This article is culled from The Excel Guidebook for Students: how to excel in exams, based on ethics compliant principles (Fourth Edition). The Excel Guidebook for Students is published by Exam Ethics Marshal International.
THE LAW OF PLANNING
Education is a journey of self-discovery to prepare you to accomplish your mission on earth. To arrive successfully at your destination in your journey of talent discovery, you must have a plan that specifies purpose, destination, route, means of transportation, departure and arrival time.
Planning drives the implementation of other factors including discipline, hard work, revision, time management, mentorship, research, compliance with exam rules and regulations, healthy living, safety, organization and prayers. The popular adage that says “not to plan is to plan to fail” is as true in business as ot is in education and in life generally.
In all aspects of life, planning is a pre-condition for success. Going into an examination without a plan is like going on a journey without knowing your destination. If you just wake up and start on your journey, you may find yourself in Lagos when you should be in Accra. It is the same with your examinations. You must plan carefully to achieve desired results.
Develop a clear vision of your destination.
Develop a clear vision of what you want to be: lecturer, teacher, movie star, soccer star, medical doctor, lawyer, engineer, musician, journalist, comedian, corporate executive, politician, entrepreneur, banker, anything. This decision will help you decide what you want out of your education. This in turn will help you choose your subjects and develop a general plan. Do not choose subjects because other students are choosing the subjects or because it is what your parents want. First decide what you want to become. Then choose subjects that will lead you to your chosen field or profession. Seek appropriate guidance and counsel from your teacher and parents.
Develop a general plan.
If you decide to be a sports person, say professional footballer, you definitely will have a plan or focus that is completely different from that of the student who aims at being a musician, movie star, medical doctor, engineer or broadcaster. Such general plans should cover a broad range of issues like the societies you belong to, the events you must attend and the programmes for your holidays.
Develop a plan for the session.
In developing your plan for the entire session, take into consideration the examinations you must take within the session, the aspects of your syllabus that must be covered and the notes and textbooks that must be revised.
Develop a plan for each term.
It is important to have a plan for each term within the context of your sessional plan. It is here you must focus more specifically on the examinations for that particular term even though you have been revising generally and regularly. Your typical sessional plan therefore should indicate what examinations are coming, when they are scheduled and what assignments, projects or tests you must write. See Table 1. The Table shows at a glance that there’s an exam for subject A in week 9; a test for subject B in week 4; a project submission deadline for subject C in week 6.With an outline like this, you can hardly be taken by surprise.
