How Self-Studying Students Can Use Save My Exams to Achieve Top Grades

Are you studying for an extra qualification and prepping for exams independently? Studying for exams without a classroom, teacher support, or structured timetable can be tough.

You may have questions like:

• Where do I start? 

• How do I know I’m covering everything? 

• Am I revising the right topics in the right way? 

Without a teacher to guide you or classmates to compare notes with, it's easy to feel lost in a sea of textbooks and past papers.

Save My Exams has got you covered. Everything you need is in one place: examiner-written revision notes, thousands of exam-style questions, and detailed mark schemes that show you exactly what examiners want to see. 

Whether you're taking an extra A Level, topping up your AP, or squeezing in an additional IB subject, we're here to help.

This guide will show you how to make the most of Save My Exams to turn your self-study journey into exam success.

Key Takeaways

• Save My Exams provides complete, curriculum-aligned revision notes for self-studying students who don't have access to classroom teaching.

• Our exam-style questions with detailed mark schemes help you understand exactly what examiners are looking for, even without teacher feedback.

• The platform works on any device, giving you the flexibility to study anywhere, anytime, fitting around your unique schedule.

Key Features for Self-Studying Students

Revision Notes

Think of our revision notes as your virtual teacher and textbook combined into one resource.

What makes them perfect for independent learners

• Complete syllabus coverage: Every single specification point is covered, so you won't accidentally miss something crucial.

• Written for self-study: There’s no confusing jargon and each concept is explained from scratch.

• Visual learning aids: Diagrams, flowcharts, and examples help you understand, without needing a teacher to draw things on a board.

• No guesswork: You know exactly what you need to learn because we've aligned everything to your exam board specification.

Self-studying students face challenges when studying. Our revision notes help you overcome them:

Read our guide to using revision notes effectively and add them to your study routine.

Past Papers

Studying alone doesn’t mean studying without resources to help you hone exam technique. We have hundreds of past papers for you to access whenever you need them.

Why past papers matter when you're studying alone

• Exam-style practice: Every question matches the real format, difficulty, and wording you'll see in your actual exam.

• Instant feedback: Detailed mark schemes let you mark your own work accurately without needing a teacher.

• Filter by topic: Struggling with photosynthesis or quadratic equations? Jump straight to questions on that specific topic.

• Build confidence: Regular practice of full past papers means you'll walk into the exam hall knowing exactly what to expect.

Exam Questions

Downloading and using exam questions to test your weak spots means you can turn them into your learning strengths. This maximises your chances of hitting the top grades.

How Exam Questions work for independent learners

• Organised by specification point: Find exactly the area you're struggling with and drill down into it.

• Targeted revision: No more wasting time on topics you've already mastered.

• Efficient learning: Get straight to what you need instead of hoping the right questions appear in a past paper.

Mock Exams

There’s no better practice for the real exam than by completing timed mock exams. 

Settle into your quiet study space where you won’t be disturbed, set a timer, and complete a Save My Exams mock exam in your subject. They’re written by examiners and teachers, so you know you’re practising the content that will come up in your real exam.

What you get:

• Instant feedback: Your paper is marked by our AI-powered tool as soon as you submit it, so no need to wait for a teacher.

• Grade prediction: Once marked, you’ll receive a clear indicator of your grade.

• Progress tracking: This is gold dust for self-studying students. There’s no need to miss out on a teacher tracking your mock exam marks, when Save My Exams stores everything in your dashboard.

Pro tip for independent learners: Do past papers under timed conditions, then spend just as long reviewing your answers with the mark scheme. This review time is when you really begin to understand the vocabulary and answer formats that examiners reward the highest marks for.

Smart Mark

Smart Mark is an AI-powered tool that gives you instant feedback on your Exam Question answers. It shows you exactly where you gained marks, where you lost them, and how to improve your answers to hit top grades.

The problems Smart Mark solves:

• No teacher to mark your essays: Self-studying students may struggle with longer written answers because there's no one to tell them if they're on the right track.

• You can't identify your own mistakes: It's really hard to spot what's missing from your own work when you're the one who wrote it.

• Instant feedback: You don't need to wait days for a teacher to mark your work. Smart Mark gives feedback in seconds.

Target Test

For self-studying students, Target Test is like having a data analyst and personal tutor rolled into one. 

You design your own personalised test, choosing question formats, difficulty, and timings. Then, the tool analyses your performance and provides instant feedback, guiding you on what to study next to improve your result.

How independent learners use Target Test

Flashcards

Don't worry about creating your own flashcards for revision. Save My Exams has them digitally pre-made, so you can get testing your knowledge straight away.

