How to Prepare for a Test

The word "exam" makes some people cringe. It is a strong word with heavy implications. Exams determine college entrance. Exams determine Job certification. Exams determine the rest of our lives. Yet there is no way to avoid exams. All thoughout our lives we are constantly being tested in some way or another, so be grateful that the test sitting on your desk may be the simplest form of examination you will have. Here are some tips on how to succeed at becoming a great test taker.

BEFORE THE TEST

Take Good Notes

The best notes to read are the ones that are organized. Listen to the lecturer, and make sure to take relevant notes that hit all of the main points of the topic being covered. Doodles and drawings will distract you not only from listening and paying attention, they can be an eyesore and distract you when reviewing the notes later on.

Learn Incrimentally

This is actually the simplest and most efficient way to pass a test. Learn the material. When you go to class, listen to the teacher. Take notes and pay attention. The information that you learn incrimentally day by day will slowly build on itself and ferment until the day you have to take the test. Trying to cram will only get you confused during the actual examination. You will be surprised at how easy it is to recall information after it has been sitting in your head for a while.

Practice

This goes hand in hand with knowing your stuff. Learning a little bit at each interval is better than trying to learn it all in one go the night before the test. You have to be able to practice and solve problems. That is the purpose of the test. It is not to see how much you can recall or how good your memory is. It is meant to see how well you can recall that information, and use it to solve a problem. Doing practice problems and learning the underlying concepts will help you take a test, no matter at what angle they throw it at you. If you grasp concepts, you can use them to fully understand and dissect a problem. In order to understand underlying concepts, you need practice, and lots of it.

Don't be afraid to ask questions

If you come across something you don't understand during lecture or your readings, remember to ask a classmate, TA or professor about that topic. Hoping that it will not be on the test or forgetting about it is just lowering your own score because of laziness.

Dont try to "feel out" what is on the test

How many people try to beat the system? Hoping to cut corners and learn only what is going to be on the test is pure laziness. Putting in a little extra effort to make sure you have all of your corners covered isn't going to cost you any extra energy. Many people neglect to learn topics that weren't gone over much/they feel are not important. Remember, it is the teacher administering the test, not you. They have the right to test you on anything they feel is relevant.

Stop trying to cram

The night before the test, review everything as a whole, and maybe plug up a few holes that you forgot to cover before. Any new concepts/ principles you are trying to learn won't help. If you think you can learn it in 2 hours, you can also forget it in 2 hours. Accept that you have tried your best to learn everything you can, and go eat a good dinner and sleep well.

DURING THE TEST

Read all of the directions before beginning

Every word written on your test will have a purpose. Make sure you read all directions before you start diving into the exam.

Focus only on the test

Petty distractions can hinder you from doing the best of your abilities. If you need glasses to see the board, bring them. If you feel that you want a snack to relax, bring it (permitted food is allowed). Make sure you have all of the pencils, pens, erasers, calculators, rulers, anything you need to take the test. Go to the restroom before you start the test in order to maximize your time and toprevent the nagging "I have to go pee" feeling. If the testing room is cold/hot, dress accordingly. Turn your cellphone off. Anything that you feel will be a distraction in the back of your mind should be taken care of before you start the test so that you can focus solely on your main purpose.

Manage your Time

On tests, it is not rare to see point value differences for different questions. Some topics are just genuinely harder than others, forcing them to be weighted more in order to be fair. Sort out which topics you feel the most comfortable with, and attack those questions first. Usually questions that are weighted more will also be longer, so be sure to at least read over those and try to solve them; if you can't come back later. The whole basis behind managing your time is to make sure you don't get caught up on something you are not too familiar. Forgone points that you could have earned is regrettable.

Be accurate

Make sure to double check your answers if you have time. A exam is a test of how well you can recall information that is ACCURATE.

THINGS YOU SHOULD ALREADY BE DOING

Get Rest

Many test takers (especially college students) think that the more they study and read, the more they will learn. Learn to study smarter, not harder. If you follow the steps to learn information in increments, there is no need to devote more time to continue cramming for something you should have learned earlier. Get some sleep. Feeling refreshed and rested the day of the examination will help you think much clearer and help you to analyze all aspects of a problem before solving it. You may even be able to learn someting during the test!