Test taking can be extremely difficult for many students. If you feel that test-taking is not among your strengths, these tips will help you learn to become the best test taker in the room:

• Be Positive: By maintaining an optimistic attitude, you will feel much more confident in banging out the assessment. Taking tests can make you want to rip your hair out at times; however, thinking in a positive, balanced way (consider using a mantra, or visualizing your success, or reminding yourself how little this particular test matters in the big scheme of things) will help to make that feeling fade.
• Game Plan: A week or so before the test, ask the teacher or professor what material will be covered in the test. Once you have that information, make a list of important topics that will be featured in the assessment. These topics will comprise your study guide for the test. When your guide is complete, go into “beast” study mode! (more on that in another post)
• Don’t Overwork Yourself: Studying the day prior to an exam does not work. Put your study plan into action about a week in advance so your mind will be at ease as the test date approaches.
• Eat: Always eat a breakfast of champions on the morning of the test. Those who eat better think better! (more on food best practices in other posts)
• Test Management: Once the test is handed to you, look it over and try to answer the questions that are easiest for you first; this technique will ensure you don’t run out of time on the questions you know you can get right. If you get stuck on a question, review all of your options and go with your best guess. And be consistent in your guess answer! When you are truly guessing, stick with the same letter every time (my go-to answer is ‘B’).
• Neatness: Write your answers neatly and make sure your mistakes are erased so the educator grading your paper won’t face confusion. If you are taking a test that will be graded by a machine, fill in your spaces with caution.
• Check Yourself: If you finish the test before time is up, make sure all of your answers are on point and that you didn’t make any mistakes, such as putting the right answer in the wrong place or skipping a question.

Check out Scott’s video on the 5 W’s of Test Day here!!

Sign up for SAT/ACT Simulation Tests now!

Reference:
https://www.thoughtco.com/ways-to-become-a-good-test-taker-3212081

http://www.wiu.edu/advising/docs/mastering_test_taking.pdf

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