- Build a plan backwards from the exam calendar
- Split weekly time according to subject weights
- Use an error log and spaced repetition
Elvin has six months left before the exam. He wants to open the textbook and read from page one. But smart preparation starts from the calendar, not the textbook: first write down the dates, then work backwards and set a goal for each month. A plan reduces stress because you always know what to do today.
The 2026 calendar
| Event | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| First round of university applications | 18 February – 5 March |
| Grade 11 school-leaving exam (first stage for current graduates) | 9 and 15 March |
| Grade 9 school-leaving exam | 5, 12 and 26 April |
| First stage for earlier graduates | 19 April |
| DIM's trial exam for the second stage | 10 May |
| Second stage, 1st attempt | 24 May (groups II, III), 7 June (groups I, IV) |
| Second stage, 2nd attempt | 5 July (groups II, III), 12 July (groups I, IV) |
Six months, six goals
| Month | Main work | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnosis: take a full timed practice test, read DIM's subject programmes, make a topic list | A map of weak and strong topics |
| 2 | Foundations: weak topics in the 1.5-weight subjects, one topic a day | Summary sheets of key formulas and rules |
| 3 | Foundations 2 + written tasks: practise writing full solutions | 20+ written answers per subject |
| 4 | Going deeper + one timed mock a week, analysing mistakes | The error log grows while repeated mistakes shrink |
| 5 | Exam mode: two mocks a week, the tasks and explanations DIM publishes, the official trial exam | A stable pacing plan and a stable score |
| 6 | Review and rest: error log, formula sheets, a light final week | A calm, well-rested candidate |
- 1Monday – Friday
2–3 hours a day: about 60 percent of the time on the 1.5-weight subjects, 30 percent on the subject with weight 1 and 10 percent on reviewing the error log.
- 2Saturday
A full or half mock test starting at exam time (for example, 11:00). Phone away, timer in front of you.
- 3Sunday
Analyse the mock (1 hour): write every mistake into the log. The rest of the day is for rest, sport and friends.
Leyla is preparing for group III, DT subgroup: Azerbaijani (1.5), history (1.5), literature (1). She can give 16 hours a week to the second-stage subjects. Split the time in proportion to the coefficients. How could she adjust the plan if literature is her weakest subject?
Show solutionHide solution
One part: 16 / 4 = 4 hours.
Azerbaijani: 1.5 · 4 = 6 hours, history: 6 hours, literature: 4 hours.
Adjustment: if literature has many weak topics, she can give it 1 extra hour (5.5 + 5.5 + 5), but she should not cut the 1.5-weight subjects much — every point there is worth 1.5 times as much.
Learning that sticks
Three columns for every task you got wrong: 1) the task (briefly), 2) why I got it wrong (a knowledge gap, carelessness, time), 3) the correct rule or method. In weekly reviews, read mainly this log.
For each topic in your plan use Educora's subject courses (Mathematics, Azerbaijani Language, English Language, History of Azerbaijan and others): every lesson ends with a quiz — ready-made material for your 1–3–7–14 reviews.
Key points
- Build the plan backwards from the calendar; dates change every year, so check dim.gov.az.
- Six months: diagnosis → foundations → written tasks → mocks → exam mode → review and rest.
- Split weekly time in proportion to the weights and add a little to your weakest subject.
- An error log and 1–3–7–14 reviews make what you learn stick.
Check yourself
10 questions. Every correct answer earns XP.