Get up to date with KEY information from the Examiner's Report!

One of the best things that I've found you can do when revising for the exam is read the Examiner's report - after all, they will be the ones looking at your exam paper in May! In order to help you get started, we have collected some of the key themes from the February Examiner's Report. The full report is available right here: SCS February 2017 Examiner's Report. We suggest that you read through this yourself very carefully - it could really help you get that pass.

Learning lessons from those who mark and assess the exam themselves could be all the difference between a pass and a fail this May. Every sitting I analyse the report and share the important findings, so students do not make the same mistakes. The examiners often have to repeat themselves on where students are going wrong, which we don't want to happen for the next sitting! With this in mind, here are the top three key themes that I picked out from the latest SCS report..

A revision guide just for you!

I was speaking to a student recently who narrowly failed the exam. Why was this? He had good intentions and studied the material, but unfortunately his planning let him down. With so much information needed for the Case Study exam, it can sometimes be overwhelming. It's tempting to give more attention to certain theories or texts, but this needs to be more balanced.

Fear not, however, if you struggle with this – Astranti have a general study plan right here!

Humming to the tune of success...how music can help with revision!

Flashcards, pens every colour of the rainbow, chunky neon yellow highlighters….there are many tools that we use when revising for the CIMA exams. Some of you may prefer to write in plain black and on snow white paper, whilst others will pin notes all over the house to remind themselves of the key areas of the syllabus.

A trio of materials to combat the CIMA exam!

It's not long until the CIMA pre-seen is released! How is your revision going? Do you feel like your mind is blossoming with knowledge or do you currently feel like a stick in the mud who is feeling a little overwhelmed? Have no fear, we are here to help!

Our very first piece of advice would be to start your revision now. Yes, right now, before you start reading that 900-page book, begin studying origami or planning a walk that will take you as far away from the CIMA exam as possible. But without a pre-seen available from CIMA yet, how can you start revising? Well, we may have the materials just for you! The answer is in our Ethics pack, Course Videos and Study Texts. With these three, we have a trio to combat CIMA!

What is an Algorithm and how can this help your revision?

It was in the news today that many people are now learning to code. What is coding? Simply telling a computer exactly what it has to do. Coding is like the magic wand of computers and it is an extremely useful life skill in this technology obsessed world.

Before we jump into coding, there are a few steps that must be considered. First of all, we need an algorithm. An algorithm is a set of rules that solve a problem. These need to be done in the right order, otherwise they will not work.

This structure can also apply to life and revision. Would you take an exam and then revise afterwards? Hopefully not! When you write an algorithm, the order of the instructions is very important.

Exam Success: Luck Vs Hard Work

It's a fact of life that some people seem to have been born lucky. If they are running late, for example, their train or bus is magically running late too. They are never without an umbrella on the day it rains out of the blue or they always have just the right pair of sunglasses in their bag when the sun is shining bright.

Another example of luckiness is when people pass their exams with flying colours...or is it?

A lot of students will come out of the exam and say that the final result is down to luck. If they pass with flying colours, it is because they had a lucky charm on their exam desk. If they don't do so well, their reason for failing is attributed to a simple lack of luck.

How eating well can help you prepare!

The Case Study exam is not far away! I hope the revision is going well. 

We know that revising is important But what about looking after ourselves? If you want to do the very best you can, here is an extra tip for you: what you eat can have a huge impact on your preparation! Countless studies have shown that eating healthily can improve concentration, memory and overall well being.

Interested in the food fiends and brain favourites? Read on…

When it comes to the exam, it's mind over matter.

If you have just had a look at the pre-seen text on the official CIMA website, you may have mixed feelings. Part of you may be feeling excited and, in a strange way, looking forward to the exam. It will be a chance to show off all of the knowledge that you have been working so hard to learn. You may really enjoy learning and almost feel sad that it may be over soon!

However…

Another part of you may be feeling less keen. You have read the pre-seen analysis and have learnt more about reality television than you would have ever thought. You have a vague plan in your head and a little spark of determination. Broadly speaking, you have several paths to take. Let's consider these three people and their approach to the sitting.

From pre-seen to pass!

The LAST thing you want to do when are you sat down in your SCS exam is to be reaching for the pre-seen because you did not completely cover it in your revision, time will not be on your side as you have three hours to get through tough questions. 

In my experience, the best way to save time in the exam is to make up for it now and get to know the pre-seen inside out so that you don't ever have to look at it in the exam itself. Who else agrees?

Make the most of your study texts!

Want a better chance of passing? Mix up your revision. 

Often students assume they should be revising for their Strategic exam in a library or sat at a computer desk only, as this is a formal place to work. However, if you wanted to start reading an exciting book or watch your favourite TV show, you wouldn't be doing all this in the library or at a computer desk. Do not be afraid to get out and about when tackling a tough document, there is a lot of evidence that shows mixing up the location of your studying can help you process information, making you learn faster (and pass quicker!)