Don’t miss this #1 piece of advice for anyone taking the SQE

“Don’t practice questions until you get it right, practice them until you can’t get them wrong.”

What’s your background, and why did you decide to do the SQE?

Matthew studied Sport and Exercise Science before pursuing law. He chose the SQE route over the LPC, believing it made him a more attractive training contract candidate.

How did you prepare, and what made the biggest difference in your success?

He studied full-time (9-5, Monday-Friday), starting with ~500 practice questions from law school and the SRA. He incorporated Law Drills, escalating from 10 daily questions during commutes to 100 daily in the final month, plus two full mock exams.

What was the hardest part, and how did you push through it?

The sheer volume of content proved most difficult. He overcame this through “relentless” practice question completion, which solidified understanding better than passive revision.

If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?

Focus more on breadth and consistent practice over deep content mastery. He notes: “It’s far better to review smaller amounts of knowledge more frequently than to cram one topic.”

Final advice

Maintain work-life balance and avoid burnout. Pace yourself realistically throughout preparation. “The SQE is designed to test even the most intelligent participants.”