Whether it's an AP exam, the SAT, a final, or any other major exam, we all have to face tests that are very weighty in determining the course of our future. It is very important to prepare correctly and have the correct mindset in order to perform at your very best. I have compiled these tips from my own experience that will hopefully lend a helping hand.
Stress is Good - Just Don't Overdo It
I've noticed that, for me at least, a fair bit of worry makes a rather effective motivator. I'm a huge procrastinator, so it takes some stress to get me to hunker down and prepare for a test. If I approach a test with a cavalier, totally self-confident air, I am not inclined at all towards studying and therefore perform poorly on test day. Hubris definitely applies-pride cometh before the fall! As long as your worry is enough to motivate you and yet not totally debilitating, it should provide a helpful push.
Study, but Don't Cram
Picture your mind as a suitcase. You're trying to pack all of your clothes for a trip. A few days before, you pick out all of your clothes that you want to take and carefully fold them, taking your time to arrange them in the optimum way to conserve space. This way, all of your stuff fits inside, and you can easily zip it. This represents studying ahead of time and taking your time to prepare little by little for the test. On the other hand, say you wait until the morning of your trip about an hour before you need to be on your plane to start packing. You're grabbing this and that from your closet and hurriedly chucking it all in your suitcase. You end up with an unsightly mound of clothing that's all jumbled up and so mountainous you have to sit on your suitcase to even have a chance to get it zipped. This is cramming. If it's the night before your test, yes, glance over your notes and do a quick review, but don't try to stuff large amounts of information into your cranium. Your brain would be better off if you just go to bed early and get all rested up for the next day.
On Test Day, Eat and Stay Hydrated
On the morning of your exam, eat an adequate breakfast. It will help your mind focus and help eliminate that embarrassment of being in a packed yet silent testing room and then the silence is broken by a quite audible growl from your stomach. If you are allowed to bring a snack for during the exam, bring something to munch on. However, as long as you've had a decent breakfast, you don't need some nasty health bar for your snack. I find that it helps keep me motivated if I bring my favorite candy bar. That way you can get a bit of a boost from something tasty! And if you're allowed to bring a water bottle, by all means, do so. Dehydration can make you unable to concentrate, and that's the last thing you need.
Pace Yourself
Many people have issues with not finishing tests in time. Usually, this is because you just loose track of time. However, there is a solution. Take for example the average AP test. For the multiple choice portion, you are given 70 questions to complete in 55 minutes. First of all, bring a watch. That helps immensely. Now, what I do is turn to the first page of my test book (the one with all the questions in it-make sure that you are given permission to write in this by the way!) and make myself a schedule. Say the test started at 8:00. I'd jot down that I want to be up to question 14 by 8:11, 28 by 8:22, 42 by 8:33, etc. Make yourself a schedule, and try to stick to it. Check your watch every once in a while to see how you're doing, and if you pace yourself like this, you should finish in time.
Take a Break
Now, I know sitting in a chair hunched over a bubble sheet for hours and hours is very dull and makes you stiff, so here's a solution: If you're allowed to go to the restroom during your exam, do so even if you don't have to actually go. Get in a stall and stretch. Touch your toes, reach for the sky, bend backwards, and basically do every stretch you can think of for a few moments. This will get the blood flowing back into your extremities and wake up your brain.
Now go forth and beat that test!
