The academic world is becoming tougher by the day and students have exams, homework, assignments, project and a variety of other co-curricular and extracurricular activities to worry about. Even though a student may be well prepared for an exam, he/she may not score well and this is perhaps due to improper planning. Here are a few tips to help students prepare for exams better and ace them.
You cannot dispense with planning
Most students don’t give this aspect much thought and dive right in and study in a haphazard fashion. It is imperative to plan, draw a schedule and revisit it from time to time. During the planning phase, there are a couple of things to keep in mind such as:
- Preferred study time and medium (some students prefer reading at night while some like to read early in the morning. Similarly, some students prefer self studywhile others take help from online math tutors and others for tough subjects and so on).
- Take note of the volume of material to be covered and the familiarity of the topics involved and then devise a plan.
- Allotting sufficient number of days/hours for complex topics
- Planning for the revision and making some room for catchall (it is very hard to stick right to schedule and be always on track. It is important to provide some room for catch up to make up for sick days, lazy ones, etc.)
- Making a realistic plan with realistic targets, so that there isn’t much pressure or deviation.
Stick to the plan and do not procrastinate
It is quite easy to make unrealistic schedules and be vigorous in the planning stage. However, it is very difficult to execute even the best made plans. Discipline is required for this; motivation is yet another aspect that can keep you going.
Make notes and use them
It is important to take notes and note down details that can help you revise the topic at hand. These will serve as a good source for the revision just before exams and you may also choose to go through them the next day so as to check if you have learnt the topic well. If you are studying math with an online math tutor, you could record the sessions and play them back during revision or when a particular topic is confusing.
Do not employ popular techniques, use what works for you
It is quite easy to follow the herd and employ the techniques that are popular to help you study. While some people concentrate better with music in the background, some study better in classes, some in their rooms and so on; it is imperative to figure out what works for you and then use that technique.
It is OK to fall a little bit behind schedule
Freaking out when you are behind schedule is quite normal; however, put those catchall days to good use and don’t panic in case you are a little bit. Always revisit your schedule/plans every once in a while to track progress and make adjustments. Even if you have been methodical and sticking to your plan, you may have estimated a particular topic to take 2 days while it might have stretched to 3 in reality. There is no need to frantically rush up studying in such cases; this is why you should plan ahead and make room for catchall.
Even if you read just a little, make sure it counts
It is important to have productive study sessions. You may have read just a couple of pages and yet if you understood them completely, it is way better than going through whole chapters without understanding them.
Take mock tests and evaluate yourself honestly
Take tests with complete sincerity, evaluate yourself and identify weak areas. Once this is done, you can work on them and better yourself. This is especially important for subjects like math and physics and in this regard an online math tutor or a physics one can help you. In fact, there are even free tests available online that you can take up and evaluate.
Most importantly, keep yourself hydrated, eat well and get lots of sleep. These tips are sure to help you score better.
