6 things to do when your mocks don't go to plan
Sometimes even with the best-laid plans, things go wrong. If your mock grades have come in lower than expected, here's what you need to do.
Don't let panic get the better of you
It's easy to panic when your mock results come in, and your grades are lower than expected. There are several things to remember if this happens: (1) There is enough time between now and your summer exams to improve your marks, and (2) the whole purpose of mock exams is to understand where you are now and what you need to do before your actual exams. For this reason, a lower-than-expected mark is nothing to panic about but simply a starting place to move forward from.
Find out exactly where you went wrong
Step one is to find out what went wrong. Is it a case of needing to do more revision? Or is it a time management issue where you ran out of time? If you're unsure of what has happened and why talk to your teachers and discuss where you lost marks and how they feel you can improve. For example, running out of time to check your paper or finish your answers can be solved with more practice with timed past papers and by learning to manage any exam anxiety. More revision can be solved with better revision techniques (see below) and revision support at school or with peers.
Learn to manage your exam emotions
If it was anxiety that let you down, remember that emotions can get the better of us all. Performing under pressure and knowing that you must do well is highly stressful. What's more, the emotional challenges of taking lots of exams are as hard, and we are rarely taught how to handle our emotions and remain calm in an exam situation.
What can help is to think about how you felt before and during your exams. Did adrenaline get the better of you? Or did your nerves and anxiety stop you from thinking clearly? Did you panic? Whatever you feel, learning to regulate your emotions is about getting used to expressing what you are feeling and not letting catastrophic thinking take over. Work on this between now and your exams, and you'll be able to stay calmer in exams.
Change your revision methods
If you revised hard with the material and past papers and it has yet to pay off, now is the time to consider changing your revision methods. There are many ways to revise, and you likely need to find the best method. Researchers have found that highlighting passages and simply re-reading is one of the least helpful ways to revise.
Instead, they found the following revision strategies useful. Spacing out revision sessions, so there is enough time to forget and re-learn the information. Teaching the material to someone else forces you to think about the material in a clear and structured way, and switching between topics helps you build on previous material you have revised.
Researchers also found that students who did a practice test after a revision period did better on the final exam than those who just spent the whole time revising.
Have a growth mindset about your exam results
Instead of seeing your mock results as a judgement of your ability, try to see them as a road map to improving your memory and knowledge. Look at your results analytically and let them help you identify how best to spend the coming months. What's important here is to have a growth mindset about your abilities.
Some people spend more time questioning the mark they are given instead of responding to it. Learning how to improve from mistakes is an important life skill central to developing a successful exam mindset.
Work with a tutor
If you feel you could do with some extra bespoke help, a tutor https://www.firsttutors.com/uk/ can make all the difference to your grades, confidence levels and revision and exam technique. Choose from face-to-face tutors or online private tutoring to find the best tutor for your needs.
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