As a student, you are always looking for an edge to help you do better on your exams which are a fact of life in college, but there are some things you can do to make it more likely that you’ll do well. The strategies you employ will differ based on the type of exam. For example, you will need different approaches for a multiple-choice vs. an essay. However, there are some things you can do to prepare for finals no matter what kind of test you have coming up. Let’s take a look at twelve tips that can help you to boost your performance.
- Take good notes in class. One way to ace an exam is to know what’s going to be on it. Take careful notes and review them every day in order to let the information sink in. The more you retain, the less trouble you’ll have remembering the key facts and concepts when they show up on an exam a few weeks later.
- Get a good night’s sleep. When you are well-rested, you have a better chance of doing well on an exam. When you are rested and refreshed, you think more clearly and are more likely to make good connections to key information—and to avoid falling asleep during the test, which is one of the fastest ways to fail.
- Wake up early on test day. When you wake up early, you’re able to move through your day more easily and accomplish everything you need to get done before the test without breaking a sweat. Your goal should be to reduce stress so you can limit your anxiety before the test.
- Know the date and time of your exam. No matter what kind of test you have coming up, you need to know what time it is taking place and where you need to go. Double-check the date, time, and location. Even if your exam is an essay you can write at home, you need to know when it is due to make sure it’s in on time.
- Leave extra time before the exam. Things can and do go wrong, so leave extra time before the test to make sure that you get there on time if you are attending in person or get your paper in on time if you submit online. Many students have failed exams when they discover that a server has gone down or a WiFi connection drops out with only minutes to go before the deadline.
- Eat an energizing breakfast. You’ve heard it said many times that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that remains true. Don’t go into an exam hungry. Instead, have a complete and balanced breakfast so you’ll have consistent energy throughout the test and won’t be distracted by hunger pains.
- Take advantage of help. Some types of exam, such as take-home essay exams, give you the time and ability to seek writing help from a tutor or a services like smart writing service online. Take advantage of the all the help you are allowed to use in your exam in order to maximize your performance. There is no shame in using resources available to you in order to succeed.
- Visit the bathroom. Nature has been known to call at inopportune times. To avoid sitting through an exam with a full bladder and the urge to go, visit the bathroom before the exam starts so you can take the test refreshed and comfortable. Anything you do to reduce distractions will be a major help as you move forward.
- Answer the easiest questions first. If the exam allows you to pick and choose what questions to work on and in what order, start with the easiest questions to make sure you knock out all the questions you know first, before working on the hard ones that might take longer.
- Read all questions carefully. You don’t want to get a question wrong or lose points because you missed a key requirement or missed an important word like “not.” Be sure to read each question and understand it before you answer it.
- Take advantage of the time allotted. While you don’t want to work right up to the last second and risk missing the deadline, take advantage of the time allotted to review your work for any mistakes or errors you made.
- Take a breath. Relax! The calmer you are, the less likely you will be to make a mistake. Don’t panic! You’ve got this.
Nina Smith