Tottori Prefectural Public High School Entrance Examination - Social Studies exam-day guide
Tottori Prefectural Public High School Entrance Examination - Social Studies · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission ticket (受験票)
Your school or the prefectural board issues this through your junior high school. Check your name, the venue, and the start times as soon as you receive it, and keep it in the same pocket every day so you do not misplace it. If it is lost or damaged, contact your homeroom teacher immediately - do not assume you can simply show up without it.
Writing tools (pencils, eraser, sharpener)
Bring several sharpened HB pencils, a clean eraser, and a pencil sharpener. Confirm with your school whether mechanical pencils are permitted at your venue, as some venues restrict them.
Watch (no smart functions)
A simple analogue or digital watch with alarms switched off. Do not rely on a phone; smartphones and smartwatches are generally collected or prohibited. Confirm the venue's policy on watches with your school.
Lunch and drink
Bring a lunch you can eat quietly and quickly, plus a drink. Social Studies is usually scheduled alongside other subjects with a lunch break in between; keep the meal light so you do not feel sluggish in the afternoon.
Outerwear you can remove
Dress in layers. Venues may not be fully heated or cooled, and you need to stay comfortable for the full testing period. Avoid noisy accessories or clothing with distracting prints.
Indoor shoes or slippers if required
Some venues ask candidates to bring indoor footwear or to change shoes at the entrance. Confirm this with your school or the venue in advance.
Transportation plan and fare
Write down the route, the train or bus times, and a backup route. Aim to arrive at the venue 30 to 45 minutes before the reporting time so a delay does not become a crisis.
Review of map and graph reading routines
The Social Studies paper leans heavily on maps, graphs, and source materials. Practise the habit of reading the title, the legend, the units, and the year of the data before answering.
A one-page personal error list
Condense your past mistakes into one page: confusing latitude and longitude, mixing up eras, misreading percentage versus percentage point, and so on. Read it on the morning of the exam, not new material.
Knowledge of the answer-sheet format
Confirm with your school whether answers are marked on a separate sheet, how to correct a mistake, and whether kanji must be written correctly for place and personal names. Practise writing under timed conditions.
Plan for the break between subjects
Decide in advance how you will use the break: check your error list, drink water, and avoid discussing answers with friends, which only raises anxiety before the next paper.
Emergency contact and medication
Tell your homeroom teacher about any medical needs in advance. Bring any permitted medication and keep it with you; confirm the venue's rules on bringing items to your seat.
Plan the day
Stop starting new topics. Re-read your notes on the three strands - geography, history, and civics - and focus on the formats you find hardest: map reading, chronological ordering, graph interpretation, and short written explanations. Do one full past-style paper under timed conditions and mark it strictly.
Review the marked paper and list your top five recurring errors. Rework only those. Check the venue route in person or on a map, confirm the reporting time, and prepare your bag with the admission ticket, writing tools, watch, lunch, and fare.
Do a light review of your one-page error list and key terms. Prepare clothes and the bag by the door. Eat a normal dinner, avoid caffeine late in the evening, and go to bed at your usual time. Do not attempt a new practice paper.
Eat breakfast, leave with time to spare, and arrive early. Read only your error list. Use the restroom before entering the room, switch off your phone and put it away as instructed, and place only permitted items on your desk.
Fill in your name and candidate number correctly, then read the whole paper briefly to see the structure and the point allocation. Start with questions you can answer confidently to build momentum.
For source-based questions, read the question before the material, underline the key condition such as 'choose one' or 'explain why', and check units and years on graphs. Watch the clock and leave time for the written-response questions.
Check that every question is answered and that your answer sheet matches the question numbers. For written answers, confirm you have used the required terms and written a complete sentence. Do not change answers on a hunch without a reason.
Do not compare answers in the corridor. Move on to the next subject and keep your routine calm. Results and follow-up procedures are announced by your school; confirm the details with your homeroom teacher.
Rules to check
Bring your admission ticket and follow your school's instructions on identification. If you are unsure what counts as valid identification, confirm with your school or the prefectural board before the exam day.
Arrive by the reporting time. If you are delayed, contact the school or venue immediately; late entry and extra time are handled at the venue's discretion, so confirm the policy with the provider in advance.
Phones, smartwatches, and other communication devices must be switched off and stored as instructed. Keeping a device on your person during the test can be treated as misconduct.
During the test, do not talk, pass items, or look at another candidate's paper. Raise your hand and wait for the invigilator if you need help.
Breaks and restroom visits are usually allowed only before the paper starts or during designated breaks. Confirm the venue's rules, as leaving during the test may not be permitted.
Scoring and question weighting are set by the prefectural board. Do not assume partial credit for written answers; write clearly and completely. Official scoring details should be confirmed with the provider.
Follow all instructions from the invigilator. Any behaviour judged to be misconduct may lead to your answers being invalidated; if a rule is unclear, ask before the paper begins.