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Samuel Predeth

May 8th, 2023

Preparation for summer exams at LSE

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Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Samuel Predeth

May 8th, 2023

Preparation for summer exams at LSE

0 comments

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Summer term can be a scary time for everyone, with final exams, deadlines, and essays looming over the term. If you need some advice for preparing for summer exams, then keep on reading. The advice I will be giving is mainly applicable to essay subjects, but some of the more general advice can be relevant for all subjects.

The key to summer exams is planning. Make sure you know the basics of your exam; what date it’s on, what time it is, what room will you be in, and how long will it be? Some of this information you will not know until closer to your exam, but being as prepared as possible with these key details will help alleviate any of the stress closer to the time. Making sure you have a time scale of when your exams are and any other due dates will help you plan your time more effectively. As someone who struggles with anxiety, this was fundamental for my success in first year – without this basic preparation, I would have not been able to focus so much on my revision.

For essay subjects, your readings become essential in exams. Make sure you have caught up on all key readings for the year/term/topics you are revising as you will need to include these in your essays. Without mentioning some of these key ideas and theories, your marks can be capped, and you will be unlikely to perform well. This is also the case with the general course content. Make sure you fully understand what each topic is about and how this relates to the course. If you do not understand the content, it will make it much more difficult to critically analyse and stop you from reaching those top grades. When you’re going through the course, go and speak to a teacher or course leader if there’s anything you don’t understand; it’s much better to sort this out now then to get into the exam and not have anything to say.

For my exams, I made mind maps of each of the key topics in the module that I was going to be revising e.g., neoclassical growth theory, nationalism, mobility, which contained a summary of the key readings and key ideas from scholars on that topic. I had these across my room so that I would always see them and consciously read them and begin to draw the connections quickly. It also provided a quick visual tool for me to use when making essay plans or writing essays which I could get my information for very easily and efficiently, without having to search through my notes.

These essay plans were vital for me. I made detailed plans which had as much information and critical thought as possible, but also simplified versions which I made to read through quickly before the exam. When you go into the exam, you should have the key points memorised, if you have done enough preparation, the critical analysis and original thought will come naturally. But if you’re struggling to connect the names of scholars with the year and the subsequent theory, use apps such as Quizlet to quickly test yourself.

I also practiced a few essays before my big exam last year to work out my timings and how much information I was able to retain. This was a great way to test myself and I got my flatmate (who was third year Law) to look over my work and pick out any key flaws so that I could improve.

Overall preparation is key for summer exams, and the more prepared you are, the more confident you will be, and the better you will do. I will be using all these techniques I used last year in my summer exams this year as they worked effectively for me, but don’t be afraid of trying something different if an alternative form of learning is better for you.

About the author

Samuel Predeth

Hi! I'm Sam. I'm currently a second year BA Geography student at LSE and I am originally from Portsmouth, UK.

Posted In: Student life

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