College Tests
How to Study for and Take College Tests

What Can I Do Before the Test?
Organization, planning, and time management are essential to becoming a successful student; so start studying as soon as classes begin. Read assignments, listen during lectures, and take good classroom notes. Then, reread assignments, highlighting important information to study. Regular reviews help you avoid cramming and reduce test anxiety. The biggest benefit is that it gives you time to absorb information.

Read difficult assignments twice. Sometimes a second reading will clarify concepts. If you are having difficulty with a subject, get help immediately. Meet with your instructor after class, use an alternate text to supplement required reading, or hire a tutor (ask faculty members and other students for referrals).

Review, Review, Review
~ Plan ahead, scheduling review periods well in advance. Set aside one hour per subject on a Saturday or Sunday to review several subjects. Keep your reviews short and do them often.
~ Daily Reviews. Conduct short reviews of lecture notes before and after class. Begin reviewing after your first day of class.
~ Weekly Reviews. Dedicate about one hour per subject to reviewing assigned reading and lecture notes.
~ Major Reviews. Start the week before an exam and study the most difficult subjects when you are the most alert. Study for two to five hours with sufficient breaks. When possible, review previous tests offered by the professor to learn what to do differently next time.
~ Create review tools, such as flashcards, chapter outlines, and summaries. This helps you organize and remember information as well as condense material to a manageable size. Use 3 x 5-inch index cards to review important information. Write ideas, formulas, concepts, and facts on cards to carry with you. Study on the bus, in the library, or whenever you have a few extra minutes.
~ Another useful tool is a study checklist. Make a list of everything you will need to know for the exam. The list should include a brief description of reading assignments, types of problems to solve, skills to master, major ideas, theories, definitions, and equations. When you begin your final study sessions, cross off items as you review them.

Should I Organize a Study Group?
For some subjects, study groups are an effective tool. Study groups allow students to combine resources; members share an academic goal and provide support and encouragement. Such groups meet regularly to study and learn a specific subject.

To form a study group, you should look for dedicated students - those who ask and answer questions in class and who take notes. Suggest to two or three classmates that you meet to talk about group goals, meeting times, and other logistics. Effective study groups are limited to five or six people. Test the group first by planning a one-time-only session. If that works, plan another. After several successful sessions, schedule regular meetings.

Set an agenda for each meeting to avoid wasting time. List the material that will be reviewed so members can come prepared. Also, follow a format. For example, begin by comparing notes to make sure you all heard the same thing and recorded important information. Spend fifteen to twenty minutes conducting open-ended discussions on specific topics. Then, test each other by asking questions or take turns explaining concepts. Set aside five to ten minutes to brainstorm possible test questions.

What Should I Do on Exam Day?
On exam day, arrive early and get organized. Pay attention to verbal directions as tests are distributed. Read directions slowly. Scan the entire test, noticing how many points each part is worth, and estimate the time needed for individual questions.
~ Essay. When answering an essay question, first decide precisely what the question is asking. If a question asks you to compare, do not explain. Look up any unfamiliar words in a dictionary. Verbs commonly used in essay questions include: analyze, compare, contrast, criticize, define, describe, discuss, enumerate, evaluate, examine, explain, illustrate, interpret, list, outline, prove, state, and summarize.
- Before you write your essay, make a quick outline. There are three reasons for doing this. First, your thoughts will be more organized (making it easier for your teacher to read), and you will be less likely to leave out important facts. Second, you will be able to write faster. Third, if you do not have time to finish your answer, you may earn some points with the outline. Dont forget to leave plenty of space between answers. You can use the extra space to add information if there is time.
- When you write, get to the point. Start off by including part of the question in your answer. For example, if you are directed to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of universal health care coverage to both patients and medical professionals, your first sentence might read, Universal health care will benefit patients in the following ways. Expand your answer with supporting ideas and facts. If you have time, review your answers for grammatical errors, clarity, and legibility.

Test preparation is essential if you plan to do well consistently on exams throughout your postsecondary education. The most important thing to remember about studying for tests, however, is that by studying you are ensuring better learning of the material covered.

Editorial provided by Diane Loulou for the ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Education. Information from a brochure based on the 1995 ERIC Digest, Making the A: How To Study for Tests.