21/07/2026
7 SMART EXAM PREPAREDNESS SKILLS TOP STUDENTS DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW
Many students do poorly in their academics not because they don't study enough but because they lack the examination preparedness skill. Here are the top 7 exam preparedness skills used by the high performing students.
1. READ THE QUESTION TWICE: many students lose marks because they answer what they think instead of what Is actually asked. So, read the question, understand it and then answer it.
2. UNDERLINE THE KEYWORDS: If the question says: calculate the acceleration of the car after 5 seconds. The key words are: "Calculate", "acceleration", "5 seconds". Identification of the keywords helps you to better understand the question
3. PAY ATTENTION TO COMMAND WORDS: Words such as: discuss, outline, define, etc must be taken into consideration.
4. USE MARKS AS A GUIDE: A 2 marks question usually needs two points or a one point with an explanation, and a 4 marks question requires 4 relevant ideas or 2 clearly described ideas.
5. NEVER LEAVE A QUESTION BLANK: Even short attempts may earn partial marks which can make a significant impact on your transcript.
6. MANAGE TIME: Always start with questions you know well, do not spend long time on one difficult question and also, return to unanswered questions later.
7. MANAGE YOUR HEALTH: Get a good sleep, eat nutritious food and avoid sugars and fatty foods. Stay hydrated. You need to be healthy for you to do well in your examinations
At SmartLearn Academy, we don't just teach students what to learn, but we also teach them how to learn.