Nick Babey, Senior, AP Student, NHS Member
When it comes to studying for a test, whether it be a chapter test, unit test, or a standardized test, many students may feel unorganized and confused on where to begin preparation. The following tips can help you find an efficient study strategy and routine that ensures optimal performance without spending hours cramming information before your exam.
Your mindset
No matter how big or small the test is, treat it like a game-day which will provide a sense of motivation so all the time you spent studying, taking notes, and completing assignments pays off. You should view it as an opportunity for you to “show off” your knowledge so that you feel motivated to perform well. Motivation helps provide a purpose for performing at your peak, so you will not find reasons to procrastinate or place less value on your performance.
Treating a test like game-day also means you should prepare yourself like you would for such an event. This means that you should get adequate sleep the night before, eat a fulfilling breakfast, and even make sure to warm your brain up by perhaps doing practice problems or meditating. Now that you have the proper mindset for performing your best, it’s time to learn about how you can effectively retain the information you learn.
Class Participation
Spending hours studying material the day(s) before an exam can be exhausting and potentially lead you to burnout. A way to prevent this is to optimize your class participation so that you retain a majority of the material and do not have to spend so much time studying.
Giving your full and undivided attention is key to retaining the material you are learning. You can do this by limiting distractions (put your phone in your bag, try not to daydream, and make sure you are well rested each night so you aren’t tired in class). It can be hard to pay attention to something if you find it to be boring, so I try to find interest in what I’m learning by trying to apply it to my own life or even treating it like a game where I challenge myself to retain as much of the material as I can. I personally like to use blue ink to write notes on key concepts (blue ink can make the notes more memorable and increase retention).
Another way to make sure you are engaging in the class is to ask questions. A lot of the time you may feel embarrassed to ask a question or even procrastinate and think to yourself: “Eh, I’ll just learn it later,” but doing this will only cause frustration down the road. It’s important to know that many of your classmates are in the same boat as they likely have questions or are unclear about what’s being taught, so you shouldn’t feel embarrassed, and you might even be helping out your classmates who are too shy to ask questions.
Review
After attempting to give your full attention in your lectures, it is very important to review what you learned. A proven strategy to retain more information in less time (that I personally use) is spaced repetition. Spaced repetition means that you review information in increasingly long intervals. For example, I review what I learned that day in school when I get home and right before I start my homework. You don’t even have to spend much time reviewing (it can be about 10 to 15 minutes) because you can look over your notes, quiz yourself, and make sure you understand what you learned.
Doing this before I start my homework helps finish my homework quicker because I do not have to go back and review notes. After that day, I review what I learned that week over the weekend. Reviewing during the day and on the weekend has done the trick for me. Using spaced repetition may help you retain information efficiently, enabling you to have a great amount of focus on test day.
Studying before the exam
If you are taking a more cumulative test (like a final) or maybe a test on some rusty material, you may want some more preparation along with the spaced repetition.
To begin, make sure you give yourself enough time by studying the information a couple of days or a week before the exam. Review notes in the order that it appeared in the course. You may feel obligated to review every single one of your notes, but do not do this! That only wastes time. Skip over material you already know confidently and focus on material you need more practice with. After looking over your notes, you can make a little guide (the key is for it to be short and no longer than a couple pages) where you go through each chapter or unit and write down the key concepts. The guide acts as a broad summary of the course material and you can use the guide for practice by attempting to explain a key concept, almost like you are teaching it. If you are able to explain the key concepts comfortably, then congrats! You mastered your course material.
Other effective strategies may include making flashcards to test yourself or even a study group where you attempt to explain the material to each other.
Take it easy
Learning to “take it easy” will help you relieve stress and be satisfied regardless of your performance. When you’re studying it’s important to take breaks, go outside, exercise, and spend time with family and friends. School should not be the only thing you focus on. Try not to seek validation from a number on a report card because it may lead to unhealthy behavior and mental struggle. A lot of my tips have advised against cramming because it creates a high-stress situation. Cramming for your exam increases the chance that you do not cover all the material, it doesn’t help you effectively retain information, and it only increases anxiety on test day. It is ultimately a recipe for disaster. That’s why spaced repetition and allowing yourself enough time to prepare is very important for your mental health and success on your exam.
My final tip is to not put so much pressure on yourself. It is okay if you don’t get the score you want or you don’t ace your exam. That does not mean you can’t end with an A in the class! You will be given plenty of testing opportunities throughout your life, and one poor performance on one does not define you as a student. At the end of the day, you are human, and if you gave it your all, you should be proud of your effort and work ethic.
-Comment which strategies help you do your best on a test!-
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