Tips and Tricks on How to pass the WAEC Exam.

Well, it’s way better:
It’s a 3000+ words pack of practical wisdom on how
to pass the WASSCE.
It comes with legal(badass) tips and tricks from
people who actually aced the WASSCE / WAEC
examination.
It comes with practical tips that’ll guarantee below
average students ace the WASSCE.
It aims for every student who follows its instruction
to achieve, at least, a B on every subject.
It comes with loads of new stuff not included on
other guides on how to ace the WASSCE.
Once again, I’m not exaggerating when I say you’re in the
right place if you want to pass the WASSCE.
Take a deep breath. In fact, reward yourself with a cookie
—you’ve done well.
Before the exam day…
To prepare to ace the WASSCE, there are some steps you
need to take before the exam day.
The first step you need to take to pass the WASSCE /
WAEC examinations is:
Have the strong desire to pass the
WASSCE / WAEC examination
I want to ask you one simple question:
How bad do you want to pass the WASSCE?
Your answer to the question above would define how
strong your desire is to pass the WASSCE.
If you tell me you want to pass the WASSCE as bad as
you want to breathe.I’d know you have a strong desire to
pass the WASSCE.
The truth is:
Most students fail the WASSCE because they never had a
strong desire to pass it in the first place. They see the
WASSCE as a panel that’s already judged them before
their first trial appearance.
And if they had an option, they’d not appear in court.
These students loss the war before it’s even fought.
When you have a strong desire for success, your body
would be programed or activated to chase it.
Without desire, there is no spirit.
Without desire, there is no hope.
Without desire, there is no goal.
Without desire, there is no fuel.
Without desire, there is no flame.
Lit your fire of desire today.
Find the right motivation
Image Source: Flickr (Steven Depolo)
Don’t confuse having a strong desire to pass the WAEC
examination with being motivated to do so.
According to Word Web dictionary:
So you may have a desire for something, but if you’re not
motivated to go for it, you may never have it.
For example:
Your motivation to obey the instructions on this guide
may be inspired by your desire to pass the WASSCE.
Have faith that you’ll pass the
WASSCE / WAEC examination
According to Dobrin:
Have faith in the possibility that you’ll pass the WAEC
examinations in flying colours.
The effect of mixing desire and faith has a psychological
benefit:
It improves your confidence to crush any paper on the
WASSCE / WAEC examination.
Start preparing early
Don’t wait until when it’s 3 weeks to the start of the exam
before you start intense reading. Start preparing for the
WASSCE the moment you know you’d write the exam.
Develop a study plan
Anybody who wants to pass the WASSCE / WAEC
examination needs a timetable.
Don’t plan to depend on anybody on
the exam day
If you plan to depend on someone in the exam day,
you may end up disappointed, frustrated and
dejected.
Humans can’t be 100% trusted. Your best buddy who
promised to help you on the exam day may disappoint
you.
Your girlfriend/boyfriend/ teachers may be wary to help
you on the exam day for one reason or the other.
Besides, you can get caught for cheating.
So:
Learn and prepare to stand on your own. You are your
best saviour or investment.
Discover your weaknesses and build
on them
Contrary to popular believe:
There is no harm in trying to build on your weakness.
There is no harm in engaging in an activity where you
can’t make much impact.
Some people argue that this would keep you from
frustrating yourself and others.
I find this theory wrong because:
1. It stops you from improving yourself.
2. It stops you from working on your weakness and
your weakness could lead to your downfall.
You’re weaknesses could be anything:
Topics you don’t find pleasant
Your poor (ineligible) hand writing capacity
Your poor drawing capacity
Etc.
Here’s an illustration:
You may not become an expert in solving problems on
differentiation. Yet, the little you’ve struggled to learn
could fetch you a few marks on the WASSCE.
A few marks can make you move from a B to an A.
How to discover your weak topics
One of the best ways to do this is to take practice tests .
These tests should be centred on every topic for every
subject you plan to write on the WASSCE.
Don’t neglect basics
Have you seen a footballer who can’t kick a ball? It
doesn’t make sense right? After all, kicking a ball is one
of the fundamentals of being a footballer.
There you have it:
Fundamentals / basics matter in everything we do.
For example:
Don’t go learning all the gas laws if you can’t covert from
Kelvin to degree Celsius.
Most students skip the basics of various topics in a bid to
reach their goal quicker or easier.
These students fail to revise introductory topics before the
exam.
They assume that the basics to most topics are not that
important.
But, they are usually hit with this sad truth on the exam
day:
Basics are important in having a solid base.
If you have a solid base, you’d be able to fight the
toughest questions.
