CXC January 2009 exams are almost here

Well, it has been a while since you have heard from me. Like you, I got caught up in all the things that I had to do. And, just like that, the CXC January 2009 exams are upon us. They are just days away.

Working smart

For those CXC candidates sitting exams in January 2009, I hope that you have been working really hard to prepare for your exams. There is a saying that goes, "You not only have to work hard, you also have to work smart." So I hope that you have been working "smart" for your exams.

Working on CXC past papers

What does it mean to work 'smart'? Well, working on CXC subject past papers is smart. This strategy gives you a sense of what kinds of questions the Examiners tend to ask. You see how the Examiners state their questions and, if you have a good tutor, you learn what answers they are looking for when they ask certain types of questions.

Working to time

Another working 'smart' strategy is to constantly practice working out your answers within the time limits given in the actual CXC exams. This practice strategy gives you the experience of thinking like you were in the exam room. You are actually practicing to think fast and make choices fast and under pressure.

Reviewing "bad answers"

Now while everybody knows and can agree with the two points above, many people may not agree with this one. I suggest you keep your really bad answer papers and look over them. Why? wel, these papers hold the key to what you were thinking and how you were thinking when you answered the questions. They are good to look over so that you can see the types of mistakes you have made before and which you must never make again.

The best History paper that ever served me well was one which I failed. the teacher didn't even bother to grade it. Just ran her pen straight through the whole page, with the words: (I never forgot) "You didn't answer the question." My humiliation and embarrassment was profound. Of course, I went on to pass my History exams and that never happened again. I would pull out that essay and read it over and over again. I realised that the teacher was right; I did not answer the question. I never forgot that lesson; in any subject.

So, I recommend reading over your 'bad' papers, examining your own work to see where you could have done better or improved. I suggest doing the questions on that paper all over again even. It certainly can't hurt.

Time management

And this close to exams, you will need to budget your time like it is gold. You will have to budget your time in the CXC exams, But you should also be budgeting it now also. Time has to be given to family (the season and all that) and time has to be given to practicing your exams skills. Notice I didn't say studying, I said practicing your exam skills, because this close to exams, that is the 'smartest' thing you can be doing right now.

Good luck in the CXC January 2009 exams!

Good luck to all our study buddies who will be sitting exams in January. I wish you all the best and know that all of us here feel that way. And please, don't just sit your exams and leave us; come back and give us the 'dirt' on how it was. Tell us what it was like for you, and drop some advice if you want, we will listen.