Saturday, August 13, 2011

5 Tips to Prepare for Exams

One of the least favorite things about high school life is final exams. Even though exams constitute an end to classes, it can be a very stressful and difficult time in a student's life. The finals can be the difference in passing or facing a class again.

Few new students know how to study for a final because they become overwhelmed with the volume of material that has been covered. There is also a fear that retention of that material may not be good enough to warrant a passing mark.

Here are some of the best suggestions for ways to improve study habits and get higher grades on finals.

Create an Outline

A student should write down the chronological studies of the class with brief explanations of each subject covered. While doing this, it is possible to form an opinion of what parts were the hardest and in which areas the student is not well versed. This outline should give them a good idea of how much time to spend on each phase based on the amount of time available to study.

Get an Early Start

Students learn the hard way that cramming all night before a test is not conducive to great test scores. While beginning to study too early can be non-productive, a student should never wait until the day before the test. Beginning a full week before test day should provide ample time to make a positive difference. Depending on the start of study and the outline, a student should organize how much material and what material to study each day.

Ask for Help

The first thing a freshman should learn is to seek the best assistance available to them. Few people have ever done well in the higher education system without tutoring in some studies. This is not just true preceding an exam, and should be a common practice when course material doesn't make sense.

Get Plenty of Rest

High school life can be quite taxing if good habits aren't established. It is easy to get sidetracked by other students who do not have a commitment to achieving good scores. No matter what those students decide to do, if you want to do well in your studies you must understand that fun times have their time and place. Proper rest and a good night's sleep leading up to any exam makes for a considerable advantage.

Relax Before the Exam

The last part of preparation is to settle down and be comfortable. A student should plan to have most of the study finished early on the night before the test so there is no pressure to get to the end and impose on rest time.

1 comment:

  1. I'll add a 6th tip: Talk about what you are studying to anyone and everyone who will listen. When you talk about what you're working on, this cements the material in your mind, connects you to it on a deeper level, and enables you to better retain that information for tests. Ellen Bremen, M.A. @chattyprof http://chattyprof.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete