Students, whether high school or college, need to get decent exam grades to be able to pass their respective courses. Having decent exam scores also enables a student to qualify for academic scholarships or other awards. Meanwhile, a student who fails on most exams is in jeopardy of repeating a particular course, and having his graduation date delayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re someone who\u2019s struggling with getting good exam scores, below are must-read tips for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The course syllabus is that piece of paper being distributed on the first day of class. Its main goal is to inform students of the topics that will be covered for the semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, that paper also give you hints on topics you need to give emphasis. Majority of the time, if a particular topic or lesson is listed in the syllabus, that\u2019ll surely be included in the exams. So, take time to read and understand your syllabus, so you\u2019ll know what topics to focus more on to better your scoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the majority of the exam comprised of multiple-choice questions, or is it problem solving?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You need to ascertain this, because it will inform you of what fields to put more focus on. Of course, you have to study the entire coverage, but knowing the types of exam is a great help too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your professor didn\u2019t mention anything, you can ask his past students about how he gives out exams. You can also borrow their old exam papers, and hope it\u2019ll be the same one your teacher will give you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there\u2019s really no shortcut in education, so give more emphasis to studying genuinely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As for most students, it\u2019s a struggle to go over almost half of the book the exact night before the exam day. There\u2019s just too much information, and you\u2019ll have less retention ability when you aim for studying it all the night before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What you need to do is schedule your review days early. For instance, if you plan to review literature, you can start with Shakespeare\u2019s works on the first night, then Ernest Hemingway\u2019s the night after.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By compartmentalizing review days\/nights, you won\u2019t feel the need to rush. Hence, you\u2019re more relaxed and rested on the exam day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you left a question unanswered, for instance in a multiple-choice type question, then you\u2019re abandoning the 25% random chance that it can be correct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, problem solving questions, though often scored in chunks (e.g., 10-15 points each or more), can still be sources of extra points too even if you aren\u2019t so sure with your answer. It\u2019s because professors often score by milestone (i.e., your solution and how you arrived at the final answer).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What you need to do is just study up, and answer each question as intelligent as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There shouldn\u2019t be side distractions like glancing at your smartphone, chatting, or playing games. If so, it should be done on small breaks in-between your reviewing periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Follow your studying goals. Try to solve as much book problems as possible, for the book is often the guide of professors when making exam questions. Make sure you learned something helpful in every page. You\u2019ll never know if a page you skipped can cost you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If for instance you knew the exam will be comprised of identification and enumeration type questions, then use memory aids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For enumeration, you can use mnemonics to hint your brain with long answers on the exam day. For identification, highlight a term that usually relates your mind to the answer (e.g., dates, numbers, events, etc.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s hard to focus when you\u2019ve only had 2 or 3 hours of sleep. Review, but don\u2019t overextend yourself. Have plenty of rest too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, if you\u2019re late for an exam, you have less time than if you\u2019ve arrived early. You become more tensed as the clock ticks and this\u2019ll surely affect your concentration. To avoid any complications, arrive at least 15 minutes before the exam to account for contingent events (e.g., exam orientation, change of venue, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a wrap-up, there\u2019s no concrete formula to acing exams. The only thing you have control over is the amount of your perseverance and determination to study. Be confident, but not brash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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