Working with past papers is one of the most effective methods to prepare an exam. Here is where to find papers, solutions, and how to make the most of them.
Official sources
Government agencies. National civil service websites publish recent past papers for most exams.
Ministries and departments. Each ministry or organization publishes its papers: education for teaching exams, finance for tax inspector roles, interior for police and security.
University admissions offices. Most universities publish past entry exam papers and grading examples.
Test agencies. Specific test administrators (College Board for SAT, ETS for GRE, ACT, etc.) publish official sample papers.
Recommended books
Specialized publishers (Princeton Review, Kaplan, Barron’s, Cambridge) publish annual collections of past papers with detailed solutions.
For SAT/ACT: official guides from College Board and ACT Inc. are the only fully reliable sources.
For graduate tests (GRE, GMAT): official ETS and GMAC guides.
For civil service exams: dedicated publishers vary by country.
Forums and peer support
Online forums and groups gather candidates who share papers, feedback and tips.
Social networks. Facebook groups by specific exam, Twitter hashtags, YouTube channels dedicated to exam prep.
How to use past papers
First reading. Read the paper without answering, then the solution. Understand what is expected.
Real-time simulation. Redo the paper in exam conditions (timing, no help). Then compare to the solution.
Error analysis. Classify each mistake by type: knowledge gap, faulty method, misreading the question, time management.
Thematic compilation. Across five years of papers, spot recurring themes. Useful to direct revision.
Limits of past papers
Past papers prepare for a format but not for a specific question. A question never falls twice identically. Method transfers, content does not.
Current events change. A 2018 paper deals with dated topics. Complement with current year press review.
Complete method
Three pillars.
Past papers + method + current events. All three together. None alone is enough.
Quizzes for memorization. See our article on gamification of learning. SAPIRO offers 2,000+ general knowledge questions perfect for short daily sessions.
Human exchanges. Find a study partner or a mentor. Free and accelerates learning.
Worth reading: general knowledge for civil service exams and how to revise in 30 days.