Louis La Minh Hoang

Today’s computer science session was all about putting my skills to the test — literally. Instead of reviewing notes or doing small exercises, I attempted a full IGCSE Computer Science practical-style exam, the one filled with algorithm design, pseudocode writing, logic tracing, and structured thinking. It was a long, intense session, but honestly one of the most productive I’ve had so far.

I went through the entire paper and ended with a score of 58/60 on the main part. That felt satisfying, not because the questions were easy, but because I could see how much smoother my reasoning has become: loops feel natural, decisions feel predictable, and tracing algorithms no longer feels like guesswork. The only section I didn’t complete was the final 15-mark pseudocode design question — not because I couldn’t do it, but because time ran out. In a real exam, this would have been stressful, but in a practice session, it was the perfect reminder that logic alone isn’t enough; I also need speed and structure.

But the most important part of the lesson wasn’t the score — it was the mistakes. I made two main ones, and both were the kind that can quietly steal marks if I’m not careful.

The first was about defining parameters properly in functions and procedures. Sometimes I wrote headings too casually, forgetting that examiners expect very clear and formal definitions. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand parameters — it was the consistency and clarity that I slipped on. This is the kind of mistake that feels small until you realize the exam gives marks just for writing the heading correctly.

The second mistake was related to validation in pseudocode, something that should be second nature by now. I understood what validation is supposed to do, but I rushed and wrote conditions that weren’t structured the way examiners like to see them. It reminded me that exam technique is its own skill: you can know what to do but still lose marks if you don’t present it cleanly and systematically.

What I loved most about this lesson was how brutally honest it was. When you do real exam questions, you can’t hide behind theory anymore. Everything becomes exposed: your instincts, your habits, your weaknesses, and your strengths. And that’s exactly why this session was so valuable. It showed me what I already mastered — and what still needs sharpening.