If your first instinct when marks drop is to study longer, you’re not alone.

Most students assume better grades come from more hours. More notes. More rereading. More highlighting. However, higher marks usually come from studying differently, not studying more. The biggest mistake I see is passive revision. Rereading notes feels productive because it’s familiar. But recognition isn’t the same as recall. In exams, you don’t get to recognise the answer, you have to produce it.

Instead of rereading, switch to active recall. Close your notes and write down everything you remember about a topic. Answer practice questions without looking at solutions. Teach the concept out loud as if explaining it to someone else. Struggling slightly during revision is a good sign, that’s your brain strengthening connections.

The second shift is analysing mistakes properly. Most students check answers, see what they got wrong, and move on. High-performing students ask: Why did I lose marks? Was it a knowledge gap? Misreading the question? Weak structure? If you don’t diagnose the error, you’ll repeat it.

Another major upgrade is exam technique. Many students know the content but lose marks because they don’t answer the question precisely. Pay attention to command words like “analyse,” “compare,” or “evaluate.” Structure responses clearly. Practise under timed conditions. Exams reward clarity and relevance, not just knowledge.

Finally, focus on quality over quantity. One hour of focused, distraction-free practice questions is more powerful than three hours of half-attentive revision. Put your phone away. Set a clear goal for the session. Review strategically. Improving your marks isn’t about exhausting yourself. It’s about being deliberate and practising intentionally. That’s where the real improvement happens.

Isabella Mackay