SQE Articles
Real insights from someone who has been through it. Strategy, mindset, and the practical tactics that actually work when you are preparing for the SQE.
Passing the SQE Is Only Half the Battle
Passing the SQE is only half of the battle. The less talked about challenge is what comes after: building qualifying work experience and starting again.
Read articleSQE: What You Need to Know Before You Start
Can you do SQE from a non-law background? What is SQE1 and how is it structured? A practical overview of everything you need to know before you start preparing.
Read articleWhat Studying for SQE1 Taught Me About Real Preparation
When I started SQE1, I thought covering the syllabus meant I was preparing. Read the notes. Make summaries. Stay consistent. But I realised later that reading can make you feel more prepared than you actually are.
Read articleHow Long Did You Study for SQE1?
I am often asked how long I studied for SQE1. I do not think the number of months tells you very much.
Read articleNotes That Actually Help You Revise
Most SQE candidates take a lot of notes. They summarise manuals, highlight heavily and rewrite large parts in their own words. I did that too.
Read articleDepth Over Variety: Why Focused Learning Works Better
When preparing for SQE 1, one of the main difficulties is how unfocused learning can become over time.
Read articleHow SQE2 Preparation Is Different: What I Had to Change
I sat SQE2 in July 2025. At first, I thought the preparation would feel quite similar to SQE1. It did not.
Read articleNavigating Through Exam Week
Two principles governed my approach to exam week.
Read articleHow to Build Your Wrong Questions Bank
Here is exactly what I tracked during SQE 1 prep. This is not the only way to do it, but if you want a starting framework, this is what worked for me.
Read articleWhy Your Mock Scores Do Not Always Predict Your Real Score
It is easy to panic after a bad mock score. You see 58% and immediately think that means you are going to fail. But one mock score does not tell the full story.
Read articleThe Wrong Questions Bank
Most candidates do practice questions, get some right, get some wrong, and move on. That is not the most effective way to learn.
Read articleThe Practice Question Plateau: When You are Doing 100 Questions But Not Improving
You are doing the work. Thirty questions a night. Full mocks on weekends. Hundreds of questions logged. But your score is not moving.
Read articleHow I Passed SQE1 on My First Attempt
I passed SQE1 in September 2024 while working full-time. That meant I could not rely on long study days. I had to be more selective with how I used my time.
Read articleHow I Balanced SQE Prep with a Full-Time Job
When I started preparing for SQE 1, I was working full-time. Most days, I finished work exhausted. I did not study more hours than anyone else. I learned to make the hours I had count.
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