Crack the System . . . Instead of Cracking Up!

Beforehand:

Review the material right before going to bed.

Get 8-9 hours of sleep.

Eat a light breakfast with fresh fruit and drink a bottle of water.

If you take a test when you are hungry or tired, you won't perform well.

Arrive on time. Avoid the worried, anxious group who get there early to cram; test anxiety can be contagious.

Some anxiety is good; concern will help you do your best.

Test Time:

Decide to do your best.

Take several slow, deep breaths.

Pay close attention to one question at a time. Concentration can reduce anxiety.

Preview the test and budget your time. (You don't want to spend 30 minutes on an essay worth only 5 points.)

Read the directions. (Can more than one answer be correct?) Never assume you know the directions.

Answer the easy questions first. (This will give you confidence and momentum.)

For Difficult Questions:

Decode the question: circle key concept words.

Cover the answers and try to answer before looking at choices. (This can eliminate confusion.)

Uncover one choice at a time; place a checkmark beside it if you think it's correct, an X beside it if it is not the one, and a "?" for not sure.

Then remember:

• The longest multiple-choice answer is often correct.
• The most complete and inclusive multiple-choice answer is often correct.
• A multiple-choice answer in the middle, especially one with most words is often correct.
• If two multiple-choice answers have opposite meaning one of them is probably correct.
• Answers with qualifiers, such as generally, usually, probably, most, often, some, may, and sometimes are usually correct.
• Answers with absolute words, such as all, always, everyone, everybody, never, no one, nobody, none, and only are usually incorrect.

Guessing Guidelines:

If two answers are similar except for one or two words, choose one of these answers.

If two answers have similar sounding or looking words, choose one of these answers.

If answers call for sentence completion, eliminate any answer that would be grammatically incorrect.

If two quantities are almost the same, choose one.