As the great Winston Churchill once said: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Failure is a normal part of any journey to success – and although sometimes it may feel like the end destination, it’s simply a bump in the road.
How we recover and move on from a fail is crucial, and so, we’ve popped our top tips of how to deal with failing an exam below…
1. Write down anything you can remember from your exam.
This will help to remind you of the style of questions and topics that came up and therefore, give you more of an idea of what’s to come when you resit.
2. Get straight back into studying.
It’s very important to do this whilst it is all still fresh in your mind.
3. Make your own notes on the subject.
This could be flashcards, post-it notes or just simply a written document. It’s much easier to digest something you have written down in your own words.
4. Reach out and speak to others.
There are many people who can provide guidance and support to help you on your journey. You may find by doing this that you are also helping someone else who is finding the exam a challenge.
5. Look at your results.
Make sure that you take notice of the learning outcomes that didn’t go so well. Understanding the areas that you’re less confident in will help you focus your revision.
6. Look over all the resources that you already have.
Was there something you didn’t use that may be worth a look? Like practice papers, tests, audio guides or apps? If so, use them next time and it could make all the difference!
7. Book yourself back in!
Arguably the most important tip would be ‘jump back on the horse’ (as it were), and book back in for your exam whilst it’s all still fresh.
Just remember that a failed exam does not define you or have to mean the end of your journey – take it as a learning curve and keep on going. Think about the positives; the many hours of revision you have put in have not gone to waste, it’s all incredibly helpful in your development and still counts as CPD!