The self-studying student's time-saver

The great thing about flashcards is how versatile they are. You don’t need a laptop or grand study space to make the most of them. Why not:

• Review key definitions whilst waiting for a bus or during breaks.

• Use them first thing in the morning to activate your brain.

• Test yourself the night before covering a topic in your main study session.

• Combine them with our Exam Questions: learn with flashcards, then test with questions.

• Explore our comprehensive how to use flashcards guide.

Tips for Making the Most of Save My Exams

Follow these tips to make the most of Save My Exams.

1. Start With the Revision Notes, Then Test Yourself

When you're studying independently for an exam and learning without a teacher, the order you tackle resources really matters. Here's your winning formula:

1. Read through the revision notes on one topic completely before doing anything else.

2. Make your own condensed notes or mind maps to help the information stick (no one's going to do this for you!)

3. Immediately test yourself with Exam Questions on that exact same area whilst it's fresh.

4. Mark your answers honestly using the mark scheme.

5. If you got questions wrong, pop the weak spots into your revision timetable for the following week, and hop over to our flashcards to practice recall.

This cycle of learning and testing is how you build solid, exam-ready knowledge without a teacher to guide you. 

2. Create a Consistent Study Routine

Independence is brilliant, but without the structure of school, you need to create your own discipline. Here's how:

• Download the free weekly study timetable (opens in a new tab) available at Save My Exams. It has handy hourly slots that you can use to structure your week.

• Work in focused blocks: Try 25-minute study sessions with 5-minute breaks. This is called the Pomodoro Technique and is a great way to maintain focus. 

  • No teacher means no one's watching, so you need to be honest about actually working.

• Don't study in bed or on the sofa: Create a dedicated study space that signals "this is work time" to your brain.

How Katerina and Her Son Used Save My Exams

Katerina’s son was studying independently for an extra A Level in Biology, alongside his other college work.

She appreciated the value for money that the platform offers: “We didn’t use a tutor, as this would have been prohibitively costly.” 

Katerina (opens in a new tab) also recognised the comprehensive resources that boosted her son’s learning. “Save My Exams filled a huge part of the gap between the text books and the exam itself, providing him with focused revision notes, levelled questions and explanations of the answers and full past papers with mark schemes.”

How to Get Started

Getting started with Save My Exams is really easy. 

1. Visit the Save My Exams website.

2. Click on the "Join now for free" button. 

3. Sign up with your Google account or your email address and set a password.

4. Select your exam board and subject. 

5. Once you're logged in, you'll land on your dashboard. 

6. Take a few minutes to explore the menus and familiarise yourself with where everything is located.

The free trial gives you full access to all features, so make the most of it by exploring everything the platform offers. You'll quickly see how it can support your independent learning journey.

Frequently Asked Questions From Self-Studying Students

Will Save My Exams Give Me Everything I Need to Pass My Exams?

Take a look at the full list of subjects we cover. If yours is on the list, Save My Exams provides comprehensive coverage of your specification.

• Our revision notes cover every topic on your exam board syllabus.

• Our exam questions, past papers, and mock exams give you practice across all areas. 

• The mark schemes show you exactly what examiners want to see in your answers.

• Our flashcards give you speedy revision boosts.

Can I Use Save My Exams if I've Never Studied the Subject Before?

Yes. Our revision notes are written to be accessible even if you're starting from scratch.

Each topic begins with foundational concepts and builds up gradually to more complex ideas. The clear explanations help you understand even if you don't have prior knowledge.

For complete beginners, we recommend working through the topics in the order they appear in the specification. This ensures you build your understanding logically without jumping ahead to topics that assume prior knowledge.

Can I Access Save My Exams on My Phone or Tablet?

Yes, Save My Exams works on any device with an internet connection.

The platform is fully responsive, meaning it adapts to work smoothly on phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. You can switch between devices and your progress automatically syncs across all of them.

This flexibility is perfect for self-studying students who might study in different locations.

Just log in with your account details on any device, and you'll have instant access to all your resources.

Boost your Chances of Exam Success With Save My Exams

Self-studying for exams is challenging, but you can achieve top grades with the right resources and approach.

Save My Exams gives you everything you need in one place: comprehensive revision notes, thousands of practice questions with detailed mark schemes that provide the feedback a teacher would give, and a dashboard that helps you stay organised and tracks your progress.

Our platform supports independent learners like you to achieve top grades without traditional classroom support.

Start your free trial today and discover how Save My Exams can transform your revision. You've chosen to take control of your education. Now give yourself the tools to succeed.

References

Save My Exams Trustpilot review - April 2022 (opens in a new tab)