1. Establish good study habits early! Get a planner and map out what needs to be done for the semester, then plan your weekly and daily goals ahead of time. This will keep you from needing to cram because you didn’t prepare early enough.
   • Read before each class. Going in prepared helps you better retain the information.
   • Review your notes after class or later that evening. This helps solidify the information.
   • Do a weekly review of each of your classes and build weekly from there.
   • Begin an intensive review one week prior to the exam. By this point, you have already completed the reading and pretty well know the material. This is a time to finalize not cram!
2. Visit your professor at least once before the week of the exam. This connection will help you better understand the objectives of the course (hence, what you will need to know to do well!), and show the professor that you are planning to make a serious effort in the course. Visiting him/her for the first time the day before the exam will not get you bonus points!
3. Find out what type of exam the professor will give. Multiple choice? Essay? True/False?
4. Find out what the exam will cover. Your professor probably won’t give you exact information to study, but can probably provide some guidance as to the main ideas. Does the professor make sample tests available?

Study Smarter...

Multiple Choice Exams

#1 Mistake: Fooling yourself into believing that you don’t need to study as hard because you’ll be able to recognize it on the exam. (Does this really work?) NO!

#1 Solution: Study for a multiple-choice exam as you would study for an essay exam. Be prepared to provide the information yourself--don’t rely on the answers provided!

Essay Exams

1. Identify concepts and relationships. Don’t worry about the details at first.
2. Make a general outline and gradually make it as compact as possible.
3. Fill in the concepts with details.
4. Develop practice questions for yourself and write out answers. This will help you better grasp the information as well as practice formulating answers.

General Suggestions For Taking Tests

1. Plan your arrival so that you have plenty of time. Be sure to check your test taking material prior to leaving for the exam. (Showing up for an exam late or without a pencil is a sure way to focus unfavorable attention on yourself.)
2. Read all directions. Underline key words in the directions that give indication as to how your answers are to be recorded and how they should be worded.
3. Budget your time. Survey the test to determine the type and number of questions to be answered. Determine where you will start on the test. Check yourself at 15 or 20 minute intervals to determine if you are progressing at an acceptable rate.
4. Be aware that you may have problems remembering from time to time. If you find yourself blocking, move on to the next question.
5. Ask for help in interpreting test questions which you do not understand.
6. Be aware of any negative statements you are telling yourself about the test. Such statements as "I'm failing, I didn't study for this, and the test is too hard for me" are sure ways of increasing anxiety.
7. Do not be concerned with what the other students are doing. (Another sure way of increasing anxiety is to tell yourself you are the only one having trouble.)
8. As a general rule answer the easy questions first.
   

Answering Different Exam Questions (Click on link for more information)