3 Reasons to Study Past Questions in Preparation for JAMB or WAEC

Are you wondering why you need to study past questions and answers for JAMB? Well, revising for JAMB exams is more than just reading through the notes you made in class. It also involves knowing how the questions come and the right approach to answering them. Practicing with JAMB or WAEC past questions and answers can improve your chances of doing well. However, note that depending on only past questions is not advisable. While you study past questions, you should expect the following to happen:

Also See: 8 Steps to Prepare Adequately for JAMB

1. You figure out the popular topics:

There are some topics that JAMB, WAEC or any other exam body will tend to prefer more than others for thoroughly testing candidates. Even though, the JAMB syllabus for instance, contains all the topics of interest, there will still be those topics that are high on the list with questions. By paying more attention to the popular topics, you will set yourself steps ahead in your preparation.

From some computer analysis of past questions, it has been discovered that in Mathematics, questions on geometry, trigonometry, statistics, matrices and differentiation occur more often. Also in English Language, questions on lexis and structure top the list. In Chemistry, questions on organic compounds tend to always top the list. More popular topics like this can be figured out for other subjects when you study the past questions.

2. You become familiar with the pattern: 

This is similar to figuring out the popular topics. JAMB and WAEC have some patterns of setting exam questions. This is not something they publicly announce or dish out to you after registering. Although, JAMB might have a less clearer pattern now considering they now conduct Compter Based Exams. It is suspected that in JAMB CBT exam, they more likely randomly select their questions from a database of thousands of questions in a such a way that two candidates sitting next to each other are guaranteed of seeing different questions.

Nevertheless, revision works best when you practice what you will be doing in the exam. The past questions indicate some JAMB or WAEC trends and patterns or repeated questions giving you some insight into the main topics and possible forms of questions. You can take some of the model exams using our JAMB CBT practice platform to get a quick sense of some of the trends.

3. You reduce some exam tension:

Those that study past questions for any exam usually know that questions can sometimes be repeated from the same topic in a different year, with only a change in sentence, figure or option. You can come to a state of self-preparedness when you attempt as many past questions as possible before sitting for any exam.

If you study past questions, you will get a sense what to expect from JAMB or WAEC in various topics and this will build your self-confidence for the exam. Candidates who experience a lot of exam tension do so because they have not studied enough past questions and become comfortable with the nature of the exam.

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CAUTION:

You don’t want to study with your past questions only, unless maybe it’s a day or two to the exam. Let your text book or study materials stay close to you as you attempt questions. This will still help you learn more deeply as you fill in your knowledge gaps. You can also use online resources to quickly read up some concepts when you feel stuck.

When you have finished marking and scoring, your study materials can help you get detailed information about the questions you got correctly especially when you answered some correctly through guess work. While you are searching your text book, it will help you cover other areas as well. This will crystallize your preparation and gradually give you confidence, and in JAMB, WAEC or any other exam for that matter, real confidence matters a lot.

Also See: Post UTME Past Questions and Answers