- Spreading review over several days rather than cramming will aid memory development and retention, and reduce last-minute anxiety.
- Several days before the exam, discuss test content with your instructor and study group or classmates.
- Combine all the information that has been presented to you in preparation for the exam and work on mastering the main concepts.
- If you are unable to review all the material the exam will cover, select important portions that you can absorb well. Set a goal of presenting your knowledge of this information on the test.
- When studying for the exam, test yourself with questions that may be asked and try to answer them by integrating ideas from lectures, notes, texts, and supplementary readings.
- If possible, take a practice test under exam-like conditions.
- Remind yourself that your entire future doesn't depend on this exam. There will be other exams and other courses. Many students fail a course or two but go on to graduate from Penn State and have successful careers.
- Don't give a test the power to define you. An exam won't tell you whether you're brilliant or stupid. Your performance on an exam mostly depends on how well you studied for the test, the quality of your prior education, and the test-taking strategies you use.
- As you anticipate the exam, think positively, e.g., "I can do OK on this exam. I've studied and I know my stuff." Remember that the most reasonable expectation is to try to show as much of what you know as you can.
- Remind yourself of past successes. Think of a tough course in which you struggled but eventually succeeded. Tell yourself that if you did well on that past exam, you can do well on the upcoming exam.
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