The most critical period in LGS preparation isn't May, it's September. An intensive program set up with only a few weeks to go before the exam is, for most students, a late attempt to catch up. A simple, sustainable routine set up in September, on the other hand, keeps building over nine months. This article explains what needs to be in place in the first month for a student starting grade 8, and the parent's real role in the process.
When Should LGS Preparation Begin?
The short answer: preparation begins in the first week of grade 8, not a few months before the exam. But the word "begin" shouldn't be misunderstood here. What needs to be set up in September isn't a heavy workload, but the routine itself: what to study on which day, when to take practice exams, and how to track mistakes.
For a student with gaps in the fundamentals, preparation actually begins in grades 5 and 6. That's why the grade 5-6 program at Altıneller Schools focuses on strengthening the fundamentals rather than on the exam; in grade 7, preparation camps aimed at grade 8 come into play.
Four Things to Set Up in September
A fixed study time: a short but uninterrupted block at the same time every day. Aim for consistency rather than duration.
A practice-exam routine: which day the practice exam is taken and when it's analyzed should be set from the start.
A mistake notebook: unless the reason a question was answered wrong is written down, taking practice exams just repeats mistakes.
A sleep schedule: a sleep schedule that breaks down in September affects the whole year; this is an academic issue.
How Many Practice Exams Should Be Taken?
The right question isn't "how many," but "what is done after each practice exam." A practice exam that isn't analyzed is just a morale check; its contribution to learning is limited.
At Altıneller Schools, grade 8 students take nationwide practice exams every week; LGS simulations equivalent to the real exam are held during the year. Results are tracked through weekly learning-outcome assessments via the Altıneller Development Monitoring System. Subject teachers, mentor teachers, and the counseling unit analyze the results together and build an individual program for missing learning outcomes.
What this structure means is: a practice exam isn't a grade, it's a diagnostic tool. The student sees where they stand every week, and the teacher knows where to step in.
What Are Camp Periods For?
The grade 8 program includes an 8-week intensive camp and a camp period in May with a series of LGS simulations. The purpose of the camps isn't to teach new topics, but to make what's already known quick and accurate to use under exam conditions.
This distinction matters: a camp builds on a foundation laid since September. Without that foundation, a camp doesn't make up the gap; it just wears students out.
The Parent's Role: What to Do and What Not to Do
What to do:
Keep the study environment quiet and consistent
Ask about the analysis after a practice exam, not the result
Follow the feedback from the counseling unit throughout the process
Protect sleep, nutrition, and rest routines
What to avoid:
Comparing correct-answer counts with other students
Rebuilding the program from scratch after every practice exam
Turning the exam into a shared source of family anxiety
Grade 8 is the year a child faces serious exam pressure for the first time. A parent's greatest contribution is not adding to that pressure.
The Seasonal Rhythm from September to June
September-October: setting up the routine, identifying gaps in the fundamentals, establishing the practice-exam routine
November-January: completing topics and tracking learning outcomes; first-term simulation
February-April: review, speed work, an individual program for missing learning outcomes
May: camp period, a series of simulations, adapting to exam conditions
June: rest, maintaining pace, preparing for exam day
Conclusion
LGS preparation isn't a speed race; it's a nine-month process of steady accumulation. A routine set up in September is always stronger than a program set up in May. What a student needs isn't more hours, but a process that is tracked and gives feedback.
For the preparation process after moving on to high school, see our article When Should YKS Preparation Begin?; for details of the LGS program, see our LGS curriculum page. You can pre-register for our Open Days to see our campuses in person.