- Attend class. Pay attention in class. Participate whenever possible. Take a risk even if you are not sure of the answer.
- Do the required reading – before class.
- Take notes in class. Do not spend time on your phone, texting or surfing the net.
- Review class notes regularly, preferably daily. If you do this, studying for tests and exams will be much easier.
- Ask for help early. Talk to your teacher or professor when you have a problem. Don’t wait until the day before the exam or test.
- Start early when preparing for exams and tests. At university you should be spending 3 hours outside of class for every hour in class. At college the ratio is 2 hours for every hour in class.
- Take advantage of structured study groups. You can learn from others and you can teach others what you know. When you teach others you learn the information in a whole new way.
- Do not stay up all night before an exam or test. There is no evidence that staying up late and missing sleep results in better performance. In fact there have been studies that show the exact opposite.
- Make sure you eat before an exam. You need fuel for your body and more importantly your brain.
- When waiting to get into the exam room, avoid standing with people who are still studying or talking about what may be on the exam. This may cause you to be anxious. Anxiety is the enemy when writing a test or exam.
Finally, don’t forget to breathe. Remember it is only a test. Learn more about Academic Performance Coaching.