7 Study Tips to Do Well on an Exam

Studying for an exam will usually drive people into a frenzy, especially at the last minute. But, wise planning and using effective tools will not only cut down on study time, but will make it easier for you. Some people are natural born test takers. By following the same formula for every exam in your life, you will develop a sense of confidence in your ability if you approach them on the same angle every time. Here is a list of seven study solutions that have helped me every time.

1. Don't Cram. The average college work load is about 18.0 units, or six classes that you must absorb to the fullest to get the grade you want. By breaking down the work load you are responsible for in each class, a study schedule can be drawn up that will give you ample time in each course. First, take each book and tally up the reading pages and break that down to a daily load. Your professor will give you the assignments and due dates, and if you calculate the time to meet the deadlines with weekly readings, the course will be smooth sailing. It's falling behind that causes the most stress, and you can avoid that pothole by sticking to a dilligent schedule.

2. Mnemonics. This is a clever way to pack in information by using mental imagery to match a probable test question with the answer. Mnemonics can be used for any subject by replacing salient material with common images for a quick short term memory jog. Your mental pictures don't have to make sense, but they must be vivid in imagination to trigger your memory. I used this technique with law courses and it worked like a charm matching names to court cases.

3. Stop when you're too tired. To continue reading and disseminating when the brain has had enough is not an effective way to retain information. Put the book down and take a nap or shower to revive yourself, and start fresh with an active mind. Also, sitting in a slumped over position will expedite fatigue as it cuts off oxygen to the brain. If you have been faithful to your study schedule, then there is no need to sit there and cram. Study time is quality, not quantity when it comes to better retention.

4. Omega3 acids and Lecithin. For better and bigger brain power, Lecithin and Omega3 acids have been linked to mental acuity and are the best friend for the student. It does not help to take a handful right before the exam, as these powerful nutrients need time to develop the connections in your brain. Just take the recommended daily dosage everyday, and you will see a big difference in your capacity to think. For best pricing, I like Costco and Trader Joes, but these supplements are available everywhere, even at the grocery store.

5. Flash Cards. Using flash cards are one of the best techniques to test your rapid cognition skills on any topic. Index cards are cheap and plentiful in a package and are a great tool to take along with you when away from your studies. A quick flash will provide you with a few more impressions of information that can make or break you on a test.

6. Understand instead of memorize. By taking an extra moment to apply what you read to something familiar to you, it will give you understanding of the issue rather than just memorizing it. This helps with tricky wording on an exam and makes the learning process more interesting and rewarding. But, because of the great volume of information you must process each semester, whatever data you cannot store with this technique can be rolled over into the mnemonics category.

7. Be confident on test day. There's nothing worse than a sleepless night before a big exam, worrying that you did enough to ace it. By using a disciplined lifestyle to study, you will walk into class ready for action and hopefully be pleased with the results. Some teachers are brutal and set you up for a battle, but most are fair and just want you to retain the salient facts from the text. A well prepared and rigid schedule for study time has brought me safely in the Magna Cum Laude arena without undue stress, fatigue or exertion .

www.oxfordlearning.com/letstalk/2007/feb/2/study-tips-for-exam-success/
www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/howtostudy.html
http://studyskills.suite101.com/article.cfm/final_exam_study_tips