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Writer's pictureMath Lobby
Aug 4, 20206 min read

Top 5 reasons why students fail their examinations

Updated: Nov 23, 2020



Hello, students of Math Lobby! Today, we will be going through the top 5 reasons why students fail their examinations in school.



We do understand that it is extremely de-motivating to experience such a low period, hence we are here to help you understand the reasons behind it and how you can become aware of the underlying issues so that you can avoid it to make you a better student. Let’s begin!


1. Lack of preparation


This point is quite self-explanatory. The number one reason why students have a hard time passing their subjects is because they only start studying a week before their examinations.



This has always been the norm for many students as they are experiencing adolescence during their time in secondary school, which leads to them being more pro-active and have a difficult time concentrating.



This is why Math Lobby has articles that offer tips and advices in aiding students that have poor concentration and focus during their revisions, which you can check them out right on the link above!



Students also face issues with distractions as they tend to prioritize outings with friends, engaging in recreational activities like catching the latest movies, indulging in restaurants with trendy food and filming “Tiktok” videos.



This led to the negligence of their studies because they always have the mentality of “the deadline of the assignments is still far ahead”, or “there is no need to study for the upcoming examinations as of now, because recapping few days before will be sufficient”.



This is a prime example of how procrastination strikes and cause students to make poor decisions, which Math Lobby has articles covering it as well, and you can check them out above!


2. Poor time management


Coming in second place, another culprit of examination failure is also known to be the bane of all students – time.



Even if you are fully prepared for an examination, equipped with all the necessary knowledge to answer the questions and understood the key concepts like the back of your hand, it will mean absolutely nothing if you are unable to pen everything down on the paper during the examination.



Therefore, it is essential to understand the importance of time management not only during examinations, but also during your revisions.



Adopting good time management habits during revisions will definitely help to build a strong foundation in prioritizing key tasks at hand, allowing you to produce high-quality work in an allocated amount of time.


3. Studying strategies, are you using the right kind?


Studying is easy, you just pick up your textbook or lecture notes, stare at it and attempt to understand the concepts, and… you lose motivation because you do not have any idea what to make of those words. You get stuck and cannot seem to figure out where to seek help.



This is why in third place; we are talking about studying strategies.



Many students do not realize that understanding the different types of studying strategies and picking out the best one suited for themselves is of great significance in their education journey.



Studying is not as simple as just reading your textbook and you can expect to excel, you must first know the method which you can comprehend concepts in the most efficient way.



Some students might prefer the use of mind maps to help them visualize the chapters and key concepts learnt in class, and some students might prefer studying in groups to share and discuss about a particular chapter to identify loopholes in their revisions.



In short, there are no hard and fast rules in identifying the best type of studying strategy for you, so why not try all of them and see which one works out for you the best? You can check out the different types of studying strategies Math Lobby has to offer right here!

4. Confidence… too much of it


Students are always told to have more confidence when approaching questions that they are unfamiliar with, tracking back and analyze the questions using basic fundamentals and concepts.



However, students must tread cautiously when adopting this double-edged ‘confident’ mentality, because it does not apply to everything you do.



Being overconfident can actually lead to complacency and it can bite you in the back if you are not careful.



A good example will be to do well in the mid-year examinations, and lack the realization that the number of chapters/topics tested in the mid-terms is only barely half of what will be tested at the end of the year.



Mid-terms are only a rough gauge of your current understanding on certain topics of the subjects you have gone through, and it is never a good indication for upcoming topics that you will be learning in the second half of the year.



As the year progresses, the number of topics increases and the content gets heavier and heavier without you even realizing. By the time complacent students start to study nearing the examination period, it is already too late – lecture notes piled high, and have snowballed since the last examination.



These students will enter a state of panic and distress, trying to rush through each and every topic to the best of their ability but to no avail because they did not take the time to go through each topic slowly to understand it properly.



This is a situation which you never want to be in, so stop being complacent and never be overconfident!



Skip the entertainment and recreational activities, only indulge in them after you have finished your objectives of the day because those can always wait, treat it only as a reward and not a daily affair.



Develop a better studying mindset and be confident in the RIGHT manner by reading the following articles MathLobby has to offer here!


5. Lack of interest


One of the greatest dilemma students will ever experience throughout their education journey is when they are prompted to make a decision on the subjects they choose to study.



Picking a typical subject combination that is deemed by many to have a better future career prospect but is not what you are interested in should never be a thought that crosses your mind, because without any considerations placed into weighing the initial lack of interest in the subject combination, there is no way to even rile up that burning passion for you to excel and reach that end stage in the first place.



Being un-motivated in lessons, rejecting the idea of approaching the subject and doing the assignments are the key factors of why students experience consistent failures in examinations.



Hence, it always calls for concern and the process must always be meticulously thought through. Making any rash decisions can end up being the worst choice you have made in your whole education journey.



Look for your teachers, parents, or any family members that you are comfortable with to discuss this matter.



List out the reasons why you are/ are not interested in the subjects offered, looking and weighing the pros and cons will often be a good gauge in terms of the direction of the future industry you want your career to be based on, and therefore, be able to devise a clear plan in the subjects you should take to ensure you start early and have the basic required knowledge and understanding to explore that field of study when you further your studies.


And that’s all for today, students! Math Lobby hopes that after reading through this article, you have gained valuable insights on the top five reasons of why students fail their examinations, and how you can avoid them by heeding the tips and advices we have for you!



If you have any pending questions, please do go on to our Facebook page, Instagram or contact us directly at Math Lobby! We have certified mathematics tutors to aid you in your journey to becoming a better student!



As always: Work hard, stay motivated and we wish all students a successful and enjoyable journey with MathLobby!



If you want to receive more Study Tips from us,


Contact us via SMS/WhatsApp/Telegram/Call +65 96322202

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