There’s a common belief among SQE2 candidates that success is all about the number of hours studied or mocks completed.
“I’ve done 50 mocks.”
“I’ve been revising every evening for months.”
“I spend all weekend studying.”
Those things sound impressive — but they don’t guarantee a pass.
Because the truth is simple: the SQE2 isn’t about how much you do — it’s about how well you do it.
Quality Over Quantity
The SQE2 assesses whether you can think and act like a solicitor. That means showing a clear, structured, legally accurate response that demonstrates understanding and judgement.
If your answer is confusing, incomplete, or so vague that the examiner is none the wiser about your reasoning, you won’t score well — no matter how many hours or mocks you’ve done.
Every practice task, every mock, every revision session should have one goal: improvement through clarity.
Ask yourself after every task:
• Did I identify the key issues?
• Did I explain the law clearly and correctly?
• Did I apply it logically to the client’s facts and provide advice that solves the client’s problem?
• Would a reader — or a client — understand my advice?
If not, you’re practising repetition, not refinement.
The Trap of “More Is Better”
It’s easy to fall into the mindset of counting effort instead of measuring progress. You finish five mocks and feel productive — but if you haven’t reflected on what went wrong, you’ve just repeated the same mistakes five times.
Quantity without understanding is like running on a treadmill — lots of motion, no real movement.
You don’t need hundreds of mocks. You need deliberate practice that helps you “get it” — to grasp what examiners are actually testing: clarity, structure, accuracy, and client-focused communication.
What “Getting It” Looks Like
So what does “getting it” actually mean in SQE2 preparation?
It means you:
• Know why you’re doing something, not just how.
• Understand the marking criteria and tailor your answers to hit them.
• Can explain complex legal ideas simply and confidently.
• Use consistent structures so your writing and oral answers are clear and professional.
In short, it’s not just about finishing a mock — it’s about being able to teach yourself something from it.
Reflective Practice Is the Secret Weapon
After every mock or timed task, take 10–15 minutes to review what worked and what didn’t.
Ask:
• Did I miss an issue? Why?
• Did I apply the law correctly, or just state it?
• Did I explain every concept mentioned? Were my explanations clear, or did I rush?
• Did I manage my time effectively?
This kind of reflection is what separates the candidates who pass from those who plateau. It’s not glamorous, but it’s where real learning happens.
The Hour Myth
Spending 300 hours on SQE2 prep doesn’t automatically mean you’re ready — just as spending 100 hours doesn’t automatically mean you’re not.
It’s what you do within those hours that counts.
You could spend an hour reading notes passively and learn little, or you could spend an hour actively recalling law, practising a skill, and analysing your performance — and learn more in that one hour than in ten passive ones.
The best candidates study smart:
• They plan their sessions.
• They balance knowledge revision with skills practice.
• They seek feedback.
• And most importantly, they make every session purposeful.
The “Reader Test”
One of the simplest ways to measure whether you “get it” is this:
If your answer leaves the reader none the wiser, you’ve missed the mark.
In the SQE2, every written and oral task is communication. You’re not just demonstrating legal knowledge — you’re advising a client, persuading a judge, or explaining something clearly.
That’s what the examiners are looking for: clarity, confidence, and logical structure.
You can spend hours memorising, but if your final answer doesn’t make sense to the reader, those hours don’t matter.
Final Thoughts
The SQE2 isn’t a game of endurance — it’s a test of competence. Passing isn’t about who studies the most or who does the most mocks; it’s about who can show, clearly and confidently, that they get it.
So stop counting hours and start measuring progress. Focus on understanding, not repetition.
Because in the end, the examiner won’t see how many hours you studied — they’ll only see your answer.
And if that answer leaves them none the wiser, all that effort could still lead to failure.
Simple as that.