Do you have mock exams coming up in January or February? If so, we have ten reasons to revise for mock exams. Just when you think you have got to the end of a very long term and want to spend your Christmas holidays sleeping, socialising and sitting in front of the television eating, there is that little voice that won’t go away, reminding you that you have to do some studying as well. Schools have a habit of scheduling mock exams for early January and it is important that you do some revision for them. Research shows that 75% of students consider themselves to be procrastinators so here is the motivation that you require to spend some of your school holiday studying as well as sleeping and socialising.
Ten Reasons to Revise for Mock Exams:
- Mock exams provide a vital run through, a chance to practise sitting exams. It is only by revising for them that you will see where the gaps are. This is just the same as when you have a practice driving test or a dress rehearsal.
- Mock exams provide you with a good idea of where to focus your revision for the next set of exams or the real exams in the summer. Are there topics where you are weaker than others or is it technique that you need to improve on. It is only by revising that these will become clear.
- Mock exams will highlight your strengths. These could be whole subjects or topic areas or types of questions. Are your strengths longer mark questions, or subjects where you have much shorter style questions?
- Mock exams will shine a spotlight on the areas that you need to develop. These could be techniques like timing or types of question or content that you don’t quite understand or find hard to remember.
- By revising for your mock exams you get to establish a routine for revision that will help you prepare for the real exams in the summer. When do you work best? What distractions get in the way? Do you need to find somewhere quiet to study?
- Mock exams give you a chance to practise sitting exams in exam conditions. Sitting a test or exam in the classroom or at home under times conditions is very different from taking exams in formal exam conditions in the school hall. It needs practice and for you to take them seriously.
- Mock exams are an excellent way to show your teachers what you can do and to shape their expectations of you either positively or negatively. Teacher expectations are important and can influence how much they push or challenge you in the run up to the summer exams.
- Often the results of mock exams can decide if you are going to be entered for higher or foundation or even which sets you are put in. Maths, Science and languages all have higher and foundation levels.
- One of the best reasons to revise for mock exams is that they are the perfect opportunity to make mistakes so you don’t make them in the real exams.
- Finally, as a student of mine recently demonstrated, doing well in mock exams can provide the perfect opportunity to reset for your exam year, diminishing results of past exams, boost your confidence and make you realise what you can actually achieve in the summer.
These ten reasons to revise for mock exams can provide the motivation to help you to set aside time to study in the weeks before your exams. The more effort you put into them, the more they will help you in the real exams.
At www.studentnavigator.co.uk we offer academic mentoring and coaching to secondary students from years 10 to 13 as well as primary mentoring. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you.