CIMA students are a friendly bunch. So friendly, in fact, that when we asked those who got the best marks on their exams in 2020 to share some of their secrets to exam success, they couldn’t wait to divulge their tips.
Here, they share how they got the highest marks in the world on their CIMA Case Study exams and dish out some practical hints and tips you can use in your own exam prep, whatever you’re studying or plan on studying in the future.
Memory techniques
Whatever the subject and no matter the type of exam you’re sitting, it always pays to have good short-term memory recall. Everyone learns differently – so the key is to find a memory technique that works for you.
Rachel Knott topped the CIMA results chart with her Strategic Case Study 2020 exam score. For her, memorising key information was all about visual cues. “I write down my own notes, make posters and use different colours”, she says.
Every top performer we spoke to recommended using succinct notes — bite-size chunks of imagery or notes to aid recall. Things like spider diagrams, mnemonics and post-it notes stuck to your bedroom walls can all aid recall and avoid overloading your brain.
Get your head around the pre-seen material
Lots of exams test your knowledge of material released in advance – including the CIMA Case Study exams. Unsurprisingly, our top performers said that a comprehensive understanding of the pre-seen materials was critical to their success.
Indeed, lack of preparation around the pre-seen is an issue our examiners comment on year after year. Ultimately, if you’re not able to demonstrate your understanding of the pre-seen material, the marker will think you’ve simply not read it, your answers will look generic and lack knowledge of the industry.
The importance of planning
When it comes to writing your answers in exams, there’s a time limit. Coming up with answers that score high marks within the time allowed calls for careful planning.
Our examiners say that it’s incredibly easy to spot answers that haven’t been planned correctly, as they lack structure. Unsurprisingly, all of our top performers said that they plan their answers before physically writing out their exam answers.
Danielle Pye, who came joint-first with her Management Case Study exam score, explains her approach: “I read the question carefully and then split my time based on the question weighting".
During her answer-planning, Danielle deconstructs the questions and breaks down the time available to her based on the percentage weighting. That way, her answers will provide more depth where it’s required.
The Objective Case Study top performer, Sanuja Rajasinghe, always makes a list of key points when he’s planning his answers. He finds it makes it easy for him to prioritise which point in his list should come first and provides him with a ready-made structure. As a result, his answers appear well signposted and very easy to mark. In addition, Sanuja’s lists allow him another chance to double-check if the point he’s making is sensible and answers the question set.
Practise, practise, practise
Let’s face it: question practice is time-consuming and challenging. It’s one of the reasons candidates often leave it until the last minute. But every single one of our top performers spoke about the importance of practising exam questions and the data backs that up: statistically, performing a mock exam improves your chances of success on the real thing.
You might find your practice answers are incorrect at first, and that’s totally normal. But don’t be disheartened: learning from your mistakes is a really effective way to improve.
“Through question practice, I improved my time management. I ran out of time during my first mock exam, but I had a few minutes left at the end of the real exam to review my points and correct mistakes”, Sanuja said. The key to question practice is a thorough review of what you answered well and what needs improving.
Application is key
Simply regurgitating knowledge will never score well. What counts is relating that knowledge to the exam questions. We sometimes spot candidates trying to crowbar knowledge into their case study scripts where it’s not relevant or doesn’t answer the question set.
If you can, track down the source document that your exam questions will be taken from. All CIMA exam questions, for example, come from the exam blueprints source document. For Danielle, the blueprints were invaluable in helping her scope out the depth of application of knowledge expected by the examiners.
Look after your wellbeing
All our top performers scheduled time out from study into their plans and made sure they had plenty of breaks during the day. Flexibility was important, with timetables that allowed them to complete their revision and exam preparation a couple of days ahead of the exam day. And they never underestimated the importance of sleep, especially during the final few nights before an exam.
For Rachel, she took a clear few days before the exam to clear her head and wind down. “I aim not to learn anything new right before the case study exam. I leave 1–2 contingency days!” she says.
CIMA has a wellbeing hub packed full of articles and guides designed to support your mental health – and we’re adding it all the time. Accessible to anyone, not just CIMA students, it’s worth a visit if you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or simply want some more resources to help you keep your self care in check.
