How to Study for the Leaving Cert

Up to 75% of second-level students reported feeling extremely stressed due to exam pressure. Trying to balance classes, homework, studying, extra-curricular activities, and staying sane can very challenging.

There is hope though! With an effective study strategy, you can learn more in less time, helping you feel ready when you’re walking into the exam hall.

Here are some important steps that will help you get the best results in the Leaving Cert exams:

📅 Make a Study Plan

Making a plan is essential to stay organised. Here’s some steps that I used during my Leaving Cert to make a study plan:

1. Map out your subjects: List the subjects your doing, and figure out how much time you should allocate to each. Struggling with something like HL Maths? Give it some extra time.
2. Be specific: When allocating a study block, don’t just say “Study Biology”. Use something more specific like “Revise Photosynthesis”.
3. Be realistic: Don’t set 5 hours of study on top of your homework and school work. You won’t be able to maintain it. Consistency is so important.

Using a timetable template is a great way to get started. You can use the free study timetable template from MH1 Tutors to make your plan.

📝 Use Past Exam Papers

Using exam papers is the best way to mimic exam conditions. It also familiarises you with the format of the exam and can help you spot any patters in the papers. In my opinion, this is the best way to revise for exams.

Many students do well in class, but tend to struggle with exam papers. That’s why most grinds schools or teachers focus heavily on exam questions. If you want to get started with a grinds tutor, check out MH1 Tutors, or contact us and we can connect you with a grinds teacher.

🧠 Use Study Techniques That Work For You

We all have different methods of learning. On top of studying using exam papers, you should also try out different study methods, and see which one helps you learn the most. Some examples could include:

Flashcards: Have a keyword/questions on one side, and the explanation/answer on the other.

Pomodoro: Study for a set period (eg. 30 minutes), then take a 5 minute break. After 3-4 cycles, take a longer break.

Blurting Method: Read through your notes for a certain topic. Hide your notes and try to write (blurt) as much as you can remember onto a page/whiteboard. Mark your work, and repeat a couple of times.

💪 Take Care of Yourself

Your body also needs rest and fuel to perform at its best. Make sure that throughout your study you’re still taking care of yourself. You will do much better and will be able to learn a lot quicker if your mind is fresh and well rested.

• **Sleep:**Aim for 7-9 hours per night. Cramming until 3am might feel productive, but you’re doing your body no favours, and you won’t remember much of what you studied.
• Exercise: Even a 20 minute walk after a tough study session will help immensly!
• Healthy Food: Whole foods instead of fast food will help your mind and body feel better and allow you to focus for longer.

🚀 Start Today

No matter when you are reading this, starting today is the best thing you can do. Delaying it will not help you in any ways. You don’t need the perfect study plan, or perfect environment. Just start by doing a small bit of study each day. You’ll slowly start to find your routine and you can improve on it as time goes.

As they say:

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.

The Leaving Cert is tough, but you’ve got this. The fact that you have read this article means you want to do well, and are willing to improve. Best of luck, from the entire team at MH1 Tutors!