Google the phrase “Leaving Cert study tips” and you’ll be rewarded with over 18 million results – at last count – with all articles, videos and plans purporting to be the secret to exam success. However, following ad hoc study plans and revision tips is not the way to go, say teachers and experts alike.
Instead, students should spend time getting familiar with past papers and marking schemes, which they can then use to develop a personalised study plan that aligns with their own strengths, weaknesses, and third-level aspirations.
“Studying shouldn’t be difficult,” says Aaron Keane, founder of education tech start-up Leaving Cert Plus, who believes mastering time management is key to success. “Work to your strengths and find ways to integrate study into what you feel like doing that day. Build small daily habits that work around something you have to do every day, like using flash cards on the bus to school or while brushing your teeth. Work four or five of these into your daily routine and it will have an exceptional effect on the amount of study you’ll get done.”
This advice is echoed by Paddy Ward, co-founder and chief operating officer of education resource website Examrevision.ie, who says: “Plan your study schedule at the start of each week, knowing what you need to get done in the time you have available. I suggest planning only until Saturday which means that when things don’t go to plan you have Sunday to make up the hours you need.”
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Ward also suggests students work to their individual strengths, especially in subjects they may be weaker in. “Different resources work best for different learners and once you find what works for your learning style use more of it – maybe it’s videos, quizzes or traditional notes. And if you’re weaker in some subjects over others, look firstly if you need that subject to achieve your goals and if so, prioritise it each week in your study plan,” he says.
When it comes to actual revision, both Walsh and Keane agree that the best results come from dedicating more time to understanding the material rather than creating colour-coded study plans and perfect notes.
“There are resources already out there,” says Keane. “So at a maximum, a student should spend 20 per cent of their time creating notes and the rest of the time ensuring they understand the concepts of each subject. Once you understand the basics, spend time bridging the gap on how that applies to the exam questions by looking at past papers.”
“Using past papers is an essential of any study plan,” echoes Ward who goes on to say that students who use past papers to test themselves will become familiar with how to approach questions and gain an understanding on what the examiner is looking for. However, one common mistake former teacher Ward sees among students is not answering questions under time constraints. “Timing is so important and it’s a skill to master if you want to do well. Listen to your teacher when they give advice on how long to spend on each question and then practice answering past papers under time pressure.”
Our experts are clear: past papers, time management and working smarter, not harder, to achieve exam success come June.
