How do I study for NCEA exams?

Exam season can be a real challenge, especially if it’s your first time going through it. You might be thinking, "How do I study for NCEA exams?"

Don’t worry; you’re not alone!

With the right approach, studying doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are some tips to help you tackle your study sessions and set yourself up to pass your NCEA exams.

Making a plan to help you study for NCEA exams

The first step in any list of study tips is always to make a study plan.

You can avoid last-minute panic and all-nighters by planning out:

• when your exams are
• how much time you have to study for them, and
• how best to break down your study sessions in manageable slots

A good exam study plan will include enough time for study and breaks, as well as any other commitments you have like sports practice or part-time work. A great place to start is by downloading and filling out LearnWell’s 2024 Exam Study Planner. We’ve designed this for you to help you plan out your personal exam timetable and study sessions during Term 4 and the study leave period.

First, find out when your exams are! You need to know how much time (or not) you have to get prepared. The NCEA exam timetable is available on the NZQA website. Then, using our study planner, you can work backwards to make sure you’ve got enough time to study for all your subjects and achievement standards.

While you’re making the plan, be realistic. Studying is hard! Don’t expect that you’re going to be able to study for 8 hours straight on the first day. It’s like training for a marathon – you wouldn’t run 42 km in your first training session. Start with several short sessions, even 15 minutes, with short breaks in between. Over time, you can work up to studying longer sessions so that you can make it through a 3-hour exam.

And make your exam study plan work for you. Do you like to get up early and finish your work early in the day? Then plan your study slots like that. If you’re more of a night owl, plan your study slots to start and finish later in the day (just not too late!).

Stick to your study plan

Now that you’ve got your study plan for NCEA exams, you need to stick to it! Studying requires a lot of self-discipline.

Try not to procrastinate, even if your exams are still far away. Here are some tips for dealing with procrastination.

• You could try using the Pomodoro technique. Use a timer to help you chunk your work into slots where you focus and study, then take short breaks that are also timed.
• If you’re using your phone for this timer, make sure it’s away from the desk. Turn off notifications so you’re not getting distracted while you’re trying to focus on study.
• If you are doing some of your study using a computer, you could try to find an app that blocks distracting websites for periods of time.
• Remind yourself of what you’ll have to deal with later if you keep putting off your study now – extra stress, late nights, a grade you’re not happy with?

What not to do

Now that you’ve got your study plan for NCEA exams, and you’re sticking to the timing of your plan, let's start with what not to do.

Study techniques like:

• re-reading your notes,
• highlighting them, or
• copying them out again and again... unfortunately, aren’t going to help you much.

These techniques might help you get the information into your brain and recall it if you see it on the page, but in an exam, you need to be able to bring the information back out of your brain. You won’t have any notes with you to help, so you’ll need to retrieve the concepts from your memory and write your answers in a way that the exam markers will be able to follow.

Achieved, Merit or Excellence

One of the best ways to study for NCEA exams is to actively answer past exam questions. LearnWell’s AME Workbooks are the perfect tool for this. They feature brief revision notes and worked examples. Then, they have actual past NCEA exam questions along with complete answers and guidance to help you understand what you need to do to reach Achieved, Merit or Excellence. Try answering these past exam questions without using your notes, then grade your answers using the marking schedule. Be realistic when you’re doing this – what did you actually write? Your examiner can only mark what you’ve written, not what’s in your brain.

If you find that you need a bit more revision on a certain topic, go back and actively review your notes – could you summarise the key points, make a mindmap, or explain the information to someone else?

If you feel like you're running out of time and need to go through the material quickly, you can instantly access interactive and affordable LearnWell Digital resources for many NCEA subjects.

It's also helpful to practice answering questions under exam conditions, like setting a timer, putting away your phone and study notes, and not playing any music. Exams are stressful – how are you going to handle the pressure? Have a strategy for what you’ll do if things go wrong. What if the first question throws you off? What if some parts take you longer than you thought and you end up a bit tight on time? (“Panic” is not a good answer!) Write down your plan to help you stay calm and focused if it happens in the exam.

Scholarship exams

Scholarship exams are particularly challenging. To be awarded a Scholarship, you’re expected to show deep understanding of the subject, demonstrate high-level critical thinking and apply your understanding to complex situations.

The grading of Scholarship exams is different to typical NCEA exams. You could use the Scholarship AME Workbooks to help you to revise the key ideas and answer past years’ practice exams. They also include answers and explanations to help you see whether your answers are on track with what the examiners will be looking for.

Your teachers will be able to help you, too. If they organise times you can come and ask them questions or study in a group, make the most of this. Have a go at some past exams first so you can come prepared with your questions.

Look after yourself when studying for NCEA exams

Lastly, make sure you’re looking after yourself!

• Get 8-10 hours of sleep every night, especially the night before an exam. Sleeping well helps your brain to process the information you learn so it’s easier to remember the next day.
• Take regular breaks to go outside, get fresh air and move your body.
• Eat food that’s good for your brain. Your brain uses a lot of energy, so you’re likely to feel hungrier when you’re studying hard.
• Practice positive self-talk to reduce your nerves and anxiety. At this point, you’ve studied hard, you’re prepared, and you CAN do it!

And when it’s all over, don’t forget to treat yourself. You deserve it!