Testing Tips
Our classes just wrapped up taking their mid-term and final exams. So in honor of testing season here at PDA, we thought we would share some of our best test taking tips to help you really ace your next test!
* Bring a watch to the test so that you can better pace yourself.
* Keep a positive attitude throughout the whole test and try to stay relaxed. If you start to feel nervous take a few deep breaths to relax.
* Keep your eyes on your own paper, you don’t want to appear to be cheating and cause unnecessary trouble for yourself.
* When you first receive your test, do a quick survey of the entire test so that you know how to efficiently budget your time.
* Do the easiest problems first. Don’t stay on a problem that you are stuck on, especially when time is a factor.
* Pace yourself, don’t rush . Read the entire question and pay attention to the details.
* Ask the instructor for clarification if you don’t understand what they are asking for on the test. Better safe than sorry, and usually they are happy to clarify.
* If you don’t know an answer, skip it. Go on with the rest of the test and come back to it later. Other parts of the test may have some information that will help you out with that question.
* Never leave an answer blank. Even if you aren’t confident in your answer, you miss 100% of the chances you don’t take.
* Don’t worry if others finish before you. Focus on the test in front of you.
* If you have time left when you are finished, look over your test. Make sure that you have answered all the questions. Only change an answer if you misread or misinterpreted the question because the first answer that you put is usually the correct one. Watch out for careless mistakes and proofread your essay and/or short answer questions.
Testing well is a skill, and it’s never too late to learn.
