If you are in high school, one thing you are going to have to deal with are tests. Tests are an important part of a person’s grade in high school. That means if you’re like me and you want to do well in school, you’re going to want to know how to do well on them. Today I am going to share the tips and tricks I’ve learned that will help you do just that.
1. Use your time wisely
This is probably one of the most important tips I have, and one of the hardest to follow if you’re anything like me. Being a student in high school, you'll have a lot of responsibilities. You may have extracurriculars, a part-time job, chores, family to take care of, and more. You have to learn how to use your time wisely so you have can to study without putting the other things in your life on hold. One of the best ways to go about this is to make a schedule for yourself. Personally, I created a schedule for myself on my school laptop through Google Docs that has my assignments, due dates, and other responsibilities laid out on it. I use it just about every day and it helps immensely.
2. Do NOT pull all-nighters
This tip goes along with the first one. Not only is pulling all-nighters unhealthy, it will worsen your test performance. Our brains function best under a proper amount of sleep. If we deprive ourselves of sleep, it will hurt our memories and make test-taking even harder. You may think that studying at 1 am is better than not studying at all, but I can’t say that is the case.
3. Pay attention in class
This tip is obvious, but I want to emphasize its importance. The content that the teacher covers in class is what you will see on the test. If you pay attention in class it will make studying a lot less work for you. If you have trouble paying attention in class, I recommend that you remember to refocus your attention whenever you catch yourself wandering off in thought. I also recommend that you create your own motivation. It will give you a reason to want to pay attention in class.
4. Do homework
Homework helps your grade in more than one way. A large amount of the content that is seen in tests will often time be covered in homework. That means that if you are doing your homework, you are also studying. If your teacher gives you homework, be sure to do it.
5. Study wisely
Different ways of studying work better for different people. If the way that someone else studies isn't effective for you, don’t do it. You have to find what works for you. For some people, it may be using flashcards. For others, it may be reading a passage or watching a video relating to the subject you’re learning. For me personally, the resources that teachers give me help me study. That include websites created for studying, such as Quizlet and Quizizz. Also, make sure to focus on what you don’t know well when it comes to studying. If you completely understand a concept, there is no need to spend a lot of time looking over it.
6. Use your resources
Teachers want their students to do well in their class. That means they are often going to provide students with resources to help them learn the material. They may give students passages with the content covered in the tests or study guides that tell them the material that they need to study. Whatever the case, if these resources are available you should use them to do your best on the test. Also, don’t be afraid to talk to teachers if you need extra help. That is what they’re there for.
7. Use strategy
There are strategies that students can use while taking a test that will make them more successful during the test. For example, look for keywords when it comes to an essay question. Keywords such as “define,” “compare,” or “explain” give you the goals you are trying to accomplish while writing your answers. Another strategy can be used while taking multiple choice answers. When you are not sure what the answer is right away, eliminate the ones that you know are wrong. After doing that, if you are still not sure, make your best-educated guess.
8. Breathe
Stressing over a test will not help you perform any better. When you are taking a test it is best to breathe in order to stay calm and relaxed so you can allow your mind to focus. A good way to get yourself concentrated is also by taking deep breaths. If you feel like you need it, feel free take a break and take a couple of breaths until you feel like you can concentrate again. Doing this will help you give your best test performance by relaxing your mind.
9. Don’t overstress perfection
No one needs to have every answer correct in a test. What you should focus on is doing your best and not beating yourself up if there are some answers you don’t know. Personally, perfection is not my goal in school. It used to be, but I learned that doing perfect on all my tests and projects is not important to me anymore. I still do well enough to get good grades, but I now focus the energy and time I used to focus on perfection to areas of my life that are more important to me.
"Perfection is the enemy of progress." -Winston Churchill
10. Remember why you’re doing this
Motivation is the key to success, especially when it comes to school. If you feel discouraged, it helps to keep your eye on the bigger picture. Remember why you go to school. Remember why you want to do well in it. Is it because you want the best future possible for yourself? Is it to provide for the family you want? Whatever it is that motivates you, hold on to it. It will keep you going. Raiseme is a great motivator for students. To sum it up, it gives you money in scholarships for a job-well-done in school. Click on the button below to sign up and to easily earn yourself a $100 bonus for doing so.
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