Not reading the question paper - It is one of the most common mistakes that most students make when they do not utilize their 15-minute reading time properly. First and foremost, students should read the question paper carefully and thoroughly so as to organize their thoughts and manage their time well through the exam.
Not following the hierarchy - You need to remember a lot of things regarding the content of the answer. Always follow a hierarchy when answering the questions and remember never to answer essay-type questions without properly planning the order in which various points are to be covered.
Diagrams - Use diagrams whenever required and diagrams should be neat and labeled. Also, additional points are given to students who manage well to present an examiner-friendly answer script with legible and neat handwriting, sequential presentation of answers and their sub-parts, and underlining/highlighting keywords and technical terms.
Copying incorrect data - Avoid doing so and especially in numerical questions it is found that students copy the data incorrectly from the question paper, or from one step of the problem to the next. Also, ensure to convert the data is in appropriate units.
Never leave out questions - It is important to attend to all the questions as from experience, one of the main reasons students underperform in exams is not because they answer questions badly but because they leave out questions. Remember, every long question you leave out will lessen your chances of getting a good score and even drop you by a grade.
Time mismanagement - If you can't find the time well then you will find yourself struggling to complete the paper which might create anxiety and panic towards the last few minutes of the exam. Devise a time plan on how much time you will dedicate to each question and category and always stick to it.
Never bother looking around the exam hall - Never spend time looking around the hall and this is one of the most common things students do, especially in exams they find difficult. They spend time looking around and trying to check how their classmates are doing. This is a waste of time and there is really no point in doing this.
Don’t get stuck on a question - Never spend much time, particularly on a hard question, and don’t sit there panicking about it. It is best if you can have a quick think about it, mark it with a highlighter, and move on to another question. There are good chances that by the time you come back to it your subconscious mind will have already set you up to make an attempt at it.
Never panic - This is one of the most important pieces of advice given to all students during exams. It is important to calm yourself by visualizing yourself in the exam hall. Ensure to read the paper and pick out the questions you are going to do early on that will help calm you as it removes the stress caused by the unknown of what’s coming up.
Never eat unhealthily - Even this sounds frivolous and unavoidable. This tip is important as eating unhealthy leads to indigestion, lethargy, drowsiness, laziness, and eventually a waste of time. Not only it will make you feel like sleeping at a time when you should be studying but will also affect your concentration level during exams.