The Student Room Group

Is there something wrong with me.

I never finish my Exams because I find that I run out of time. Even though I try and speed up I always never finish on time.

For example- I was doing my Biology exam of which I looked at the clock and had 45 minutes left. I did a few questions without distractions and I only had five minutes left!

Everytime I rush to do an exam I still don't finish- I don't know what's wrong with me, and to top it off I hear people complaining at how long the exam was!

This is the same with English exams, I never finished them at the best of my ability, hence I think my grades are going to be ****. I'm not that bright but I wouldn't consider myself to be dumb.

Is there any reason why I'm always slow?

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Reply 1
Kish_Kash_1
I never finish my Exams because I find that I run out of time. Even though I try and speed up I always never finish on time.

For example- I was doing my Biology exam of which I looked at the clock and had 45 minutes left. I did a few questions without distractions and I only had five minutes left!

Everytime I rush to do an exam I still don't finish- I don't know what's wrong with me, and to top it off I hear people complaining at how long the exam was!

This is the same with English exams, I never finished them at the best of my ability, hence I think my grades are going to be ****. I'm not that bright but I wouldn't consider myself to be dumb.

Is there any reason why I'm always slow?


I won't jump to conclusions, but there could be a possibility you're dyslexic. See about getting yourself tested for it. Often people who are dyslexic don't seem to be able to collect their answers as quickly as other people, or they think in a different way.
Hopefully, that'll help. You can get up to 25% extra time in exams i think.
no no. do you panic when doing you exam? if you find a question hard you should go on to one you understand more and can answer and then go back to the one you found difficult. if you struggle on a question and carnt aswer it then its wasting time..
or maybee that not you problem.. maybee your just a slow person even when you rush.
or even maybee your time keeping is a bit naff..
god no's.. well thats all i have :smile:
Reply 3
Umm... This should be in a different forum...

Anyway, I find I never have time to check my exams and I have struggled with time - i.e. the Human Health and Disease paper in OCR biology on monday. That was because it was my weakest module in biology - I studied it at the beginning of the year, and assumed that I didn't need to go over absolutely everything.

What I think you're lacking may be revision; correct me if I'm wrong.

If you don't revise effectively enough, you will hesitate more when writing - even if you don't notice - you will pause for a second or two longer to think, but if you know the subject like the back of your hand you will find you can do it with plenty of time to spare because you know what to write immediately.

Try to stucture yourself... A minute a mark, a minute a mark. If you have a 3 mark question, try to spend 2 minutes on it. If you have a 10 mark question, spend 6 minutes on it etc. If you are confused on a question, move on, and our brains are amazing - while you are consciously working on the next few questions, your brain may be subconsciously working on the last, so you may understand it when you go back to it.

Just my 2p.
Reply 4
I do revise, and I try to keep to my time keeping but it's really hard.

And when I do get stuck on a question I move onto the next one and go back to it at a later time.
thatguy
Umm... This should be in a different forum...

Maybe not... not if the problem is Dyslexia.

I'd get see about being tested. if you're not at university yet, when you go, they will probably do a preliminary test, to see if you should be tested for dyslexia.
Reply 6
Mr_Pedantic
Maybe not... not if the problem is Dyslexia.

I'd get see about being tested. if you're not at university yet, when you go, they will probably do a preliminary test, to see if you should be tested for dyslexia.



I don't know where to start with this Dyslexia stuff?

Would I be able to retake my exams? Probably not!
Reply 7
It's not the end of the world if you get a few dodgy grades :smile:

You can always progress to A2 (or whatever level you're at) and then retake the exam modules next year for a fee of 10 quid an exam....not bad hey :wink:

Motherless Child
Reply 8
Motherless Chil
It's not the end of the world if you get a few dodgy grades :smile:

You can always progress to A2 (or whatever level you're at) and then retake the exam modules next year for a fee of 10 quid an exam....not bad hey :wink:

Motherless Child


A few dodgy grades? They are all going to be dodgy! :frown: :redface: :biggrin:
Kish_Kash_1
A few dodgy grades? They are all going to be dodgy! :frown: :redface: :biggrin:


you might surprise yourself!
Reply 10
Mr_Pedantic
Maybe not... not if the problem is Dyslexia.

I'd get see about being tested. if you're not at university yet, when you go, they will probably do a preliminary test, to see if you should be tested for dyslexia.


Oh, sorry Kish_Kash_1, I didn't look at it that way. I assumed you were looking for exam advice. :blushing:
Reply 11
thatguy
Oh, sorry Kish_Kash_1, I didn't look at it that way. I assumed you were looking for exam advice. :blushing:



That's ok.


It's just that exam advice doesn't help once you've done the exam(s). :biggrin:
Does sound rather like dyslexia/dyspraxia if you've done the revision and have ok exam technique but still run out of time. I always ran out of timein exams, revision tests, all essay subjects and maths at school, plus uni tests, but it never made much difference cos there was coursework for most GCSE subjects and not too many essays at classics AS/A2 exams (am ok with translations) so I got enough marks to get the grades but could have had more. Then at the beginning of this year (2nd year uni) I found out I was dyspraxic and got extra time in my exams last term which was really helpful. I think it would definitely be worth investigating dyslexia/dyspraxia.Good luck!
Reply 13
tritogeneia1
Does sound rather like dyslexia/dyspraxia if you've done the revision and have ok exam technique but still run out of time. I always ran out of timein exams, revision tests, all essay subjects and maths at school, plus uni tests, but it never made much difference cos there was coursework for most GCSE subjects and not too many essays at classics AS/A2 exams (am ok with translations) so I got enough marks to get the grades but could have had more. Then at the beginning of this year (2nd year uni) I found out I was dyspraxic and got extra time in my exams last term which was really helpful. I think it would definitely be worth investigating dyslexia/dyspraxia.Good luck!



I would investigate it but I would sound to stupid.


How were you diagnosed?

A series of tests?
Kish_Kash_1
I would investigate it but I would sound to stupid.


How were you diagnosed?

A series of tests?

Yeah, there are various tests that measure and assess how you process information.
Reply 15
Mr_Pedantic
Yeah, there are various tests that measure and assess how you process information.



Shall I just call the doctor?
Kish_Kash_1
Shall I just call the doctor?

they're not medical tests, and i don't know if the doctor does dyslexia tests.
Reply 17
Mr_Pedantic
they're not medical tests, and i don't know if the doctor does dyslexia tests.



Then were do I start?
Kish_Kash_1
Then were do I start?

School, College, University

wherever you are studying
If its somethin like Biology, Chemistry, maths etc., as opposed 2 english, hist etc (wer u hav long, structured answers), I generally aim 2 do half the paper or more an then if im runnin out o time i do da questions wit da most marks first an then those with least marks last... works every time :wink: