Imagine that you are about to take your driving test. You've practised all the manoeuvres, driven along both quiet country roads and busy city streets and spent more than your fair share of free time memorising all of the different parts of the car. However, on the day itself, you do not pass the test. Why could this be? Well, one of the reasons could be that you haven't practised a trial driving test. You've become so used to driving along, chatting to the instructor and knowing that it's okay to make mistakes, that you are not fully prepared for what the test will actually be like.
In the same sense, not taking mocks when preparing for your CIMA exam could cost you exam success. Why are these so important? It's actually for a number of reasons. Read on to find out more!
1). Getting a feel for what the CIMA exam will be like.
Taking an exam can be one of the most pressurised times in our lives and it can make us react unpredictably. For some students, the clock ticking in the CIMA exam is enough to mean that they end up making mistakes and getting wound up in anxiety. Other students thrive on pressure – it kick starts their concentration and drives them to work harder in the CIMA exam. The question is – which student will you be? If you take an exam without doing any mocks under timed conditions, you might not know until it's too late!
2). Pinpointing topics that you need to focus on.
Taking mocks as early as you can will put the CIMA topics you need to revise more into the spotlight. For this reason, mocks can be a great way to structure your revision and your topic focus for the upcoming weeks or months. Once you have highlighted these areas, it's time to master all of the information. However, don't forget your strengths, too! It's important to revise all of the materials, so perhaps dedicate an extra hour or two to the subjects you are struggling with the most. By the time the CIMA exam comes around, you should know every inch of the syllabus.
3). Sharpening your revision tactics.
Often, the methods of revision that we use before an exam can be surprisingly unhelpful if used on their own. Common methods, such as highlighting lots of passages in colourful ways or re-reading key passages are a great way to start off your revision, but they do not allow you to think deeply or critically about the subject. They are also easy to do on autopilot and can lead to key information not being taken in and truly understood. Mock exams give you the opportunity to use revision methods that are going to get you that pass rate and help you to learn the information. Some useful ideas include: teaching someone else about what you have learnt, switching between topics and to keep questioning what you are learning – for example, how was a certain conclusion reached?
4). They will keep you motivated.
Exams can sometimes feel a long way away, which in turn can lead to procrastination. Research has shown that up to three quarters of students consider themselves procrastinators! Mocks are a good way to boost your motivation, as they bridge the gap between the time now and your exam – which could come around sooner than you think!
If these tips have convinced you about mocks, why not have a look at the ones we offer! Designed to be as close to the real exam as possible, these mocks are available to use in a 'timed conditions' mode. This allows you to work under the pressure of an exam, but with the knowledge that they are here to point you in the right direction. However, if you would like to start off with no time restrictions, we have a mode for that too!
(Please note, the OCS pre-seen will be released on the 23rd of June and our OCS Mocks will be released in the weeks following the pre-seen release date).
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