This coming weekend before the forthcoming Advanced Tax exam, it is important to strengthen your resolve for the battle ahead.

At this stage, I do not recommend you look at any new questions or technical material. Instead, just read through the answers to the questions you have already done.

Carefully go through my LinkedIn posts and the topics below making short, summarised notes. Many of my students tell me that the one area they left out is usually the first thing they notice in the exam.

I also recommend you spend some time today setting up your workspace for the remote invigilated exam ensuring that your desk is clear apart from your calculator, keyboard, and mouse. Draw the curtains and turn on the lights ensuring you are comfortable with the working conditions. You can also practise going on to TestReach looking at some specimen questions so you can open up different documents and copy and paste using control C and control V.

The rush of adrenaline you feel is natural and is your body’s way of preparing you. It is important for you to spend a few minutes calming your untamed mind down. Affirmations like ‘I WILL pass the exam’ ‘I CAN pass the exam’ will strengthen your self-belief.

The day has finally arrived. This is what we have been preparing for during the last few months. Like an athlete getting ready for a race, you will feel a bit jittery and tense thinking of the Advanced tax exam today. I am sending you positive vibes.

Just stay calm and collected. It is not about getting it all right. You only have to produce a reasonable answer to get 50%. In order to do this, use guerrilla warfare tactics. Instead of meeting the examiner head-on, swoop down into the question getting the easy marks and attempting the parts of the question you are prepared for. Target the parts you understand and do not forget the nine marks on ethics and presentation.

Above all, believe in yourselves and do your absolute best. If you do this, you can hold your head up high and know you have fought a good fight. At the end of the day, you only need to be true to yourself. 

#neildacosta #kaplan #taxtips #advancedtax