Preparing for Exams

Exams are the absolute bane to every university student, especially in first year when you are still trying to get settled in. But don’t worry! Here, we provide you with tips on how to ace the exams, materials to bring, and what to expect.

Once you get into the weekly swing of university, there are two major exams and assessment blocks in the term:

1) Mid-Term Exams: typically occurring in Week 5 - 7 depending on your course.

If your exam is a little later, you may have Flexibility Week (Week 6) to revise. If not, use Week 6 to take a well deserved break!

2) Final Exams: The final exam period begins soon after Week 10 and can be found in the UNSW academic calendar. Not every course has a final exam, but in those that do, they usually have the highest weighting.

A few courses have a ‘double pass’ system, where to pass the course, you must achieve over 50% in both the final exam and the overall course mark. Your course staff will let you know if this is required.

WAM EXPLAINED

Standing for Weighted Average Mark, your WAM is a running average of all your university marks in courses taken at UNSW. Yes, you can improve your WAM over time. And no, marks from student exchange programs or other transfers are not included in the calculation.

Although some companies take your WAM into account, please note your WAM does not dictate your personal worth. Life skills, communication, teamwork and enthusiasm are just as important to employers. One of the best ways you can show this is by being actively involved in society life.

How should I prepare?

Organization is key.

At the beginning of the term, check out your course outlines for assessment dates. These contain a great overview of the different forms of assessments that you will need to complete to ace your course. Make note of these dates in your calendar or diary to avoid future confusion and to ensure early exam preparation.Throughout the term, stay on top of your notes! Although courses are online, make sure you stay on top of your lecture content and revision during the term. Bingewatching lectures the night before your exam is not an effective way to study (even though it happens to the best of us).

Get in the zone.

Set a time for how long you want to spend on each course, and what you want to achieve in each study session. This is a great way to track your study, and helps you feel fulfilled after studying during a hectic exam season!Find a local library, visit the study spots on pages 18 to 19 or, if you’re studying at home, a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed. Put any distractions away so you can focus and get your studying done as quickly and efficiently as possible.

You are not alone!

Talk to your mentors, tutors or lecturers, try group study sessions, or use the resources provided by UNSW. Your course will offer a variety of free academic support services, so find out what services your faculty offers and use them!

WIT also offers end of course revision workshops that anyone can attend (such as COMP1511 and INFS1609) so make sure you follow us on Facebook to stay updated! Our website and spotify also features blogs and podcasts on acing study and exams to support your success.

What can I expect in exams?

Carefully read over the details of the exam provided by your course convenor or in the course outline - the types of questions, the content covered, and the length of the exam - you don’t want to be surprised on the day! In particular, make sure you know the exact time and location of the exam which you can find on myUNSW.

Your UNSW ID card is mandatory for every in-person exam, so make sure you bring it! Bring stationery in a clear pencil case and any water in a clear labeless bottle.

Check other materials you will need to bring to the exam such as pencils, rulers, pens etc. If you need a calculator for your exam, make sure you have a UNSW approved calculator by getting an approval sticker from the Nucleus or your School’s Student Centre well before the exam.

See student.unsw.edu.au/exam-approved-calculators-and-computers for more info.

What will happen in an online exam?

Many exams will be held online due to Covid-19 restrictions. Your course convenor will make an announcement via Moodle (or another platform that your course is using) to give you the details of your exam such as precise time, length of the exam, and how the exam will be run.

Most courses will have you do the exam online via a Moodle quiz, or set a time-frame for you to submit answers to a platform. Use this checklist to prepare for online exams:

Let people you live with know when you have an exam so you will not be disturbed.1 hour before the exam begins, set up for your exam in a clean, quiet place so you can focus.Have water, tissues, pens, paper, and your calculator (if applicable) ready.

If you have an open book exam, order your notes and other resources by topic. If you can, print them off so that you can easily utilise them.Sit down 5-10 minutes before your exam begins, relax, and take the chance to be calm before you start your exam.

How do I get to an in-person exam?

Plan your route beforehand, especially if the location of the exam is unfamiliar. Public transport is particularly busy during exams so make sure you leave at least 30 minutes earlier than usual.

In-person exams occur on campus or at the Royal Randwick Racecourse. The location of the exam can be viewed on your myUNSW profile in the exams timetable section, make a note of these and plan your route before the exam date.

If your exam is in Randwick Racecourse, there will be plenty of signage around and there are staff members there to help you navigate the area so no need to panic if you aren’t sure where to go!

Once you’ve completed your exam, you will have to wait for your result. You can find out when you’ll receive your total course mark via https://student.unsw.edu.au/results, which will usually come by email before your myUNSW is updated.

Above all else, rest up well for exams and do the best you can! You got it!!

- Willow