"All Aboard The Struggle Bus!" - Learning to Prepare for Your SQA Exams and Finding What Actually Works
- Kimberley Ross
- Oct 14
- 4 min read
Nobody teaches you how to revise properly. You'd think it would be something you would get taught in school, but instead you spend your lessons copying course notes, get given assessment dates, and then get told to "study hard." But how do you actually do that?
I remember sitting at my desk during exam season, surrounded by highlighters in every colour imaginable (pastel coloured of course), sticky notes stuck to my walls, and a massive sense of overwhelm. I'd spend hours re-writing notes, highlighting entire pages, and reading the things I was trying to remember over and over again. But then when it came to past paper questions, I'd think "what the heck is that about?". I definitely had some information in my brain, but it was completely disordered and I couldn't apply it to a question for the life of me.
Can you relate?
The Trial and Error of Finding Your Method
My journey to effective revision was anything but straightforward. I tried everything: rewriting notes in different colours, flashcards, mind maps, studying in complete silence, studying to classical music, studying with classmates...you name it, I tried it.
Some methods helped a bit. Others just turned by brain in to a jumbled up mess. I wasted so much time on techniques that looked productive (because they took me hours), but weren't actually helping me retain information or perform better in my tests. The turning point came when I realised something: effective revision isn't doing something for hours, or doing what your friends do, and it's not just about trying to memorise information. It's about really understanding something and then knowing how to use it.
The Information Overload Problem
You guys have an additional overwhelm to contend with. You are growing up in the digital age where you have more study resources available than ever before. When I was at school we only had textbooks and our class notes (my teachers didn't even use powerPoint!). Now we have YouTube tutorials, TikTok videos, revision apps like quizlet, online notes, Instagram infographics, chatGPT...the list is endless. On the surface, this seems brilliant. Surely more resources equal better results?
Not quite.
The problem is that not all information is created equal, and not all of it is credible. I can't tell you how many times I've seen students revising from sources that were just... wrong. Or incomplete. Or relevant to a completely different exam board.
That last point is absolutely critical. If you're sitting SQA exams, studying from AQA resources might give you some general knowledge, but it won't prepare you for the specific way SQA wants you to answer questions. The same goes for any exam board, whether it's Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, or CCEA. Each has its own mark schemes, command words, and expectations.
It's Not What You Know, It's How You Show It.
This brings me to the most important lesson I learned: your success depends heavily on exam technique.
You could know your subject inside and out, but if you don't understand what the examiner is looking for, you'll leave marks on the table. I see this all the time when marking student exam papers. You can tell the student is confident about the subject knowledge, but when you read into their answers they've given correct information, but hadn't structured it the way the mark scheme required or included key words.
Annoyingly, exam boards aren't just testing whether you know facts. They're testing whether you can apply knowledge, analyse information, evaluate arguments, and present your understanding in a specific way. Command words like "explain," "discuss," "evaluate," and "analyse" all require different approaches, and understanding these nuances is the difference between an average grade and an excellent one.
Finding What Works for You
After all my trial and error, here's what I finally figured out:
Effective revision is personal, strategic, and focused on exam technique. It's about finding methods that work for your brain, using credible sources of information aligned with your specific exam board, and practising the skills that examiners actually assess.
For me, that meant less passive reading and more active recall using flash cards. Less re-reading notes and more doing past papers with my notes to help me. Once I aligned my revision with what exams actually tested, everything clicked.
Ready to Nail Your SQA Exam Preparation?
If you're struggling to find a revision method that actually works, you're not alone, and you don't have to figure it out by yourself.
On my YouTube channel, you'll find SQA targeted tutorials, past paper walk throughs, and quick tip videos that give more than just the generic theory.
Even better, I run weekly workshops where we discuss what examiners are really looking for, look at exam-style questions together and build the skills you need to perform under pressure. These sessions are focused, interactive, and designed to transform your confidence when faced with a past paper or final exam.
So take this week to start including more revision methods that work for you and make sure the sources your using have been made by a teacher that teaches SQA courses!
And if you're needing some inspo to get started, head to my YouTube channel and then book yourself into a weekly workshop.
Exams don't have to feel overwhelming. With the right approach, you've got this!
Take control of your study routine and track your progress with our FREE Weekly Study Planner and Tracker spreadsheet!
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