It's crushing to watch your child walk out of an exam saying, "I knew it, I just read it wrong." Careless errors cost marks that students have genuinely earned, and many of them are avoidable.
The night before
- Light review, not cramming. Go over the mistakes list and key formulas, then stop.
- Pack early. Calculator (charged, in the right mode), pens, pencils, ruler and any formula sheet allowed.
- Sleep. A rested brain makes far fewer careless errors.
The first minute of the exam
Before writing anything, take a slow breath and reset. Then skim the paper to see what's coming, and start with a question you feel confident about. An early win settles nerves and builds momentum.
During the exam
- Read every question twice. Underline what it's actually asking for and any key numbers.
- Show working. Even if the final answer is wrong, clear working can still earn marks.
- Don't get stuck. If a question isn't working, move on and come back to it.
- Check units and rounding. These small details cost marks surprisingly often.
Save 10 minutes to review
Leave at least 10 minutes at the end to check answers. Reread each question, check that every part has been answered and look for obvious slips. That final pass is where students recover easy marks.
Habits are built before exam day
These strategies work best when they're practised, not just read. That's why weekly tests are part of our program: students rehearse these habits all term, so on exam day they happen automatically. Read more about turning exam anxiety into confidence.
Our small-group online maths classes combine live teaching, weekly testing and individual support, backed by a full grade guarantee. Preparing for the HSC? Practise with our free HSC maths past papers.