Test taking is among the greatest stresses you’re likely to encounter during your college career. So what’s the best strategy for acing a test? Hate to break it to you like this, but there’s no magic bullet other than study, study, study. The better prepared you are, the better you will do.
Do not expect to excel at test taking if you party all semester and cram the night before the exam. You’re better off studying throughout the semester, reviewing the material periodically. Make sure you understand the concepts, and are not just memorizing the material. Instructors often modify the questions somewhat to make sure you understand it when you’re tested.
Other tips:
- Arrive early so you’ve time to relax and focus. You’ll feel more confident that way.
- Some students find it helpful to write down things they may need to know the moment they start taking the test – dates, formulae, equations and the like – to ensure they don’t forget them.
- Don’t skim the questions. Read them carefully so you’re sure you know what the instructor is looking for.
- Look over the test so you can allot time to the more challenging sections. You don’t want to spend too much time on the easier parts, then find you’ve run out of time for the tough stuff.
- Answer all the questions. Even if you run out of time, you may get partial credit for trying to answer all. Try to make an educated guess on multiple choice questions, even if you don’t know the answer.
- Don’t get hung up on patterns. Even if several of the answers you choose happen to be preceded by a certain letter – say B. — it doesn’t mean that all the correct answers are preceded by a B.
- When you’re not sure of an answer, your first response is likely the right one. Be wary of second guessing yourself.
- Go over your test if you have time, to check your spelling and grammar on essay questions, and to make sure you’ve completed the test.
Also, try to choose a living space where you can get away from the roomies in your Athens Ohio rentals and study in a quiet place.
