Test Taking Strategies
This page has three section relating to standardized tests: Related Pages has information on specific tests and help on getting your best grade. The second section is "Tips for Taking Standardized Tests". Finally a test taking skills course.
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Tips for Taking Standardized Tests
At some point in your life, you will probably have to take a
standardized test. If you are a high-schooler preparing for college, you might
take the SAT or The ACT
Standardized Test
. If you are applying for grad school, you could take the
GRE. And if you are trying to join the U.S. military, you will take the ASVAB.
No matter which standardized test you are preparing to take, these tips will help you do your best. You will need to start working a few weeks (or more) before the test date: that way, you will not feel as much stress or pressure.
Find a study guide that is made specifically for your test. Take the practice test that comes with the guide and evaluate your scores. Spend extra time on your weakest subjects.
Study a little every day. You should try to spend an hour or two with the study guide. This gives your mind time to absorb the material. Relax the day before the test: give your mind a break so that it will be refreshed and ready on test day.
Take your study aids with you. If you are struggling with vocabulary words, make flashcards and keep them in your pocket. You can review while you are standing in line, riding the bus or waiting for class to begin.
Put together a study group. If you know other people who are preparing for the same test, you can get together for study time. This helps because your friends will be able to explain some of the things you do not understand – and you can do the same for them.
Register for the test as early as possible. Putting off this crucial step will only add to your stress. The sooner you have reserved your spot and paid the testing fees, the sooner you can relax and not worry about it.
Go to bed early the night before the test. Give your brain as much rest as possible so that it will perform at its best when you are at the testing center.
Remember these test taking tips on exam day.
They will help you do your best, maintain your confidence level and remember what you have studied over the last few weeks.
When you wake up on test day, you should eat a light breakfast. If your stomach is growling, you will not be able to concentrate. If you are full of heavy food, you will be sluggish.
Leave your cell phone, MP3 player and other electronics at home or locked inside your car. Most testing centers do not let you bring in these things: leaving them outside saves you the hassle of checking them in with the test administrators.
Bring everything that is on the list of required and suggested items. If you are allowed to use a calculator, make sure that it is compliant. (For some exams, you may have only a four-function model.) Do not forget a backup pencil, just in case your first one breaks.
Show up early. If something goes wrong (a flat tire, for example), you have a better chance of making it to the testing center on time. Even if the trip does not give you any problems, showing up early is still an advantage. You will have time to find the exact location, check in and get a "feel" for the place.
Do not be afraid to ask questions. Most test administrators will let you ask before you begin. This is the perfect time to ask about anything that is not clear. This is a good time to ask questions like, "Will I be penalized for guessing an answer that I do not know?" and "How much time do I have for each section?"
When the test begins, start by answering the questions that you already know. Make sure that you fill in the correct space on the answer sheet. Putting an answer one space above or below the correct line will throw off the rest of the test.
For the rest of the questions, eliminate the answers that cannot be correct. This often leaves you with just one answer.
What you should do when you eliminate all but two correct answers depends on how the test is scored. If you are penalized for leaving a question blank, make an educated guess. If you are penalized for guessing, do your best to figure out which answer is correct. That usually helps you find the right answer: if you are totally lost, it might be best to leave that answer blank.
Take your time. Read each question carefully. Think about the possible answers. Rushing through the test is a good way to miss questions that you could have correctly answered.
When you finish with each section, go back and review your answers. Sometimes answering a later question on the test triggers something in your brain: you might remember the answer to an earlier question that you could not answer. While you are reviewing, you should also make sure that all of your answers are on the correct lines.
After the test, go out and do something fun to relax. Treat yourself to a milkshake, rent a DVD or spend some time listening to your favorite CD. You have earned a small break from the daily routine, so go celebrate your accomplishment.
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