We would never recommend leaving your revision until the last minute. But things don’t always go to plan.
Whether you’re only just starting your revision now or you don’t feel as prepared as you wanted to despite starting weeks ago, you’re in the right place.
Here, we’ll share our top 7 last-minute revision tips and share how to revise quickly and efficiently to make the most of the time you have left.
Tips for last-minute revision
When you’re revising for an exam at the last minute, it’s important to maximise all the time you have left.
Follow these 7 steps to boost your productivity and improve your grades as much as possible in just a short time.
1. Identify your strengths and weaknesses
Start by identifying your strengths and weaknesses.
What topics are you most confident with? Which areas need the most work?
We’d recommend completing a practice paper or two under timed conditions and then going through it with a fine-tooth comb to pinpoint areas for improvement.
This way, you can plan your revision timetable to focus on the areas where you can make the biggest improvement in the shortest amount of time (plus, completing past papers is valuable practice in itself!).
Top tip: You can download past papers for your course right here on the Tutorful website.
2. Prioritise your weak areas
Next, go through your areas of weakness and rank them in order of priority.
You should prioritise areas that…
- Need the most improvement
- Are most likely to come up in the exam (and will be worth the most marks)
Based on these criteria, divide topics into high, medium and low priority groups.
This way, you can make sure to cover the topics that are highest priority first, so you’re in the best place possible if you run out of time.
Top tip: Find your exam board’s specification on their website so you know exactly what could come up in each exam paper.
3. Use effective revision techniques
Now, it’s time to start revising, beginning with the areas you identified as being high priority.
Every learner is different, so it’s all about finding the techniques that are most effective for you and your learning style.
Some tried and tested revision techniques you might like to try include:
- Making flash cards and using them to test yourself
- Creating mind maps
- Making up songs, rhymes and mnemonics
- Completing past papers under timed conditions
- Attempting practice questions
- Using resources like revision apps and websites
- Teaching someone else the content
- Recording your revision notes and listening to them back
Top tip: ‘Active’ revision techniques that actively test and strengthen your memory are often more impactful than passive ones like absorbing content from your revision notes or textbook.
4. Book a revision session
Although you’ll have to sit your exams on your own, you don’t have to do the revising part alone too!
Our handpicked tutors offer bespoke revision sessions tailored to your needs and timeline. They’re experts at bringing their subjects to life and helping learners to reach their full potential.
Whether it’s a one-off session or a few, they can…
- Demystify complex topics
- Turn weaknesses into strengths
- Boost your motivation and productivity
- Recommend the best revision methods and resources for your learning style
- Improve your confidence
Top tip: Before your tutoring session, write down any questions and specific topics you want help with so your tutor can demystify them for you.
Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.
5. Avoid distractions
Distractions can be detrimental to your productivity – especially as you only have a short amount of time!
So, banish those distractions.
That might mean keeping your phone in a separate room while you’re studying and using a clock or watch to tell the time instead (and no, Apple watches don’t count!).
Or, it might mean finding a way to manage noise levels that are making it hard for you to concentrate – for instance, setting yourself up in a quiet room or finding yourself a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones.
Top tip: Serial procrastinator? Set a timer for short intervals to pressure you into being productive. Once the timer goes off, you can do all those little tasks that would usually take you away from your desk!
6. Take breaks
If you’ve left your revision until the last minute, it can be tempting to power on through without taking any breaks. Don’t!
There’s only so much a brain can assimilate in a day, and if you burn yourself out, you won’t be doing yourself any favours.
Instead, revise in short chunks and take breaks in between.
This will help you to maintain your concentration while you’re studying and, for most learners, will be the most effective way to absorb all the information you need to learn.
Top tip: Planning activities away from your desk during breaks and getting plenty of fresh air can boost your wellbeing during exam season.
7. Get enough sleep
On a similar note, don’t be tempted to stay up all night revising ahead of an exam.
Not only is cramming notoriously ineffective, but without enough sleep, you won’t be getting the fuel you need to perform your best on exam day.
Meanwhile, a good night’s sleep can do wonders for your performance. According to BounceTogether, it can help to:
- Improve memory retention
- Sharpen cognitive functions (like reasoning, attention and problem solving)
- Manage stress
- Boost emotional wellbeing
Top tip: Establishing a consistent sleep routine and limiting screen time can help you get the shut-eye you need.
Book a tutor for a last-minute revision session
Ready to use these last-minute revision tips to boost your productivity and grades?
Our handpicked tutors are here to help.
All our tutors have at least two years of experience and are thoroughly background-checked, so you know you’re in safe hands.
They’ll be able to design tailored revision sessions that take into account your strengths, weaknesses and learning style to help you reach your full potential.
In fact, 90% of Tutorful students improve by at least one grade.
Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.
FAQs
How do I revise last minute?
If you need to revise last minute, we always recommend completing a past paper to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Then, work on the areas that require the most improvement, using your chosen revision techniques.
What is the 2-3-5-7 revision method?
The 2-3-5-7 revision method is a spaced repetition technique.
It involves learning the material (day 1) and then revisiting it on days 2, 3, 5 and 7 to improve memory retention.
Is 2 hours a day enough revision?
That depends on how long you have left until your exams, how much content you need to learn and where you’re currently at in your preparation.
Ideally, we’d advise revising for no more than 4 hours a day, but this can differ for everyone.
Head over to our dedicated guides on GCSE and A Level revision for more tips.
