Wednesday 13 April 2016

SCS February 2016 examiner's report- what can we learn?

One of the best ways to prepare for a future exam is to look at what the examiners have to say about a previous sitting.

After each Case Study sitting the examiners write a report of what they noticed and what tips they would give to future students.

Here is a summary of some of the key themes from the February report:

Pre-seen Preparation



One of the key points raised by the examiners is the importance of getting to know the pre-seen:

"Candidates should read the pre-seen material carefully and come into the examination understanding the industry and the company which will be the focus of the exam. This will help candidates formulate good answers that relate to the questions."


It is essential that you analyse the pre-seen company, but if you want to get those extra marks you need to go further.

The examiners are looking for that extra research into how the business operates and how this may relate to the question you are being asked.

Manage Your Time - Pick Your Questions

The examiners offer some good advice on time management:

"Candidates must manage their time well and make sure they do not run out of time on sections they know well."

The key part of this quote is "sections they know well". The likelihood is that you will not know everything that comes up in the exam, so it's important you highlight the questions you feel you can answer the strongest.

It can be tempting to focus on each question as they come up, but if you feel you are starting to get bogged down, skip ahead to a question you know you can answer. You will always be able to come back to the difficult question at the end, after you have banked some marks.

Knowledge and Application

The examiners made a point of highlighting the importance of having knowledge from the entire syllabus. However, having just having the knowledge isn't enough:

"A good level of knowledge of the three strategic syllabi is necessary in order to do well in the exams; it is not enough to have knowledge of topics candidates must be able to apply their knowledge to a variety of situations and show they have an in depth knowledge of the subject matter."


It is vital that you have a full understanding of the entire syllabus and that you are able to then apply this knowledge to what the questions is asking you.

Ensure you go through all areas of P3, E3 and F3 because there is no telling what's going to come up in the exam.


Full Report

To find out everything mentioned by the examiners, read the full report:

SCS Examiner's Report February

Based on the points raised by the examiners, see how we can help you by taking a look at our Pre-seen analysis and Study Text Part 2

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