Revision survival tips for your RICS APC!

2026-01-15

Your APC final assessment interview to become a chartered surveyor will last for 60 minutes, focusing primarily on your submission and what you have written. This will involve the assessors asking you challenging questions about the reasoned advice you gave in any level 3 examples, the justification behind the decisions you made in your Case Study and the level 1 knowledge that backed up your client recommendations.

Whilst refining your submission with specific examples and clear advice, you can direct your interview to an extent - however, the interview itself and the questions you will be asked are very much unknowns…

So, how can you deal with the pressure and gain the level of confidence and competence required to pass your interview? Here are five ways that you can survive the revision process…

Tip 1: Don’t burn out too early
Watch this LionHeart video about what burnout is and how you can balance your APC revision with staying healthy and happy. If you lose sight of the bigger picture, your mental health will suffer and you will not be able to perform at your best on interview day.
Think about revision in terms of a bell curve - you need to do enough to succeed, but not so much that you become burnt out. This is all about the law of diminishing returns!
There are some great ways to manage your revision:

Have a routine with regular start and stop times for your revision. If you enjoy working in the early morning, revise then - if you are a night owl, you could revise more later on. In either case, ensure you leave enough time to have at least 7-8 hours of sleep and schedule in non-negotiable downtime.
Do things you enjoy - after revising, reward yourself! Go for a date night with a loved one, spend time with your kids or take time out for a hobby. Personally, I find that taking my dog for a walk or going for a bike ride freshens up my mind and gives me the mental space to ‘breathe’ again.

Tip 2: Focus on time management
Have a go at using the Pomodoro Technique - a simple way to manage your time when revising:

Break down your revision into small chunks
Pick a task you want to do next
Set a 25 minute timer, during this you only work on the task selected
Stop immediately when the timer goes off!
Take a 5 minute break
Go again…
After four 25 minute cycles, stop and take a longer break, ideally at least 15 to 30 minutes - during this, leave your desk and put revision out of your mind.

If you don’t think that 25 minutes is working for you – try a longer 50 minute work section with a longer 10 minute break. Find out what works for you!

Tip 3: Practise what matters
Your APC interview will be based on your submission, requiring you to verbally explain your reasoned advice at level 3 or what you did at level 2. This means that if you know your submission and examples inside out, you will be far better prepared for potential lines of questioning.

When you are revising, remember that you are not sitting a written exam. You are going to be explaining your advice and justifying your recommendations. Don’t limit your revision to writing down answers - practise giving responses out loud.

Ask anyone you know to test you out on potential questions (even if they don’t know what the right answer is!) And don't forget that LionHeart also offers the chance to practise your presentation.

The art of giving a concise and coherent answer is a skill, and one that you should practise. Even consider recording your answers - even if you find the thought painful! - to see for yourself how you come across. Focusing your revision on the right areas and the right delivery methods will help you to succeed on interview day.

Tip 4: You are more than your APC!
Don’t forget that the APC, although a big professional milestone, is just one small part of your life story. You are not your APC!

It can become all-consuming and difficult to separate yourself from the APC process - but this can be a dangerous position to be in. You are a brilliant human being and not defined by your APC - remember this when the going gets really tough. The crippling anxiety that some candidates experience is a symptom of this, but it is something that you can overcome with the right support.

Taking a step back to find perspective on the process can help, as well as seeking support from LionHeart or your employer. Talking always helps - be open and honest with those you love so that they can understand what you are going through. Although they can’t take your APC for you, they can give you gentle and kind support when you need it most.

Tip 5: Enjoy the process
There are many ways to revise - one that I enjoy is improving my market awareness. This could be through watching the news, reading the property press or scanning good quality Instagram or social media accounts.

There are so many ways that good quality, reliable information is disseminated - so find the right delivery method for you (e.g., written, audio or video).

Being aware of topical issues and wider market updates will help you to give informed answers and advise clients diligently. It can be a fun part of the process and doesn’t just limit you to reading your submission over and over again!

Jen Lemen FRICS is co-founder of Property Elite, which provides training and support for the RICS APC, Assoc RICS and FRICS qualifications. She is also an RICS APC assessor.

Revision survival tips for your RICS APC!

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