Tips for Acing Your Next College Exam

Exams are a stressful time for any college student. A lot is riding on each exam you take, and it's a moment of truth when you find out whether you've actually learned from your class or not. It's easy to get a little freaked out before exams, but by getting prepared and putting the work in, you should be able to do well on any exam you face.

Do the prep work. Go to class, missing meeting times only infrequently and when it's necessary. Listen to your professor, participate, and take notes. Doing all of these things will help you learn and retain information along the way.

Study. It's the hard, simple truth: if you want to do well on exams, you've got to put in the work. Make flashcards, go through your notes, and read over reviews to get ready for your exam. There's no substitute for hard work and knowing the material when it comes to exam time.

Get help from family and friends. Let people know that you'll need time to study, and that you shouldn't be bothered at certain points. Then, enlist their help. Ask them to quiz you, use flashcards, and to play interference against distractions that might keep you from your studies.

Work with your classmates. Start a study group and discuss what you know together. Refresh your memory and enrich your understanding of the material by teaching the information to others.

Review the material. The night before you're tested, take a bit of time to look over your notes and important highlights to make sure that you're still familiar with what you'll be tested on and that it's fresh on your brain for the next day.

Get a good night's sleep. Although you may be tempted to stay up all night cramming information into your brain, you will be better served to get studying done earlier and spend your night before the test sleeping soundly. You can better process information with a full night's sleep, and you'll be fresh and alert the next morning come test time.

Following these tips can help you ensure that you'll be well prepared to do well on your next college exam. Be sure to put in the effort and time that's required to really learn the material that's presented to you.