PAU Geography (Castilla-La Mancha) exam-day guide
PAU Geography (Castilla-La Mancha) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
DNI or passport (original, valid)
Bring the original identity document, not a photocopy. Spanish candidates normally present the DNI; foreign candidates a passport or residence card. Confirm with your centre or the university which document they accept for PAU access.
Exam admission slip / registration proof
Print or download the proof of enrolment in the PAU (resguardo de matrícula) issued by the university or the Consejería de Educación. Some centres check it at the door. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or a digital version is accepted.
Blue or black ballpoint pens (at least two)
Write in ink, not pencil, for the answer sheets that go to the second corrector. Bring spares; a failing pen mid-exam wastes minutes.
Pencil, eraser and sharpener
Useful for rough work, diagrams, maps and sketches in Geography. Keep final answers in ink unless the instructions say otherwise.
Ruler and, if permitted, a simple calculator
A ruler helps with scale, cross-sections and climographs. Calculator use in Geography is not always allowed: confirm with the provider and with your teacher which materials the instructions permit.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam rooms may not have a visible clock, and phones must be switched off. A plain watch lets you pace the three parts of the paper without touching your phone.
Clear water bottle, no label
Hydration helps in long sittings. Labels are often removed to prevent notes; check the centre's rules on drinks in the room.
Know the paper structure and timing
The Castilla-La Mancha Geography paper normally combines a practical/commentary block (map, climograph, photograph or statistical data), a short-answer or definition block, and a longer development question. Confirm the exact structure, number of questions and duration with the provider and your teacher before exam day.
Review the official syllabus and past papers
Re-read the block list (physical geography, population, urban systems, economic activities, Spain and Castilla-La Mancha regional examples) and practise timing on released PAU papers from your autonomous community.
Know the venue, room and access time
Check the assigned building and room the day before. Arrive with margin for ID checks and seating; late entry rules vary, so confirm with the provider.
Phone switched off and stored as instructed
Smartphones, smartwatches and any device with connectivity must be off and out of reach. Leaving one on can be treated as academic misconduct.
Plan your answer-sheet layout in advance
Decide how you will number answers, leave margins and reserve space for maps or graphs. Clean, clearly labelled answers help the corrector award partial credit.
Plan the day
Consolidate, do not cram. Re-read your summary sheets for the physical geography block (relief, climate, water, vegetation) and the human geography block (population, urbanisation, economic activities). Do one timed practice paper under exam conditions and mark it against the official criteria. List the two or three topics where you lose most marks and revise only those.
Practise the practical skills the paper rewards: reading a topographic map (scale, contour lines, gradients, land uses), interpreting a climograph (temperature and rainfall regime, aridity index), commenting a photograph or landscape, and describing a statistical table or population pyramid. Write one full commentary of each type by hand so you know how much space and time it takes.
Confirm logistics: venue, room, start time, transport and what the centre allows in the room. If anything about materials, calculator or documentation is unclear, confirm with the provider now rather than on the morning.
Light review only: key definitions, the vocabulary of the syllabus, and the structure of a good answer (introduction, description of the data or map, explanation of causes, consequences and regional examples, brief conclusion). Prepare your bag with ID, admission slip, pens, pencil, ruler and watch.
Protect your performance: eat normally, avoid all-night study, set two alarms, and check the weather and travel time. Sleep is worth more than one more topic at this point.
Eat breakfast, arrive early, and keep the pre-exam conversation calm. Do not try to learn new content in the corridor; skim only your own summary of answer structures and key terms.
Read the whole paper before writing. Note the marks or weighting of each question and allocate time proportionally, reserving five to ten minutes at the end for checking. Identify which practical material (map, graph, photo, table) belongs to which question.
For maps and graphs, state what the data show before explaining why. Use figures and units from the source, name locations precisely, and connect local patterns to wider processes (littoralisation, rural depopulation, urban sprawl, water stress, climate gradients).
Outline before writing: a short introduction defining terms, a structured body with causes, consequences and examples, and a conclusion. Use specific Spanish and Castilla-La Mancha examples where relevant, and keep handwriting legible.
Check that every question is answered and numbered, that units and place names are correct, and that no answer is left in pencil where ink is required. Use remaining time to add a missing example or clarify a conclusion rather than to rewrite whole answers.
Rules to check
Bring original, valid photo ID and your admission or registration document. Acceptable documents and the consequences of not carrying them vary by centre and university: confirm with the provider before exam day.
Phones, smartwatches and any connected device must be switched off and stored as instructed. Using or even merely holding such a device during the exam can be treated as academic misconduct.
Write final answers in the ink and format the instructions require, number every answer clearly, and do not write in the margins or areas reserved for the corrector.
Do not bring unauthorised material: notes, textbooks, annotated maps or any prepared sheets. Ask the invigilator before using a calculator, ruler or any aid whose permission you have not confirmed.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on seating, timing, leaving the room and bathroom breaks. Rules on leaving during the exam differ between centres: confirm with the provider and ask the invigilator on the day.
If you need to leave temporarily, do not take the exam paper or any notes with you, and expect supervision. Do not communicate with other candidates once the exam has started.
Scoring follows the official marking criteria for the subject, with weighting set by the university and the autonomous community. Read the marks shown on the paper and answer every compulsory question; partial credit is usually available for correct method and relevant examples.
If you believe there is an error in the paper or a problem with the room, raise it calmly with the invigilator and ask for it to be recorded, rather than resolving it yourself.