Tests are hard, stressful, and often vitally important to your success as a student. Everyone has his or her own learning style, so it’s important to find the right study methods that work for you. Thankfully, there are lots of resources and strategies available to help people with any kind of test. Here are some strategies to consider as you prepare to get through your next test.
Study Groups
Study groups can be very useful. Working with friends or colleagues, you can prepare review questions, quiz each other, and have an outside party give you advice. Of course, when it comes to these groups, it is very important that you identify people who will contribute to the group as much as they receive. That’s why it is best to only form a study group with people who you know and respect. This will make your study group much more effective and will prevent resentful feelings from forming between group members.
Practice Tests
If possible, take practice tests. The benefit here is twofold. First, they give you another chance to practice your skills and see what areas of content you need to study more. Second, if the practice test is made by the same teacher or company who is giving you a real test, you will get a feel for the types of questions that will be on the exam you’re taking. Practice tests may be available online for bigger, more commonly taken tests. For example, older AP exams are often available on the internet or in a variety of study materials. This will give you a great idea of what sort of questions you can expect on testing day.
YouTube Videos
YouTube videos can be a great help, particularly if you learn best from materials with good visuals or audio. If this is your preferred learning style, see what information you can find about the subject you are taking a test in. Additionally, you may find it helpful to look up information about different learning styles and strategies. A good YouTube video can give you extensive knowledge about how to study.
When it comes to studying, there is some good news: There are lots of resources available to you. Finding these resources and determining what works best for you is just a matter of putting in a little time and effort. If you take advantage of the steps above, you are very likely to improve your ultimate test performance.