How to prepare for your SQE exams

by Amber Rolfe

Getting ready to tackle the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE)? 

The SQE is a two-part assessment designed to assess the knowledge and skills necessary to become a Solicitor (or Lawyer) in England and Wales. When it comes to passing these exams, preparation is key, making it absolutely vital to invest time into understanding the exam format, reviewing legal concepts, and practising practical skills.

We spoke to Tracy Savage, Learning Director at BARBRI, who are global leaders in legal education, to find out a few of the best ways to prepare for your SQE exams: 

Avoid time-wasting tasks 

OK, so this may seem obvious, but hear us out. 

While you might feel as if traditional revision-based tasks like reading and re-reading notes, highlighting texts, and copying out notes are super productive, they may not be achieving much. Especially if you aren’t actually taking in the information. 

Instead, focus your time on more practical activities that test your knowledge and keep you engaged, such as flashcards, mind maps, post-it notes, mnemonics, quizzes, and interactive learning tools. 

And, avoid procrastination at all costs. We guarantee that houseplant doesn’t need to be repotted in the midst of your mind map…

Mix up your approach 

No matter how much you love a flashcard, sticking to just one type of task isn’t the best way to learn. In fact, using a variety of learning aids is the best way to reinforce learning.  

It’s also important to alternate between subjects during your study sessions. Spaced repetition (i.e. reviewing material over time instead of all at once) is also an excellent way to build the brain’s ‘muscle memory’ (something BARBRI’s Personalised Study Plan (PSP) is based on). 

This smart learning technique will help you to retain information more effectively, not to mention enable you to avoid losing focus during a long study session.

Gamify your learning

Newsflash: revision doesn’t have to be boring. 

If studying has you mastering the art of procrastination instead, it might be time to gamify your learning. 

This could involve everything from setting goals and rewards, and trying to improve your own scores in quizzes, to joining a study group where you can work with others and test each other.  

Some online learning platforms (such as BARBRI’s) also enable you to track your progress, following a Personal Study Plan with achievable goals which are tailored to you.

Practice, practice, and more practice

When it comes to nailing your SQE exams, practice is key. 

BARBRI offers two courses to help with your exam preparation, both of which include a combination of video lectures, workbooks and practice questions. 

SQE1 Prep course students benefit from 3,000+ practice questions, and SQE2 Prep course students will be able to take mock exams as part of their studies. You’ll also get individual feedback on 16 assessment answers and 28 exam answers. For more sample questions, check the SRA website.

Once you’ve gone through all the practice questions, do them again – timing yourself against the clock. 

Create a revision timetable

A (realistic) revision timetable is a great way to not only organise your learning, but also make the best use of your time. 

Ensure you start revising early (across months/weeks, not days), and focus on planning revision sessions little and often. 2 hours of productive learning is much better than 8 hours of trying to learn but getting too tired to remember your own name. 

For each session, it’s also important to take regular breaks to ensure you’re not burning yourself out. For example, for every 20/40 minutes of revision, plan a 5-10 minute break. 

And let’s face it, life may not always be cooperative when it comes to your study schedule – so take any unforeseen events into account and plan your study time flexibly. 

Pay attention to your surroundings

Location, location, location. It matters.

In addition to choosing a tidy and uncluttered area to study in, it’s also a good idea to let housemates or family members know when you’re planning to study – you know, so they can keep their creative but questionable musical freestyling to a minimum. 

If all else fails? Noise cancelling headphones are your best friend.

Additionally, don’t restrict yourself to one study spot. A change of scenery will do wonders for your mindset and focus. You can even choose to learn on-the-go, whether it’s watching online videos or reading learning materials. 

Be nice to yourself

Exam preparation can sometimes mean you forget about essential self-care activities, such as exercise, eating well, drinking water, socialising, and you know…sleeping. 

But in order to stay motivated and positive, it’s absolutely essential to take care of yourself.

That means always take a break if you need it, and don’t be afraid to reach out to someone if you need support – whether that’s your BARBRI learning coach, a friend or family member, or a study buddy. 

And remember: coffee is not considered a meal. 

Minimise stress on exam day (and the day before) 

Think your best revision is done the hour before your exam? Think again… 

To avoid exam day stress, it’s always best to fit your preparation in early, giving you time to relax on and before the big day. And chances are, anything you try to cram in at this point is unlikely to stick anyway. 

So don’t study (yep, you read this right), do some exercise, and get some sleep. Your body and mind will thank you. 

Also, try not to panic or aim for perfection – no one gets 100% in this exam.  

Why study with BARBRI?

BARBRI is an online legal educator specialising in courses that help graduates and legal professionals prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), which enables them to become a solicitor in England and Wales. 

Their SQE preparation courses utilise innovative online technology to provide students with a structured and supportive learning environment, whilst being time and cost-effective. 

More reasons to study with BARBRI include:

• They’re a trusted legal educator with over 50 years helping more than 1.4 million law students and lawyers succeed in legal exams across the globe
• You can study entirely online and around other commitments 
• Learn from qualified solicitors and barristers and get unlimited one-on-one time (if you’re taking the SQE1 course) with your expert tutor 
• Receive extensive careers and employability services, including individual careers support, CV review, interview skills preparation and other resources to boost your industry knowledge
• If you don’t pass the first time around, they’ll help you prepare for your resit for free

Find out more

Want to learn more about SQE preparation courses? Enquire now or try out a free course demo here.