How To Prepare For An Important Exam
Every student is born with special skills which are unique to him or her. Individuals are of different kinds, some of us are naturally academically inclined while some are not. Most students work very hard to get good grades, while some don’t and they also manage to have good grades.
There are also students that studied very hard for an exam but they end up getting low marks, because of their poor preparation methods.
For all students ‘how to prepare for an important exam’ is a big question, that needs to be addressed thoroughly. Therefore, below are few preparation tips to help students prepare well and get good grades in their exams:
1. Get Enough Time To Study
It is not advisable to start studying for an important exam at the last minute. Although there are some students that seem to thrive well on last-minute ‘cramming’. But this method does not work well for most of us, and it is generally not the best way to approach an important exam.
Preparation for the exam should start early
You should set out a timetable for your study and organize your study accordingly. Setting a timetable helps students visualize what they need to do and can help reduce stress.
2. Organize Your Study Space
Get a place that you feel comfortable with by making sure you have enough space to spread your textbooks and notes out. Make sure you have enough light, a comfortable chair and try to get rid of all distractions such as your computer games.
Try to focus as much as possible
For some students, this may require a complete silence while background music is ideal for others. There are also some that needs everything completely tidy and organized in order for them to be able to concentrate. The most important thing is to know what works for you, and take the time to get it right.
3. Use Flow Charts And Diagrams
Visual aids such as flow charts and diagrams can be really helpful when revising. When you are about to start reading a particular topic, challenge yourself to put down everything you studied about the topic and then go on to read and correct your mistakes from what you’ve read.
Few days to the exam, you should try and condense your revision notes into diagrams from what you have read. Getting your ideas down in this way will help you to quickly recall everything you need to know during the exam.
4. Explain What You’ve Read To Friends And Family
Get together with friends and explain what you’ve read to them, all of you will gain from it as you may have questions that they have the answers to and vice versa. Also, use your parents and little brothers and sisters to your advantage during your preparation for an exam, explain an answer to a question to them. This can be one of the most effective ways to get the answers clear in your head, and also a method to highlight any areas where you need to study more.
5. Practice With Past Versions Of The Exam
One of the most effective methods to prepare for an important exam is to practice with past versions of the exam. Practicing on the past exams will help you get used to the format of the questions, and enable you to know the best manner to provide answers. This method will also help you with time management on each section of the questions.
Excellent preparation is very important in order to have good grades in an exam. Understand your goals and how important the exam is. You brain consumes glucose while you study, so it is important you take snack breaks to let your body produce more fuel for your studying.
Finally, know when to stop studying so as to avoid stressing and confusing yourself. Get a good night’s sleep of about eight hours before the exam. Don’t panic, relax your mind as you’ve survived exams before, and you’ll survive this one too. Remind yourself that you’ve prepared very well for the questions.