for fresh air, socialising and eating proper meals. Here's some more advice on looking after your wellbeing during exam season.

Instagram live

For more great tips from current students and staff, watch the Instagram live which took place on Wednesday 3 May.

In this section