Exam Day Checklist: What to Do Before and During Your Exam

On exam day your preparation is already done. What is left is logistics, nerves and small decisions, and these small decisions decide whether you walk into the hall calm or flustered. This checklist is built for Nigerian conditions: unpredictable traffic, early starts, light outages and centres you may not have seen before. Always follow the specific instructions from your exam body, school or centre, because rules differ.

Two to three days before

• Confirm your centre and time. Check your slip, admission letter or school notice. For a centre you do not know, ask a friend who has been there or visit it beforehand if it is close.
• Plan your transport. Work out how you will get there, who you will go with, and a backup if the first plan fails. Keep transport money set aside.
• Sort your documents. Put them in one envelope or folder and keep it where you will not forget it.
• Stop learning new topics. Spend these days on revision of what you know and on past questions. How to use past questions explains how to do that well.

The night before

Bag and documents

Only bring what your instructions allow. If you are unsure about phones, smart watches or calculators, ask your school or look at the official candidate guidelines for your body.

Power and phone

Charge your phone and power bank early in the evening, in case NEPA takes light. Set two alarms, one on your phone and, if possible, one on another device or ask a family member to wake you. Silence notifications. If the alarm is your only plan, a drained battery becomes a disaster.

Last revision

Keep it short. Read one page of summary notes, formulas or key definitions for each paper. Do not start a new chapter. If you want a final practice, do 15 to 20 questions on a topic you already know, so you finish on a good note.

Food and sleep

Eat a normal dinner. Do not try new food or heavy meals that may upset your stomach. Aim for a sleep time that gives you a full night. If you cannot sleep because of nerves, lie down quietly anyway; rest still helps. See how to beat exam anxiety for breathing exercises that work in bed.

Exam morning

1. Wake up with time to spare. Avoid rushing; haste causes forgotten items.
2. Wash, dress comfortably and wear layers if the hall may be cold or hot.
3. Eat something light. Bread and egg, pap, or fruit are all fine. A heavy meal makes you drowsy and an empty stomach makes it hard to focus.
4. Check the bag against the list again. Do it physically, not from memory.
5. Leave early. Plan to arrive well before the stated time, because of traffic, security checks and queues.
6. Avoid panic conversations. Other candidates discussing what they did not read can rattle you. Step aside, breathe, and stick to your plan.

At the centre

• Find your seat or your computer number first, then settle in.
• Use the toilet before the paper if you can.
• Listen carefully to all instructions from the invigilators. Raise your hand, rather than speak out, if you have a question.
• For computer-based papers, read our CBT exam tips and JAMB CBT centre tips.

Inside the paper

First two minutes

Read the instructions fully, check your personal details on the paper or screen, and write your time plan on rough paper if allowed. A plan like "30 minutes for section A, 40 for section B, 10 to check" prevents drifting.

Answering

• Answer the questions you know first, and mark the harder ones to return to.
• Read each question to the end before choosing. Watch for words like NOT, EXCEPT and ONLY.
• For theory papers, answer exactly the number of questions requested, and write the question number clearly.
• Show your working in mathematics and the sciences. Method marks exist even when the final answer is wrong.
• Use any leftover time to re-read, not to rush out. Check you have not left any item blank.

If you blank out

It happens to well-prepared people. Put your pen down, breathe in slowly for four counts and out for six, then read the question again. Write down anything related you know: a formula, a definition, a diagram. Often the answer returns once you start writing. If it does not, move on and come back.

Do not cheat or follow "expo"

Malpractice can cancel your results and, in some cases, lead to bans. It is not worth the risk, and "expo" claims about leaked papers are a well-known scam. Trust your preparation instead.

After each paper

Resist the urge to hold a long post-mortem in the car park. You cannot change a paper you have finished, and comparing answers only damages your focus for the next one. Eat, drink water, rest, glance at your notes for the next subject and go to sleep on time. For tips on pacing yourself across several papers, read healthy habits during exams.

One-page summary

If you want one last practice run before the paper, open ExamPadi and do a short timed set from the subject you will write next. Free practice is available on Android, iOS, web and Windows, with 46,182 questions across JAMB, WAEC, NECO and NABTEB. Keep it light, trust the work you have done, and walk in calm.