Top 10 Test Taking Tips

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Finals SeasonThe turkey is eaten and Thanksgiving break is over. For college students, this also means that the dreaded finals are approaching quickly. While finals are unavoidable, there are some ways to make them easier to manage. Here are ten test taking tips to help every college student get through finals and make it to winter break in one piece.

1.  Create a study schedule
Schedule out what days your finals are on and when you will study for each final. It’s not uncommon to have more than one final on a day ,and you don’t want to find yourself with only one night to study for two different tests. Make sure you plan enough time to study for each exam.

2.  Get plenty of sleep
It can be tempting to try to pull an all-nighter the night before a final and say you’ll just sleep after, but this can actually hurt you when trying to remember information. When you sleep, your brain commits the information you studied to memory, so without sleep, it won’t be committed to long term memory. So make sure to get plenty of sleep before all your finals!

3.  Eat a meal before
It’s important to eat a good meal beforehand because it will prevent you from being hungry while taking the test. Or, if you don’t have time to eat a meal, be sure to bring a snack to the test if your teacher will allow it.

4.  Arrive early
Make sure you arrive early on test day and that you have everything you need for the test. By being there early you will be able to relax and get your mind focused and hear any instructions the teacher may have before you start the test.

5.  Look over your notes
If you have time before you start, take the time to look over your notes and refresh your memory. However, don’t try to cram any new information the day of because you will probably forget it and you may get confused about information you do know.

6.  Scan the test first
When you start the test, take a minute to look it over to get an overview of the questions and what information you will need to use. Also, figure out what questions you know and which ones will cause you problems. It will help you manage your time.

7.  Read the directions carefully
Make sure that you read the questions and directions carefully to avoid careless mistakes caused by not understanding what is expected of you. If there are multiple parts of a question, make sure you answer each one.

8. Plan out your answers
Instead of going in order, answer the questions you know first so you can gain confidence. Then move onto questions you are less sure of but that are worth the most points. Even if you don’t know the full answer, write what you do know because you can often get partial credit.

9.  Check over answers
If you have extra time once you finish the test, check over your answers to make sure you didn’t make any mistakes and that there’s nothing else you need to add or answer.

10.  Be relaxed
Being confident and relaxed the day of the test will help prevent you from freezing up and forgeting information that you know. And in the end, it’s just a test, and if you prepare you’ll do fine. Good luck!