ASSEB HS Anthropology exam-day guide
ASSEB HS Anthropology · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission ticket or registration confirmation
Print or download whatever the provider issues as proof of registration. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or a digital copy is accepted, and check that your name matches your ID exactly.
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether the name must match your registration exactly, including middle names.
Permitted stationery (pens, pencils, eraser)
Pack two dark-blue or black ballpoint pens and, if the provider allows, pencils and a soft eraser. Confirm with the provider whether stationery is supplied or must be brought, and whether pencil is acceptable for any section.
Clear water bottle with labels removed
Hydration matters for a long paper. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are allowed at the desk and what container rules apply.
Simple analogue watch
Many halls have no visible clock. Confirm with the provider whether wristwatches are permitted and whether smartwatches or any watch with a digital display are banned.
Transparent bag for belongings
A clear pouch keeps your ID, ticket and pens together and speeds up desk checks. Confirm with the provider whether bags must be left at the back of the hall.
Know the exact venue, room and arrival time
Do a route rehearsal in the days before, note transport disruptions, and plan to arrive well before the stated reporting time. Confirm with the provider the reporting time and the latest arrival after which entry is refused.
Leave phones and smart devices at home or switched off in your bag
Any device that can connect to a network is normally prohibited at the desk. Confirm with the provider the rule for phones, earphones and smartwatches, and the penalty for a device found on your person.
Read the provider's candidate regulations in full
Rules on conduct, breaks, calculators and rough paper vary by session. Get the current version from the provider rather than relying on second-hand advice.
Plan food and medication
Eat a normal breakfast and bring any prescribed medication in its original packaging. Confirm with the provider how to declare medication and whether food is allowed in the hall.
Prepare for the answer format
Check whether answers go in a separate answer booklet, on the question paper, or both, and whether extra paper can be requested. Practise writing under timed conditions with the format you will actually use.
Sleep and a calm pre-exam routine
Avoid new material the night before. A short review of your own summary notes and a full night's sleep will do more for your marks than last-minute cramming.
Plan the day
Finish active revision: instead of rereading notes, write timed answers to past-paper-style questions and mark them against the assessment criteria. List your three weakest topics and give each a focused session. Confirm the venue, reporting time and ID requirements with the provider, and check transport for the morning.
Do one full timed mock under exam conditions, including the answer format you will use. Review only your own condensed notes afterwards. Prepare your bag: ticket, ID, pens, watch, water, transparent pouch. Stop introducing new content you cannot consolidate.
Light review only: skim your summary sheets, key definitions and any case-study or ethnographic examples you plan to cite. Lay out clothes and your packed bag by the door. Set two alarms. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol and late screens, and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat breakfast, check your bag against the checklist, and leave with generous margin for delays. Arrive early, find the room and your seat, and use waiting time for calm breathing rather than last-minute reading. Switch off your phone before entering the hall.
Read the instructions and check the number of questions and marks. Confirm your name and candidate number are on every booklet. Plan your time by marks, not by question count, and decide the order in which you will answer.
Answer the question that is asked, using the terminology of the discipline and concrete examples. For essay questions, spend a few minutes on a brief plan, then write with a clear structure: define terms, develop the argument, support it with evidence, and evaluate. Watch the clock at set checkpoints and leave time to check that every question has been attempted.
Check that all answers are in the right place, that booklets are numbered and labelled, and that nothing is left blank. Correct obvious slips rather than rewriting whole sections.
Do not post question content online if the provider's regulations prohibit it. Note anything you found difficult while it is fresh, then stop analysing the paper and focus on the next component.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider and keep it on your desk throughout. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and what happens if you arrive without them.
Arrive by the stated reporting time. Confirm with the provider the cut-off after which candidates are not admitted and whether any time is added for late arrival.
Keep phones, smartwatches, earphones and any other connectable device switched off and out of reach. Confirm with the provider whether they must be handed in or left in a bag at the back of the hall.
Follow the invigilators' instructions immediately, including on raising a hand, asking for extra paper and leaving the hall. If you believe there is an error on the paper, report it to an invigilator rather than guessing silently.
Do not communicate with other candidates once in the hall, and do not take question papers, answer booklets or rough paper out of the room unless the provider explicitly permits it.
Confirm with the provider the rules on toilet breaks and supervised rest periods, and whether you lose time or are given it back. Plan fluid intake accordingly.
Confirm with the provider the scoring and grading structure, the weighting of each section, and any rules on word limits or penalties for exceeding them before you sit the paper.
If illness or an emergency affects your performance, tell an invigilator at the time and ask the provider about special consideration procedures afterwards; do not wait until results are released.