I can teach any student how to become a better test taker in less than five minutes. You already know what the teacher is trying to teach you. The only thing holding you back is your confidence level, and I will increase it dramatically. In five minutes or less, you will learn everything that they want you to know going into each test, but can’t explain because of time restraints.
how to become a better test taker
Becoming a better test taker is more than simply familiarizing yourself with what types of questions are on the test and mastering them — it’s also about knowing how to handle different situations that may arise during a test. How you feel at any point can affect your performance in both good ways and bad — so it’s important to know how to avoid common stressors, like being forced to sit next to someone who talks or chews gum throughout the duration of an exam.
Know how you learn
The best way to remember something in the long term is to study it intently. In this case, you’re going to be studying previous test materials, textbooks and notes, and to pass a test, you have to remember most of what you read. The problem is, people learn this differently.
Ever had that one roommate/friend at school who can stay up all night studying and be stable the next morning? If you’re the type of person who cannot function optimally without your complete eight hours of sleep, it might be very hard to comprehend how your roommate/friend is doing it.
Some people find that they have to start studying weeks, and even months, to the actual test in order to pass. Others don’t bother to study at all till the night before the test–and they scale through easily!
Some people find that they learn better through visual cues–diagrams, photos, videos, etc. Others prefer to read a book or listen to an audio explanation. Some people understand study material better if an expert teaches them, while others like to figure things out on their own.
If the book is a fiction or nonfiction book, some people (maybe you) might like to read summaries of it first. I love reading book summaries before delving deep into the book itself. In my opinion, Blinkist is one of the best book summary apps for this purpose. Read the pros and cons of Blinkist to find out why.
To become a better test taker, you have to identify the way you learn. This is very important because reading a book repeatedly is not going to help visual learners at all. Watching videos all day will do nothing for the bookworm.
Knowing your most effective learning method will help you make the most of your study time.
Make a study plan
Once you understand your best learning method, you have to create a plan. Your plan should include what, when and how you’re going to study your material. Your study plan should clearly outline the topics you’ll be focusing on, when and how you’ll go through the material. If you cannot make a plan yourself, you can find a tutor who will create a plan with you.
Most test-takers underestimate the importance of the “when”. To become a better test-taker, you have to find time to commit the concepts and topics to long-term memory. This is why you should set a study time and abide by it.
However, the standard procedure requires you to look over the study material to familiarize yourself with the basic concepts and principles. Once you understand these baselines, you can start practicing problems.
It is not advisable to work on problems and forget them. Instead, make a list (or log, if you will) of the questions you struggle with and revisit them a few days or weeks later. When you go back to them, try to find patterns in the problems you are not getting right.
For instance, are you struggling with em dash placement? Do you only fail problems that are related to polygons? Identify your weaknesses and work on them until they become your strengths.
If you’re lucky and your teacher or professor decides to give you a study guide, take advantage of it. They’re the ones that will set the test questions, so if they tell you to focus on one particular topic, there’s usually a good reason behind it. If they don’t give you a study guide, don’t be scared to ask questions about what kind of questions will be on the test.
Find a study buddy
‘Two heads are better than one,’ they say.
This is infinitely true. It is much easier to approach problems and study with someone by your side as opposed to being alone. Sometimes, the best way to master a topic is to study it with other people. Discussing topics and working together to understand the study material activates different parts of the brain than when you study on your own.
Sometimes, the other person might understand a topic better and they can share their knowledge with you. It helps break the boredom and monotony that comes with studying alone.
Ultimately, the best way to become a better test taker is to practice. During your time as a student, you’ll likely take a slew of tests and quizzes. This is especially true if you’re an AP or IB student. If you find yourself struggling on one of these tests, try harder to answer those questions correctly on your next attempt. Additionally, do some research online and read some test taking strategies from sites like CollegeBoard. You’ll want to use this information as a supplement, not as an alternative. Again, these strategies will only be truly effective once you start integrating them into your regular test taking process.
