Tried-and-tested study advice for chasing those top grades
No matter what subjects you're studying, we've got plenty of tried-and-tested advice that can help take your exam revision to the next level.
Here are 36 tips from members of The Student Room who got top grades in their GCSEs – covering motivation, organisation, memory hacks and more.
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1. Use all the past papers you can find
Taking past papers can help you find what your strengths and weaknesses are. And you should get used to taking an exam.
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2. Try revision books
Revision guides can be great for easy-to-understand summaries of the topics you need to look over.
And if you get the e-book version, you'll be able to squeeze in some quick revision on your phone whenever you've got a few spare minutes.
3. Make a plan
You don't have to stick to a strict schedule (although it could help), but following a basic can help you keep your revision on track.
It could be as simple as knowing when you'll revise each topic, and ticking them off as you go.
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4. Make the most of the Easter holidays
Even if you've left it a little late to start revising, the time you get off during Easter can help you build some momentum before exam season.
5. Work out what you need to know
It's worth finding specifications, mark schemes and examiner's reports online – they can help you work out what you need to know for each paper, and how to give solid answers to questions.
6. Start as soon as possible
The sooner you start revising, the more time you have to cover each area before your exams start – and you'll avoid falling behind and putting pressure on yourself later on.
7. Organisation is key
Being organised should help stay consistent with your revision – it'll be hard to go wrong if you know what you'll study and when, as well as having all of your notes ready.
8. Do practice questions
One way to get in good shape for your exams is by practicing questions. By the time it gets to the real thing, you should be feeling confident about how to answer whatever's in front of you.
9. Give yourself a break
When you're making your revision timetable, schedule in plenty of downtime to keep you energised and focused.
10. Find what works for you
Try a few different revision methods – like flashcards, quizzes and mind maps – and see which one you get on best with.
Even though the information will be the same, you might find some ways of revising feel easier than others.
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11. Make sure you understand it all
It's OK if you don't understand everything you come across while you're revising.
Give yourself time to focus a bit more on the area and ask your teacher if you still need help getting to grips with it.
12. Keep calm
It can be easier said than done, but try not to stress too much about your revision. You should have everything under control if you start early, be organised and stay consistent.
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13. Ask for help
You don't need to do everything alone, you could revise as a group with your friends – or reach out to a teacher if you're struggling.
14. Make bullet point notes
After you've got all of your notes together, it can help to make bullet points of the key ideas – it should keep the topics fresh in your mind and it can be quicker to work through everything.
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15. Focus on life after exams
A good way to stay motivated through exam season is to plan a few things to look forward to after it's all done.
And think about what your next steps will be after you get your grades.
16. Put the hours in
There's no avoiding the fact that you'll have to spend a lot of time revising to get the top grades.
If you start earlier, you can spread your revision out so you don't end up cramming everything in at the last minute.
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17. Write essays, memorise quotes
For essay-based subjects, it's worth getting in a lot of practice to feel confident with how you will structure your writing in the exam – and memorise as many quotes as you can to pick up top marks.
18. Remember it's not too late!
Even though it's better to start revising as early as possible, don't worry if you've left it later than you would have liked – as long as you give yourself a bit of time before your exams, you should be fine.
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19. Have some time to yourself
Revision can be intense, so it's a good idea to switch off every now and then.
Have a day every week or two where you take things easy – it'll help you relax and give you time to reflect on the work you've already done.
20. Imagine success
For a nice bit of added motivation, think about how your hard work will pay off when you finish your exams.
The thought of achieving your goals can help you push through if you're feeling your revision consistency slip.
21. Test yourself
To find your strong areas as well as the topics you need to work a bit more on, practice answering questions on a regular basis.
It can be a confidence boost to keep an eye on your progress and see that you're gradually improving.
22. Make colourful revision tools
If you're getting bored with your revision, try adding some colour to freshen your notes up.
You could make vibrant flashcards or highlight your work to make key points stand out.
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23. Get teachers to check your work
Getting your teachers involved with your revision may help you make progress quicker.
You could ask them to check your answers to any practice papers, or get them to point you in the right direction with any areas you're struggling with.
24. Know what the exam board wants to see
Checking mark schemes and examiners' reports helps you avoid any common mistakes that other students make.
You'll be setting yourself up to pick up marks if you're aware of what the exam board is looking for in your paper – like the way you use quotes or structure answers.
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25. Memorise vocab and phrases
Make a list of any key words or phrases that you plan to use in your exams, and test yourself on them regularly to help them sink in.
This will be especially useful for English exams – or you could do the same thing with dates for history.
26. Be confident
Confidence can be the key when it comes to taking an exam. If you've put a lot of effort into your revision, then you should be able to give it your best shot.
27. Revise where you can focus
Revision can be tough if you're struggling to stay focused. To get yourself in the zone, head somewhere you feel relaxed and follow your revision timetable.
One of the main reasons for scheduling regular breaks is to allow the occasional distraction – it can help you recharge before focusing again.
28. Look after yourself while studying
You might want to revise as much as you can, but you need to look after yourself too. Take breaks, have days off and keep up with your hobbies outside of school.
29. Read mark schemes
After you've done a practice paper, check your answers against the mark scheme – you'll be able to see where you went wrong, as well as what the examiner was looking for in each answer.
30. Use mind maps
Mind maps can be great for shaking up your revision, especially if you're a visual learner.
They're useful for looking at quick summaries of each topic, and you might be able to see how all of the topics connect when they're all laid out together.
31. Avoid cramming
If you've been revising consistently for months, you probably don't need to cram in as much work as possible in the days before your exam.
You have probably already covered everything, so it's worth avoiding the extra pressure and just sticking to your revision timetable.
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32. Prioritise your subjects
When you're planning your revision, it's important to spread your time evenly across subjects.
You may have your favourite areas, as well as ones you don't like studying – but aim to do the same amount of work on both.
33. Maintain a good balance between work and life
Revising too much can make it hard to remember everything – and make it more likely that you'll burnout.
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to relax and unwind. You should be feeling refreshed when you get back to revision.
34. Do sustainable studying
Scheduling in regular breaks and enough downtime means that you can focus more on the quality of your revision than the quantity.
35. Mix and match revision methods for each subject
It's worth trying different revision methods to find which ones suit the subject you're studying for.
Each exam will likely require different skills and techniques – and changing up the way you revise should help to keep things fresh too.
36. Set goals as you go
Having revision goals to aim for can help keep you motivated along the way, as well as keeping you on the right track.