Don’t neglect “easy” topics
Take any WASSCE past questions and you’d certainly see
“easy” questions.
Some of these “easy questions” are awarded high marks.
Yet, students still fail to answer these questions correctly.
It’s not because these students are dumb. But, they were
too busy focusing on relatively harder topics at the
expense of easy ones.
For example:
I’ve seen students who concentrated on covering topics
they treated in SHS 2 to their final year. To them most
topics treated in SHS 1 are easy and didn’t need much
attention.
But, they were hit with the truth when questions from
topics they treated in SHS 1 appeared in the WASSCE.
Don’t make that mistake.
Understand how you study best
Every individual learns differently.
It’s important you know how best you study.
For example:
A student who learns best at a quiet environment would
certainly need to study in a library or quite room.
Know that you come first
I remember the words my high school proprietor would
say:
I do not mean you should be selfish or anti-social.
But know this:
After high school, you and your friends are most likely to
go separate ways. But, your WASSCE / WAEC results go
with you wherever you go.
So whatever you do should be to your best interest.
If you fail the WASSCE / WAEC examination at the
expense of helping others, you’re to blame.
Note: I’m not saying helping others is bad, but when the
help you give them becomes a liability—cut it off.
Remember, it’s your life.
Put the WASSCE / WAEC examination
in perspective
Don’t act as if you don’t have anything at stake before the
WASSCE / WAEC exams.
Think about how best you can optimise your chances of
passing the WASSCE every day.
Note: Don’t do this in an obsessed manner. You may go
crazy.
Know the exam location before the
exam day
Some students have missed exam because they didn’t
know the exact location of their exam.
It’s not right for you to start asking for directions to the
exam venue on the exam day. Do all your investigations a
day or days before the exam day.
Remove fear from your dictionary
When we experience fear, our adrenal glands release
adrenaline into the blood stream. This causes a series of
biological reactions in our body:
It increases blood and oxygen flow to our muscles
so we can run faster.
It restricts blood flow to other areas such as our
stomach.
It dilates our pupils so we can better see things
around us.
This is also known as the ‘fight or flight’ mode. In this
state, our senses and reflexes become heightened.
It’s easy for us to escape real and physical danger.
But, these reactions are only helpful when we are facing
real physiological danger. They do not help us when we
are facing self-perceived dangers.
Self-perceived dangers don’t actually result in any
physical harm. So, we only become held back by such
responses when we don’t need them.
A WASSCE question paper should not make you fear—it
can’t give you any physical harm.
Self-perceived fear of the WASSCE does you no good. It’d
only make you to make wrong decisions before the
WASSCE or in the examination hall.
Remove every trace of fear from your brain—it does you
no good.
Rewire your mind for success.
Plan like a pro
Develop a strategy or plan for each subject before the
WASSCE.
I’m not talking of negative strategies like:
How sneak text books into the exam hall
How to sneak mobile phones into the exam hall
How to store answers in your calculator
How to write answers in a your body without getting
caught
I’m referring to positive strategies that worked for me,
such as:
1). Knowing the types of topics you love the most
I’ve already advised you try your best to be friends with
every topic.
But, some topics should reserve a special place in your
heart. These are the topics you’re most likely to get
correct.
For example:
My favourite topics for Elective Mathematics included :
Statistics
Matrices
Differentiation
Integration
Transformations
I usually get questions on the topics above correct.
So, when they appeared on the actual paper. I wasted no
time in choosing them.
I scored an A at last.
2). Having planned introductions for your essay:
This strategy has helped me to score great marks in the
following areas:
WASSCE English Language question paper
IELTS Essay Writing
SAT Reasoning Test Essay Writing
I didn’t like going through the hustle of trying to create an
introduction opener. So, I had about 5 predefined
introductions stored in my head.
I’d select anyone that best fits the essay I planned write
or twist it to rhyme with it.
Understand the exam format for every
subject you’re to write
This would enable you to make smart decisions before the
WASSCE.
For each subject you’d be writing, try to find out:
How long will the exam be?
How many questions will you be expected to
answer?
How many questions do you need to answer pass?
How many questions will you have to choose from?
What can you expect the questions to be about?
What you’re allowed to take into the exam?
Will the exam be the same form as previous years?
Which questions carry the most marks?
For example:
You wouldn’t waste time answering questions with little
marks if you know which ones carry most marks.
Form strong alliances with bright
students
Image source: Flickr (Kennedy Library)
Mix up with the brightest of students
Form study groups with them
Learn from them
You’d become a better students associating with students
better than you.
Leverage the power of examination
centres (May / June WASSCE)
WAEC usually request for WASSCE exam centres to get
some materials before the exam.
