High School Entrance Exam Tips
Taking an entrance exam for a high school can be stressful. While it is important to do well, excessive stress and worry can reduce your chances of earning a good score. Fortunately there are several things you can do to calm yourself and improve your likelihood of passing.
Other People Are Reading
-
General Studying
-
Begin preparing for the exam as far in advance as possible. You probably will be given a list of subjects that the test will cover. Focus on the subjects that you find difficult and thus need the most help in scoring well. Use study techniques that work best for you, whether it's memorization, repetition with the use of flash cards, solving sample problems or any other tool that helps you learn.
Exam Preparation
-
Take advantage of tools that are offered as you prepare for your exam. Many schools provide review classes specifically designed to prepare you for the entrance exam. Even if such classes are not available in your area, there are practice exams that can help familiarize you with the types of questions you will encounter. Time yourself as you take these tests to see how you might do on the actual exam.
-
Night Before
-
Stop studying a few hours before bedtime. Cramming for exams provides no extra benefit and will add to your feelings of stress. Lay out the clothes you'll wear the next day so you won't have to think about it in the morning. Choose clothes that look nice but are comfortable. Don't wear new clothes; you don't want uncomfortable shoes or an itchy shirt distracting you from the exam. Go to bed early and get a full night's sleep so that your brain is rested and at peak efficiency.
Morning of the Exam
-
Eat a good breakfast, but don't eat so much that you will be uncomfortable during the exam. Give your notes a final review but don't try to learn anything new. This review is just to refresh the data and store it in your short-term memory. Pack extra pencils, calculator batteries and anything else you might need. Leave early for the exam, so that traffic snarls or other unexpected delays don't make you late.
At the Exam Center
-
Use the restroom as soon as you get to the exam center. Don't drink too much water before the test, or you may have to go again. This is an important test, so it is natural to be nervous. When you feel anxiety creeping up on you, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and remind yourself that you have prepared as best you can.
Taking the Exam
-
During the exam, skip any problems that give you trouble and come back to them later if there's time. It is better to miss one hard question than to run out of time for three others. If you have to guess, first eliminate all possible wrong answers to give yourself the best odds.
Ignore other test takers, even if they finish or leave the room. Avoid letting yourself feel that you should be hurrying. You have a specific amount of time in which to complete the exam, and every second of it belongs to you.
After the Test
-
Do something to reward yourself. Eat some chocolate, play video games, hang out with friends, whatever makes you happy. Decide on this reward before the exam begins and commit to it, no matter how you think you did on the test. This will give you something happy to look forward to during the exam, which will help reduce stress and improve your performance.
-
References
- Photo Credit exam image by DXfoto.com from Fotolia.com
