Do you freeze up when it’s time to take a test? Do you know the material, but when you get tested on it, you seem to forget everything? Use these tips and tricks to help you ace your next exam!
Minimize Distractions
In a digital setting, you have the ability to take many of your quizzes in the comfort of your own home. However, that means that you need to be able to minimize distractions in order to be successful. Go to a quiet place, put your phone down, go to the bathroom, close the window, ask your family not to bother you for an hour or so, and do anything else you need to do before you begin.
Review Your Notes Right Before
Right before you take a test, review your notes one last time. This will put the material into your short term memory as well as your long term memory.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Nothing is worse than trying to stressfully finish a test because you didn’t give yourself enough time to complete it. If the test is timed, make sure you set aside the entire time to complete the test. If it is not, give yourself an extra minute for every question there is on the test if it is multiple choice, and an extra 5 minutes per question if it is short answer.
Be Confident
There is something to be said about positive thinking — Henry Ford once said “If you think you can do a thing or you think you can’t do a thing, you are right.” It’s true. If you go into a test thinking about how unqualified you are and how you’re terrible at test taking, you will do poorly. Instead, take a few deep breaths and tell yourself things like “I studied well, I know the material, I am awesome, I can do this.” If you start to get stressed during the test, put down your pencil, and repeat your affirmations.
Read the Directions Carefully
Make sure that you take the time to read the directions on every question. If you don’t, you may accidentally make errors that could have been cleared up if you read the directions. For example, you may be asked to pick the BEST choice, but if you think it said to pick the WORST choice, you’ll get it wrong.
Review Your Answers
After you have completed the test, review your answers if you can. Look over the ones that you had questions about and see if you had any realizations during the test. Sometimes, the answers to one question can be found later on in the test.