You can use this to anticipate the kind of questions that
are likely to be asked(for practicals).
For example:
If WAEC requests your school to get the following items
ready before the  Biology practical:
Maggots
Cockroaches
Etc.
You can definitely guess the type of questions that would
be asked in the exam. So you’d know what topics to
intensely cover.
Develop consistency in reading
actively
This is the one of the hardest parts in your preparation to
pass the WASSCE / WAEC examination.
It’s one thing to make a promise to read every day, or to
obey your timetable.
However, it’s another thing to keep to this promise.
Distraction, procrastination, and laziness shouldn’t be in
your arsenal.
They are just ingredients that’ll guarantee you fail the
WASSCE / WAEC examination.
Read wide
Source: Flickr (Judit Klein)
It’s good to cover every topic in the WASSCE / WAEC
syllabus .
But, it’s also important you cover more than what is listed
in your WASCE / WAEC Syllabus
WAEC is also known for bringing trial questions. These
questions are usually from topics that are not on the
WASSCE / WEAC syllabus.
Reading wide can place you in a position to answer a trial
question and get it right. This could save you the hustle of
answering a relatively harder question on the exam.
Take regular breaks
Study breaks are important for several reasons. There’s a
limit to what your brain can handle in any one-study
session. Trying to push past that without giving your body
any time to recover will just leave you tired.
Know the content on the WASSCE /
WAEC syllabus
There is a possibility your teacher or textbook may not
cover every topic in the WASSCE / WAEC syllabus.
It’s left to you to know which topics need to be covered
prior to the exam.
Develop consistency in practice—
practice, practice, practice
Some students prefer to read than practice. But, this is a
bad learning habit.
Science even shows that constant practice benefits
students.
Recommended:
1. WASSCE / WAEC past questions
2. WASSCE / WAEC practice tests
Get familiar with every topic you’re
required to know
Don’t cast a dice on which topics to cover.
We all know WAEC recycles questions from it’s WASSCE
past questions.
But, that doesn’t mean they can’t bring new questions
from unpopular topics.
Recommended: WASSCE / WAEC syllabus
Take notes
Take notes of important deductions, explanations, etc.,
during your study.
Exercise regularly
I mean both physical and mental exercise that will
rejuvenate your body and mind. Here are some examples:
Play chess regularly
Jog regularly.
Etc.
Watch your health
It’s a very bad thing to be inflicted by sickness before the
exam.
So, watch your health before the examination day.
If you’ve been bitten by lots of mosquito lately, take some
malaria medicine a week before the exam.
Otherwise, imagine the damage you’d face if your hit by
malaria a day to the exam.
Avoid stress
It’s important you spend your time reading, but don’t over
work your brain.
I’ve seen students that spend the whole night reading,
only to forget what they read the next day due to stress.
Cram for the exam if you have no
better option
If you didn’t have time to prepare for the WASSCE in
advance, you may need to learn as much as much as
possible in a short period. Cramming may be your best
option.
But, cramming is not an effective way to study, although
it is better than not preparing at all.
Learn how to study effectively
Effective study requires time management, note taking,
clear mind, pace, active reading, memorization and a few
tricks .
Know that your teachers are important
For those writing the May / June WASSCE / WAEC
examination, your class work makes up 30% of your
score for each subject.
I believe you already know who is responsible for
submitting your class scores—your teachers.
Most teachers just give their entire students marks above
20 for different reasons.
However, if your teacher doesn’t like you, he/she could
give you a mark that will guarantee you stand a hard
chance of scoring an A on the WASSCE / WAEC
examination.
So if you are the type that always creates problems for
your teachers—repent.
Also, if you treat your teachers nicely, they’d be motivated
to teach you to the best of their ability.
You may not like your teachers, but just act as if you do.
You may even need this skill to excel in the real world.
Eat well
Image source: eatingwell.com
Your brain won’t be able to function at its best if you’re
not eating properly. Getting enough nutrients will allow
your body and brain to function optimally while you study
for the WASSCE and on the exam day.
Make sure that you eat the right food at regular intervals.
Stay hydrated
It’s tempting to load up on caffeinated beverages when
you’re studying for the WASSCE.
But, be careful. Caffeine will dehydrate you. Dehydration
can cause fatigue, so drink plenty of water.
Caffeine can also give you a wicked case of the caffeine
jitters.
Pray for success if you’re a believer
Source: Natefancher.com
Atheists may not believe in prayer. However, I’m spiritual,
so I’d say pray for God’s guidance prior and after the
exam.
Besides, there are many psychological benefits of prayer.
