How 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.

Find your weak areas early

At first, I tried to cover everything evenly.

That sounds sensible, but it is not always the best use of time.

Why this works:

• Improving from 30% to 60% in one topic equals 30 marks gain
• Improving from 70% to 80% in one topic equals 10 marks gain
• Same effort, very different returns

Review wrong questions properly

I also kept a record of the questions I got wrong.

That was one of the most useful things I did.

It is easy to get a question wrong, read the explanation and move on. But if you do not come back to it, you may make the same mistake again.

Stay consistent

Consistency also mattered.

I did not study perfectly every day. But I tried to keep coming back to the material, even if the session was short.

Each day you study, you are actively recalling what you learned yesterday. This strengthens your memory far more than studying once a week.

Final thought

If I had to summarise what worked, it would be this.

Do questions earlier. Find your weak areas. Review your mistakes properly.