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Pretest Tips

Budget your time. Make sure you have sufficient time to study so that you are well prepared for the test.

Pay attention to hints that the instructor nay give about the test. Take careful notes and ask questions about items you may be confused about.

Ask the instructor to specify areas that will be emphasized on the test.

Eat before a test. Food in your stomach will give you energy and help you focus.

Don't pull an "all nighter." Get a good night's sleep before the test.

Put the main ideas/information/formulas onto a sheet that can be quickly reviewed many times. This makes it easier to retain the key concepts that will be on the test.

General Study Tips

Have all of your study material in front of you; lecture notes, course textbooks, study guides and any other relevant material.

Find a comfortable and quiet place to study with good lighting and little distractions. Try avoiding your bed because it's too tempting to just take a nap!

Start out by studying the most important information.

Learn the general concepts first. Concentrate on learning details after you have learned the main ideas.

Learn the vocabulary in all subject areas.

Take notes and write down a summary of the important ideas as you read through your study material.

Take short breaks frequently. Your memory retains information that you study at the beginning and the end better than what you study in the middle.

Space out your studying. You'll learn more by studying a little every day than waiting until the last minute to cram. By studying every day, the material will stay in your long-term memory. If you try to study at the last moment, the material will only reside in your short-term memory and you will easily forget it.

Make sure you understand the material well. Don't just read through material and try to memorize everything.

If you choose to study ia a group, only study with others who are serious about taking the test.

Have someone test you on the material to find out what your weak and strong areas are.

General Test Tips

Bring at least two pencils with good erasers, a calculator with enough batteries, and other resources that your instructor allows you to bring.

Bring a watch so you can pace yourself.

Listen and read the directions carefully

Ask the instructor for clarification if you don't understand what they are asking for on the test.

Write legibly. If the graders cannot read what you wrote they will most likely mark it wrong.

Do the easiest problems first. Do not stay on a problem that you are stuck on especially when time is a factor.

Don't get upset if you can't think of an answer. Do not let this throw off your concentration for the rest of the test. If you answer the other questions, you just might trigger the memory for a missed answer!

Pace yourself. DON'T RUSH! Read the entire question and look for keywords.

Keep a positive attitude throughout the whole test. Stay relaxed. If you start to feel nervous, take a few breaths to relax.

Multiple Choice Test Tips

Read the question before you look at the answer.

Come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answer. This way the choices given on the test won't throw you off or trick you

Eliminate answers you know aren't correct.

Read all the choices before choosing your answer.

If there is no guessing penalty, always take an educated guess and select an answer.

make sure yo record the answer in the correct place.

Don't keep changing your answer. Usually your first choice is the correct one, unless you misread the question.

Be careful with "All of the above" and "None of the Above" choices. If you are certain one of the statements is true, don't choose "None of the above." If you are certain one of the statements is false, don't choose "All of the above."

In a question with an "All of the above" choice, if you see at least two correct statements, then "All of the above" is probably the answer.

A positive answer is more likely to be true than a negative one.

Usually the correct answer is the choice with the most information.