How to Study Past Questions Effectively: The Secret to Smashing WAEC & JAMB (2026)

How to Study Past Questions Effectively: The Secret to Smashing WAEC & JAMB (2026)

Let’s be honest for a second.

Almost every student in Nigeria buys a past question (PQ) series. Whether it’s for WAEC, NECO, or JAMB, that booklet is usually the first thing you pay for after registration.

But here is the confusing part: If everyone has the “expo” (the past questions), why do so many students still fail?

The answer isn’t that they didn’t read. It’s that they read the wrong way.

Many students treat past questions like a novel. They read the question, look at the answer, memorize it, and move on. That is a recipe for disaster.

If you want to score above 300 in JAMB or clear your papers in WAEC with A’s, you need to change your tactic. In this guide, I’m going to show you how to study past questions effectively so you can walk into that exam hall with zero fear.

The Golden Rule: Don’t Just Read, Solve

Here is the biggest mistake I see students make.

They hold the PQ booklet in one hand, flip to the answer key at the back, and just memorize: “1 is A, 2 is C, 3 is B.”

Please, stop doing that.

JAMB and WAEC are smart. They might repeat questions, but they often twist them slightly. If you memorized the answer without understanding the concept, you will pick the wrong option when they change the numbers or the phrasing.

Do this instead: Cover the answer key. Attempt the questions first. Force your brain to think.

When you struggle to find an answer, your brain creates a “knowledge gap.” When you finally look up the solution, your brain fills that gap, and you are much more likely to remember it.

Topic-by-Topic Strategy (The Sniper Approach)

Imagine trying to swallow a whole bowl of eba at once. You’ll choke, right?

That is what happens when you try to solve 10 years of past questions randomly. It’s overwhelming.

A better way is to study by topic, not by year.

Let’s say you are studying Biology. Don’t just answer random biology questions from 2015 to 2024. Instead, pick a topic, like “Genetics.” Go through your textbook, understand the basics, and then find all the genetics questions in your past question booklet.

This helps you see how the examiners set questions on that specific topic.

Before you start diving into specific subjects, you need to know exactly what topics to expect. We broke down the essential areas for you in our guide on the JAMB syllabus 2026 for Biology. If you don’t use the syllabus, you are basically shooting in the dark.

Simulate the Exam Hall (Beat the Clock)

You know the material. You’ve studied hard. But on exam day, you run out of time.

Painful, right?

Speed is just as important as accuracy. Especially for CBT exams like JAMB where the computer logs you out automatically.

Once a week, set up a mock exam for yourself:

1. Pick a full year (e.g., JAMB 2023 English).

2. Set a timer on your phone (be strict—give yourself 10 minutes less than the actual exam time).

3. Remove all textbooks and phones.

4. Start working.

This trains your brain to work under pressure. It also highlights your weak points. If you realize you are spending 5 minutes on one math problem, you know you need to fix that.

By the way, before you get deep into study mode, ensure your registration is actually sorted out. You can check the price of JAMB form 2026 and get the official cost breakdown so you can plan your budget properly.

Reverse Engineering: Using the Answer Key Correctly

Sometimes, the answer keys in these booklets are wrong.

I’m serious. These booklets are printed by humans, and typos happen.

If you pick answer ‘A’ but the book says ‘C’, don’t just accept it. Ask yourself why. Go back to your textbook.

• Why is ‘C’ correct?

• Why is ‘A’ wrong?

This is called reverse engineering.

When you understand why the other options are wrong, you gain a deeper understanding of the topic. According to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), candidates often fail because they lack deep conceptual understanding, not because they didn’t memorize facts.

Common Mistakes That Will Cost You Marks

I’ve tutored many students, and these are the habits that usually lead to “stories that touch”:

• Cramming the options: “The answer to the question about photosynthesis is Oxygen.” No. Read the full question. Maybe this year they are asking what is consumed, not what is produced.

• Ignoring the corrections: If you fail a question during practice, don’t just mark it wrong and move on. That question is a goldmine. It shows you exactly what you don’t know.

• Using outdated materials: Syllabuses change. Ensure your past questions cover the last 5-10 years, but prioritize the last 5 years. You can verify current requirements on the JAMB IBASS Portal, which provides the official brochure and syllabus.

Conclusion

Learning how to study past questions effectively isn’t rocket science, but it requires discipline.

Don’t be the student who memorizes the booklet. Be the student who uses the booklet to understand the examiner’s mind.

If you treat every past question session like the real exam, the actual exam will feel like just another practice session.

Over to you: Which subject gives you the most headache when studying past questions? Physics? Government? Let me know in the comments below, and I might just drop a tip for you!