By the IPEd Accreditation Board
Please join the Accreditation Board in wishing all of this year’s accreditation exam candidates a productive pre-exam preparation period and the best of luck during the exam itself later this month. We will be thinking of you on the day.
Preparing yourself for the accreditation exam
By the IPEd Accreditation Board
If you are a candidate for the upcoming IPEd Accreditation exam, you are now in preparation mode – revising grammar rules, practising on past exam papers and testing your knowledge with another exam buddy…
There’s another preparation regime that will stand you in good stead for the day and that’s preparing your mind and body. Here are some useful tips to give you a greater chance of success.
A few days before, reread the “Exam Day” section of the Guide for candidates (latest version) until you are familiar with it. Double-check the exam location, the time of the exam and the contact phone number for the lead invigilator at your venue (in the case of an emergency).
Plan your travel route. If you’re driving in, investigate where the nearest car park is that will allow you to park for at least 5 hours. Prepare for possible public transport or traffic delays by scheduling an early arrival time.
Make a list of everything you will need to take for the exam – books, your bound notes, snacks – and start lining them up at the front door.
The night before (Sunday 21 August), plan to get enough sleep. You may be feeling nervous. This is normal! It means your brain is alert, so use that on the next day to your advantage. However, if you are beginning to feel anxious and overwhelmed, try some deep breathing exercises, meditation or visualisation to get to sleep and to help get you through the exam.
Now that you’ve woken up refreshed (we hope!), eat a nourishing breakfast. Brain activity needs a lot of calories and you will be drawing on your reserves of memory and nerves for several hours.
Plan when you will have lunch. You may wish to take snacks such as protein bars and a thermos of tea or coffee into the exam with you so prepare that now and put it with the other things you will be bringing. (Remember to check the guidelines on food and drink in the Guide for candidates.)
The last thing you must bring is confidence. You can be confident in your abilities as you have probably been working as an editor for some time now. The exam is designed to show your competency as an editor, so enjoy demonstrating your skills.
We want you to pass so – good luck!