What to Take from Mocks...

Whenever I have had to take mocks I never thought of them as anything other than finding out my grades, however, now as an A-Level student, I have learnt that mocks are so much more than results, but an experience which have help me improve for my exams in the summer. In this post, I want to share with you some tips to learn from mocks and take forward to achieve the grades you want! 

1. Take your time!

Timing is everything when it comes to exams; if you ran out of time or didn't schedule revision efficiently enough for all your subjects, this is a perfect time to learn from your mistakes. Make sure to make a mental note of where your timing failed and work (with past papers) to manage your time better through strict shedueling. This will improve your overall exam as you will give every question the right amount of time which won't leave you too overwhelmed. 

2. Go through the paper with the Marksheme

The most important thing to take away from your mocks is the teacher's notes from your paper- not just the grade! As well as the marked marksheme (and grade boundaries), this will explain to you where your strengths and weaknesses lie within the exam, allowing you to explore the areas in which you need to revise more.

3. Write a list of things you need to improve for each subject 

Once you have gone through your paper and the marksheme I like to highlight the grade I am currently at, and all the boundaries within that grade set, and then highlight and note what is needed to get the grade I want to achieve. This will give you a clear idea of what you need to do in order to reach that grade boundary and how you can do it with the examiner's notations. Next, write a list or annotate the paper, explaining in your own terms what needs to be changed or developed from your current work. 

4. Learn from your mistakes 

For this technique to work, you have to actually work towards the notes you have given yourself. Going through areas that you struggled with, learning to manage your timing, and working towards becoming more comfortable with exam week. I like to make sure not to work myself up too much or I become too stressed, therefore I have learnt to take a walk before my exams to give myself fresh air and it also not overwhelm myself with too much information. 

5. Repeat. 

Improvement can only happen through repetition of past papers and questions from the current mock. By working in exam conditions and continuity working on exam material, you will become more confident when it comes to the 'real exam' as you've become used to the process. 

Remember what teachers always say: mocks are not to trick you but to help you improve and grow. 

Hope this helps and good luck! 

Love, Aria 

xo