Studying for the Test

Take a diagnostic practice test:

Most competitive exams are composed of different parts. For example, the GRE is comprised of math, verbal, and essay components. In order to do targeted studying and practice you need to best prepare for the test, you will need to take a practice test to determine which areas of the test you need to focus on the most. In your test prep books, you can typically find diagnostic practice tests.

·         There are also many websites, like collegeboard.org for the SAT, which provide practice tests for competitive exams. These online tests will score your tests for you.

·         Take the practice test under test like conditions. This means time your test, put away electronics, refrain from listening to music, and sit in a desk/space that will be similar to the environment of the test.

Practice the essay portion of the test:

If your test includes a writing portion, be sure to practice writing your essay in the time that will be allotted. Make sure you practice writing an outline and planning what you will write about during your practice as well.

Make an outline to structure your study plan:

You will need to make a realistic study plan based on what test you are taking, and the amount of time experts say you will need to do to prepare. Some competitive tests like the GRE take months to prepare for, for example.

·       Sit down with your study materials, and make an outline of the big topics/areas you need to study for the test.

Backward plan which areas of the test you will study and for how long:

Having a plan and staying consistent in studying and doing targeted practice are going to be key for success on competitive exams. Typically, you will need to block off large, regular chunks of time in your schedule for studying. According to your outline, break down how much material you will need to study per session, approximately.

·         Start with the most important material and work toward the less important material to make sure the important content gets covered before the test.

Use a calendar app like Google Calendar to make a schedule:

You can sign up for a Gmail account if you do not have one and want the app. Go to your Calendar app located in the apps directory in the upper right corner of your Gmail account. Go to "Create" and schedule an "Event" to put the study schedule on your Calendar app. Check and update your calendar regularly to remind yourself of your study schedule.

·       Google Calendar has an email reminders option that you can use to remind yourself of your schedule.

·       Revise your schedule as needed. If something comes up and you are unable to study, look at your calendar and revise the study plan. Make room in your schedule to study at another time so that you can cover the material and keep on pace in your studies.

Clear your plate of obligations:

In order to gear up for taking a competitive test, you should carve out room in your schedule for you to study regularly. Explain to your friends and family that you will be concentrating on preparing for a test. Take whatever steps you need to give yourself the time and space you need to focus regularly on studying.

Keep track of your progress by taking practice tests:

Every couple of weeks, or as often as recommended, take a practice test, and then go back through and look at the questions you missed. If your answer sheet tells you what kind of question it was, take note. If not, do your best to determine what kind of problems you are missing, and look for patterns in the mistakes you are making so that you know what to focus on in your studying.

·         When testing, don’t consider each question unique.  There are different types of questions that recur in tests. For example, on the English portion of the ACT, test questions come from these categories: grammar & usage, punctuation, sentence structure, strategy, organization, and style.

Study the areas you are weak in:

Take more time studying the concepts that you are having trouble with. For example, if you are having difficulty correctly answering the questions about sentence structure in the ACT, use your practice book to study lessons on sentence structure. Consider getting help from someone who is strong in the area you are struggling in, like a teacher or a friend.

Stay focused on your outline:

The stress that comes from studying for competitive tests can be overwhelming at times because of the amount that you have to study. Make sure to combat that stress by concentrating on studying one lesson at a time. Remind yourself that you have to go through this test prep one step at a time, and don’t let yourself worry about mastering the whole test in a short period of time.

·         Do not try to learn everything at once, cramming will not help you deeply understand the content you are learning.