Exams are a major part of every student’s life, especially in high school and college. They not only help us assess our current knowledge but also help us improve on that. Students can get a lot out of their school and college years with the right attitude, effort, and dedication. The problem is that exams can be stressful and difficult for many students.
A study by NCBI shows that approximately 25-40% of students in the US feel anxiety and stress because of exams, even if they are completely prepared for them. In addition, this test anxiety impaired 10-35% of students functionally, which adversely affects their academic performance. These figures show that students must overcome stress to perform better on exams.
If you are looking for tips to ace your exams, this article contains a few tried and tested ways to help you succeed in big exams.
Table of Contents
Take a Practice Exam
Practicing with sample questions helps build familiarity with different questions, what info is significant to know, and how much time you have to answer them. It also lets you figure out your weak points and how much time you need to cover all the material well enough to get a good grade on an actual test.
A practice test is a good way to get used to the exam environment. You will feel more relaxed when you sit for your big exam because you have already sat for a similar test. In addition, if you can answer questions under pressure, that will also be an advantage when you take your real exams.
Mock tests help you manage your time better in the actual exam. They give an idea of how many minutes you should spend on each question and how much time should be left at the end of each section before moving on to another one. It also gives you insight into how much time it takes to think through and solve a problem without getting distracted by other things around you.
Take Help from Online Learning Portals
Many online learning portals offer tutorials for various subjects and skills. These can be extremely helpful as they allow students to admittance pieces of information anywhere in the world. They also provide video tutorials for visual learners or those who prefer audio instruction over written content.
As per a study from the National Center for Education Statistics, around 75% or approximately 11.8 million undergraduate students took up at least one online learning course. At the same time, 44% or roughly 7 million students enrolled only in online learning programs. The stats reflect the growing popularity of online education and its acceptance by students.
The Proprep exam preparation portal helps students prepare for big exams. With 24/7 availability, you can access the site whenever you need it. In addition, guidance from subject experts will help you ensure you’re on track, and sample test materials for practice will help you feel prepared when it’s time to take the real thing.
Make a Study Plan
If you’re preparing for a big exam, chances are you’ve already got some studying strategies in mind. It’s imperative to plan how much time you’ll spend on each subject per day so there aren’t any surprises when it comes to the final week. It helps them stay focused on their goals throughout their studies.
A study plan is a detailed schedule of what you’ll study, when, and how long it’ll take. It helps you manage your time better and ensure you don’t get overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done.
The benefits of making a study plan include the following:
- Concentrating on what’s important instead of wasting time on things that aren’t really necessary.
- Being able to see exactly where all your time goes, so you can make sure you’re spending it wisely.
- Having a clear path for what needs to be done and when, so there’s no confusion about where you left off or what comes next.
Read from Your Notes
Notes aren’t just for taking down what the professor says. They’re also valuable resources for finding information quickly when needed later on down the road.
Reading through your notes before an exam can help refresh your memory on certain concepts so that they aren’t as unfamiliar when they come up again during the test.
While reading from your notes, look for keywords, facts, and important dates. Additionally, look for examples of what you have learned. Also, search for questions you can answer and ones that require more thought. Finally, if there are any questions that you still need to answer, this is an area where additional effort needs to be put in.
Study in Group
Make sure when you’re taking regular breaks while studying, your mind doesn’t get overwhelmed with too much information at once. If possible, study in groups. It’s easier to remember things when there’s more than one person involved.
Studying in groups exposes you to people of different perspectives and opinions, which allows other students to share their different thoughts. In addition, it assists you in organizing your time and adhering to a set schedule. Group studying overcomes the shackles of monotonous learning methods and makes studies more attentive and fun.
It is known that those participating in group studies feel more comfortable and confident and have a better grasp of the subject understanding. Group studies help students to achieve their study goals easily.
Revise What You Have Learnt So Far
The best way to prepare for a big exam is to revise everything you have learned. If you are well prepared, it will be easier for you in exams and help you score good marks.
Revise all the things that you have learned so far. Your understanding of these things will be deeper than before, making it easier for you to remember them during exams. Also, if there are gaps in your knowledge or some concepts, these can be filled during revision sessions with teachers or friends who know more about these topics than you do.
Rest Before Exam
You may feel a little overwhelmed before the exam. But if you’ve tried everything in your power and still can’t seem to stay focused or calm down enough to focus, it might be time to try something new. Ensure you get plenty of sleep the night before, and don’t study too hard the week before the exam.
An article in MindInsiders says that you should have at least 8 hours of sleep before an exam. Less sleep can affect your concentration levels. On the other hand, if you plan to study the full night before an exam, your mind will get tired, and you will find it difficult to remember answers and think properly.
You should also take some time to re-evaluate your strategy if you feel stuck on a particular topic or concept. You might find that when you come back with a fresh mind, everything comes back into place.
Reassess Your Exam Strategy If You Feel Stuck.
If you feel stuck on a particular question, take a minute to reassess your strategy. The most common mistake students make when they get stuck is to change their strategy, so try to resist the urge to do that.
Instead, take a step back and try to look at your question from a different angle. If there are multiple answers, make sure you’ve considered them all before deciding.
If you still have trouble after taking these steps, don’t panic. Just keep working through the rest of the test and revisit the question if you have time at the end of the exam.
Conclusion
When you are studying and preparing for an exam, getting caught up in the stress of exams is easy. As a result, you might think that there is no way that you will do well on your test. But rest assured: there are plenty of ways to boost your scores and perform better than you ever thought possible.
Remember that the best way to prepare for an exam is by studying regularly and doing practice tests. If you can’t get all the information you need from textbooks alone, then take advantage of free online resources or YouTube videos from experts. The tips mentioned above will help ensure that you are prepared and confident going into the test center on test day.