Stressed UK teens seek influencers' help for exams success

An increasing number of British teenagers are turning to online influencers for exam preparation, a trend that is raising concerns among educators. One such influencer, former teacher Waqar Malik, who runs the popular "Mr Everything English" channel, claims to be able to predict exam questions for the U.K. GCSE school exam.

The Appeal and Controversy of Online Predictions
Student Motivation: According to school leaders, students are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of content they need to revise, making the promise of predicted exam questions appealing.

Educator Concerns: Teachers and exam boards, such as AQA, are concerned that students are becoming too reliant on these online channels. While some content creators, like Malik, acknowledge that they are making "educated guesses," educators worry that students are adopting a stranger's views instead of developing their own interpretations.

Mixed Results and Criticism: After taking their exams in May, some students complained that Malik's predictions were wrong, leading to comments of disappointment on his social media.

Creator Defenses: Other content creators defend the practice, stating that they clearly label their videos as "predictions" and base them on past papers and examiner reports. Some also offer predicted papers for a fee, with one influencer claiming a "60-70 percent accuracy" rate.

The Business of Educational Influencing
Monetization: The article highlights that educational influencers earn money through promotions for various brands, including recruiters, beauty, and technology companies. One influencer, Ishaan Bhimjiyani, founded an agency representing over 100 educational content creators and has made significant income from such partnerships.

Motivation to Help: Some creators, like Tilly Taylor, were motivated by their own experiences. Having struggled to find practical revision advice during their school years, they started creating content to help other students, especially those who cannot afford private tuition.

While influencers like Waqar Malik may offer helpful guidance, I feel that relying too much on predicted questions can limit deeper understanding and critical thinking. I’ve seen similar situations where people prefer quick wins—kind of like in Ragdoll Hit, where I sometimes focus on fast, easy moves instead of mastering the mechanics. In the long run, I believe students benefit more from building their own knowledge rather than depending heavily on someone else’s predictions.