The BGS website contains feedback from 5 students who took this exam. One thought that 90% was new, but the others thought it was not a problem exam. The author of the most detailed post stated that the new questions were simply slight modifications of old questions.
It is true that the examiners are currently introducing new questions at a greater rate than was previously the case. This obviously increases the element of risk for candidates who have simply memorized the answers from the various question banks. But there is nothing unfair or unreasonable about introducing new questions. From the examiners’ point of view the ideal exam paper is one in which all of the questions are new to the candidates.
To maximize their chances of passing the exams, candidates must study the course material then use the question banks to develop their ability to recognize and solve the various problem types. The alternative method of simply memorizing answers from question banks requires less effort and has often been successful in the past. But it greatly increases the risk of “getting unlucky” in the new exams.
Last edited by keith williams; 10th May 2013 at 12:33.