BCS Written Economics exam-day guide
BCS Written Economics · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admit card / hall ticket
Print a clean copy and keep it with your ID. If your registration status or venue is unclear, confirm with the provider rather than assuming the printed details are final.
Valid photo ID
Bring the exact ID type the provider requires (often a passport or national ID). Check the accepted list and name-matching rules with the provider in advance.
Several black or blue pens
Written economics papers are usually handwritten. Bring at least three working pens of the permitted colour plus a spare, and test them beforehand.
Pencil, eraser, and sharpener
Useful for rough diagrams, axes, and quick calculations you want to erase. Keep them in a clear pouch if clear-pouch rules apply.
Simple non-programmable calculator
Confirm with the provider whether calculators are allowed and which models are banned. If calculators are prohibited, practise all arithmetic by hand.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Many halls have no visible clock. A plain analogue watch helps you pace sections; smart watches are almost always forbidden, so confirm with the provider.
Clear water bottle and light snack
Hydration helps in long written papers. Check the provider's rules on bottles and food in the hall, since these vary.
Printed address, route, and arrival time
Reconfirm the venue and reporting time with the provider the day before. Plan to arrive well before the start to absorb queues and ID checks.
One-page revision sheet
A single page of key definitions, formulas, and diagram labels (elasticity, cost curves, multiplier, comparative advantage). Review only, not new material.
Completed practice under timed conditions
Do at least one full mock in the final 72 hours, writing answers by hand, so your timing and handwriting stamina are realistic.
Exam-day plan for question choice
Decide in advance how you will scan the paper, choose optional questions, and allocate minutes per mark. Write this plan on your revision sheet.
Provider contact details
Save the exam office phone number and email so you can report illness, transport failure, or a venue problem quickly.
Plan the day
Switch from learning to consolidating. Rework your summary sheet, redraw the core diagrams from memory, and do one full timed mock plus a review of your errors. Confirm venue, reporting time, and permitted items with the provider. Protect sleep; do not start new topics.
Light review only: definitions, formulas, and diagram labels. Pack your bag with admit card, ID, pens, calculator, watch, water, and snacks. Lay out clothes, check transport, set two alarms, and eat a normal meal. Stop studying early enough to sleep well.
Eat a proper breakfast, recheck the bag against the checklist, and leave with buffer time. Avoid last-minute cramming of new material; skim only your one-page sheet. Arrive early, stay calm in queues, and locate the room and facilities before the start.
Read all instructions and the full question list before writing. Note marks per question, mandatory sections, and any choice rules. Mark questions you can answer strongly, then build a minute budget that leaves time to check.
Answer your strongest questions first to secure marks, but follow any required order. For each answer, define terms, draw a labelled diagram where relevant, explain the mechanism, and finish with a brief evaluation. Watch the clock at each quarter-point and keep a few minutes at the end to check numbering and units.
Rules to check
Bring only permitted materials. Bags, phones, notes, and smart devices usually must be left outside the hall; confirm the exact list and storage arrangements with the provider.
Carry the ID and admit card the provider specifies and keep them on your desk. If your name or details differ from your registration, raise it with the provider before exam day.
Follow all instructions from invigilators and the printed rubric on question choice, section weighting, and answer-booklet use. Ask an invigilator if a rule is unclear rather than guessing.
Breaks and toilet visits are normally supervised and may not extend your writing time. Check the provider's policy on leaving the hall and on rest breaks.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam and do not take question papers or answer materials out of the hall unless the provider explicitly allows it.
Scoring follows the published mark scheme, so show working, label diagrams, and use economics terminology. Method marks are often available even when a final figure is wrong.
If you are ill or face an emergency, tell an invigilator immediately and contact the provider afterwards about mitigation or special consideration, whose availability you should confirm.