According to Wikipedia:
On the exam day…
Here are the tips you need to follow on the exam day:
Be confident
If you’ve attended class, taken notes, studied…
In fact, if you’ve obeyed all the tips in this piece, you can
be confident that you’re ready to take the exam. Having
this confidence and visualizing yourself passing the exam
will help you be successful.
Check yourself properly before you
enter the examination hall
I’ve seen students disqualified even though they
unknowingly carried unwanted materials into the exam
hall.
So, make sure you’re not with any unwanted material
before you enter the exam hall.
Have the necessary materials…and in
duplicate forms if necessary
Write everything you need on a piece of paper and make
sure you have them at hand before the exam.
You should also make sure you have the duplicate copy of
any necessary material you need.
These include:
Pen
Pencil
Calculator
Eraser
Read carefully before you answer
Read your question paper actively and carefully. Don’t be
in a hurry to assume you know what the question asks
for.
Look out for these words or phrases:
List
List and explain
Enumerate
Describe
Expatiate
Deduce
State
Differentiate
I’ve seen students that “listed” when the question clearly
requested for an explanation.
I’ve seen students from Ghana who answered questions
meant for students writing in Nigeria.
If you make any of these mistakes, you may not be
awarded the full mark…
…or you may not be awarded any mark.
So, be careful before you start answering your questions.
As Nigerians would say: “Shine your eyes well well”.
Fill your details and answers carefully
Don’t make mistakes in filling your answers or inputting
your details to the answer sheet.
Use your calculator to perform a few
tricks where necessary
We all know calculators can perform calculations in no
time.
However, you can also use them to solve some complex
problems in no time.
This would save you the stress and time you may go
through when solving it manually.
It will also help you to crosscheck your values in no time.
For example:
Some acceptable calculators on the WASSCE can solve
quadratic equations, simultaneous equations, etc.
Examples are:
Casio fx-83gt plus
Casio Fx 991ES Plus
Arrive early
Arrive, at least, one hour before the start of the exam.
Know when to go the extra mile
For example:
Some questions may not directly ask you to provide
diagrams. However, to get the full mark or extra points,
you may need to provide a diagram.
This is most popular with questions that use the following
keywords:
Explain
Describe
Show
Etc.
Utilize short-cuts where necessary
Illustration 1:
If you’re doing a chemistry practical on titration, and you
are sure of the endpoint value in you first experiment.
Don’t waste your time carrying out another experiment….
…just add +2 or -2 to your endpoint value to get the
subsequent values.
Illustration 2:
Ratios and proportion
For a physics experiment that requires you to determine
the current I, where length (l) is 15cm, 40cm, 50cm, 60cm
and 70 cm.
You can carefully perform the experiment for the first
value(l=15cm), and use ratios and proportions to generate
consequent values.
Note: You can intentionally introduce some errors in other
not to attract suspicion from the marker.
Presentation is key
Use good English.
Draw nicely
Arrange your work properly.
Avoid a dirty work.
Cancel neatly.
Write eligibly.
Underline sentences or words where needed
Obey the rules
Rules are meant to be obeyed. Failure to do so can get
you punished.
Speed up
You only have a certain amount of time to complete an
exam, so pace yourself as you work. This will ensure that
you get through every section of the exam.
Also, it’d save you enough time to review your work.
Have a watch.
You need to keep track of the time you spend in any
question.
It’d help you pace yourself during the exam.
Be calm
If you are restless, you may not know when you’d say
1+1 is 10.
Also if you’re so excited because you find the questions
easy, you may make the wrong decision.
Review your work
Review your answers before you submit your exam. Look
for any incomplete or missing answers, errors, etc.
Don’t create a scene
Don’t argue with the invigilator.
Don’t disturb other examiners.
Raise your hand when you want to speak to an invigilator.
Avoid any form of cheating
Image source: wischannelc.com
I know you want to pass the WASSCE, but it’s not right to
do so by cheating. Here’re some reasons why:
Cheating is lying: It gives the examiner a false sense of
what you know.
Cheating is stealing.
Cheating causes stress: You’d always be hiding and
worried of being caught.
Cheating could cause you to fail: Your paper could be
cancelled. Also, there are chances you’d copy the wrong
answer since you probably don’t know much about the
topic.
You’ve been given a brain with so much capabilities, you
can use it to ace the WASSCE without cheating.
Besides, people have passed the WASSCE / WAEC
examination without cheating, and you too can do the
same.
Conclusion
If you’ve reached this far by reading every line above, clap
for yourself. You’ve done well.
I hope you follow the instructions in this guide to the
fullest.
I’d love to hear your success story or a thank you note in
the comment section below.
Lastly, don’t be greedy—share this freely . Good luck!