How to Pass Exams: a Guide for the Desperate Student

May 27th, 2010 by admin

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No doubt about it, it’s crunch time.  In just a matter of days, you will have to face your worst fear:  daunting exams that you dread in classes that seem to have gone a lot faster and in more complicated ways than you had dreamed possible.  Procrastination is not an option, and no one but you can do this work.  So buckle down and pay attention.  There really are concrete things you can do to pass exams.

 

First, remember that studying and reading are two different things.  Studying involves not only taking in the information through reading, but doing so in an organized way that will enable you to retain and integrate the details into your knowledge base.  Passing exams requires time management, planning, note taking, and overall organization.  Instead of panicking and throwing yourself into a series of desperate all-nighters that leave your brain in a fog and your emotions frazzled and ragged, map out a plan of attack.  Ask yourself exactly how much time there is before the big tests.  Make a daily study plan which delineates exactly what times and how many hours you plan to spend hitting the books.  Be sure to build in breaks and small rewards for yourself.  You not only need to make it through this marathon, but you need to be awake and alert for the final stretch.

 

Plan by determining what materials you need to study, how long the process will take, and the best ways to own the information in front of you.  That requires active reading.  Often, a big part of this is taking notes in your own words, perhaps even quizzing yourself or having someone else test you based on what you have gleaned from reading.  Remember, passing exams requires that you can recall the information set forth for you in books and instructional hand-outs.

 

That’s not all you need in order to pass exams, however.  If you don’t integrate what you have read into the larger body of knowledge you possess, you will have a much more difficult time remembering it.  Passing exams often involves writing essays which challenge you to extrapolate based on what you have learned in class.  That can only happen if you have studied efficiently, slept well the night before your exam, and given yourself a little breathing room to decompress after your study sessions and before exam time begins.  Passing exams can be difficult, but keeping these factors in mind can help you make the most of your time and abilities and give you a way to show off your hard work to the teacher.

 

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