15 Tips for Passing Exams Successfully ...

Make sure you know when and where the exam will be, so you don’t have to worry about it at the last minute.

How much of your final grade is riding on this one exam? Usually, even if you don’t do well on one exam, you can still do well in the class, so don’t worry too much about this one exam.

Will you need a Scantron sheet? A pencil? Erasers? A calculator? Will you be able to use a textbook or your notes? Make sure you have everything you will need to take the exam.

Just before the exam, set aside a few minutes to review your notes one last time.

Make sure you get a good night’s sleep the night before the exam.

If you think you’ll do well, chances are you will. But if you keep telling yourself you’re going to fail, you’ll actually do worse. It’s called a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” and it can spell disaster. So keep a positive attitude!

If you’ve taken the time to study, then go with your gut instincts while you’re taking the exam. If you read a question, and the answer jumps off the page at you, then go with it.

Make sure to eat a healthful breakfast the day of the exam. For instance, a whole-grain cereal with a piece of fruit will be better than an Egg McMuffin or a quick Pop-Tart, or worse, nothing.

If you’re allowed to bring a bottle of water with you to the exam, do it! It will help keep you refreshed and lessen the stress during the exam.

Clear everything off of your desk that you don’t need for the exam. Turn off your cell phone, don’t just set it on vibrate.

If you find yourself beginning to stress during the exam, pause for a moment. Close your eyes, breathe in SLOWLY through your nose, and blow gently out through your mouth. Repeat two or three times, and you will be calm, and ready to continue.

If you start to feel worried during the exam, and the deep breathing doesn’t do the trick, try focusing on what you will do after the exam. Will you be treating yourself to a nice dinner, maybe going to see the movie? Think about that instead. Imagine yourself being done with the exam, and walking out of the room with that feeling of relief.

If you come to a question that stumps you, don’t spend all of time trying to figure it out. Skip it, and come back to it later. If you still can’t figure it out, don’t leave it blank. Give it your best guess, and you might just be right!

Don’t rush through the exam. If you do, you might make careless mistakes. It’s not a race! When you’re done, if there’s time left, look back over the exam to make sure you didn’t skip any questions, or make any obvious mistakes.

Make sure your handwriting is neat, and if the test is on a Scantron sheet, make sure your marks are clear. If you have to erase and answer, make sure it is FULLY erased before making your new mark.

Is there any feeling better than handing in an exam you know you aced? I can’t think of very many… the deep breathing one works the best for me… what do you on exam day? Do you wear a lucky shirt, eat something special? Tell me about it! I’d love to hear how you prepare to take a test!

Top Photo: Noora Suliman