Preparing for your STEP exams? How to revise efficiently

It’s not always easy to prepare for an exam when you’re a full-time professional. It can seem difficult to know where to start, especially if you’ve been out of full-time education for a while, and especially when you’re already working long hours. But help is at hand – here are some tried-and-tested study tips so you can learn how to revise for your STEP exams efficiently.

Tip #1: Understand the exam format

Not all STEP courses are examined in the same way; it depends on the course structure. While many STEP courses do have a ‘traditional’ exam at the end, which may feature multiple choice and/or essay questions, others are examined by way of a written assignment.

The first stage in STEP exam preparation is making sure you understand exactly how your course will be assessed. You can find this information on the CLTI website or on your online learning platform.

Tip #2: Build a realistic study plan

Managing STEP studies alongside a full-time job isn’t always easy, but it’s absolutely doable and the key is good planning. As a full-time professional, your days of all-night library cramming before exams are over. With time at a premium, you’ll need to plan very carefully when and what you’re going to revise.

If possible, revise in multiple short sessions (the Pomodoro technique, which involves 25–45 minutes of studying followed by a five-minute break, is useful here) and sticking to one or two topics per session. Spaced repetition, where you revisit material at gradually increasing intervals, can also be a highly efficient study habit to use.

Look out for creative opportunities to maximise the time you spend with the information you need, too. Try sticking copies of your notes to the kitchen cupboards or bathroom mirror during exam periods, so you can go over key information while making a cup of tea or brushing our teeth.

Tip #3: Use active study techniques

‘Active’ studying means that you’re not just passively taking in information but working on being able to recall it at the same time. For example, good study strategies for STEP information could be to create posters or mind-maps, use flashcards or take practice exam questions, rather than just re-reading notes.

Richard Feynman, the famous physicist, used to recommend teaching a topic to a child – the idea being that if you could simplify something complicated to the point where a child could understand it, it meant that you really understood it yourself. However, the CLTI has yet to find a child who will stand still long enough to learn all about trust and estate law. So, as an alternative, you could try grouping up with your fellow students using the online learning platform.

Tip #4: Make the most of your resources

When you study with CLTI, you get access to all sort of course resources. Although your course manual might be your bible for revision purposes, there’s lots of other useful resources for STEP students to dip into – from past exam papers to podcasts to the forums on the online learning platform.

The best revision techniques for exam success will take advantage of a wide variety of resources. Struggling to find time to read your notes again? Why not pop on a revision podcast and go over a topic while you take the dog for a walk? 

Tip #5: Stay motivated and manage your stress

Preparing for STEP assessments alongside maintaining your career can be difficult at times. You need to maintain your focus and avoid burning out and it can be easier said than done. Here are a few tips for reducing your stress level when it starts to get too high:

• Take a break or give yourself a reward. The biggest reward of all will be getting your digital certificate, but don’t wait until you get there before giving yourself a treat. A nice cup of coffee, a hot bath (without your revision podcast), a slice of chocolate cake, a session of yoga here, a spa day there. It’s a long journey to the STEP Diploma; there’s no need to make it a hard one.
• Talk to your peers or join a study group. The online learning platform has a forum where you can chat to your fellow students. Some students also choose to set up off-platform study groups. There’s no pressure to join these if you don’t want to, but not only can there be valuable networking opportunities to be had by talking to your peers, it’s also reassuring to speak to people who are in the same boat as you, working and studying at the same time. Some lifelong friendships have been made over the STEP Diploma.
• Practice mindfulness and treat yourself well. It may be an overused word these days, but mindfulness techniques such as journaling, exercise and meditation can be really useful for helping to reduce stress. Taking care of your body and moving it regularly is the most important advice we can give you. Just remember, it will all be worth it on the day you get your certificate.