UNNERVED BY TESTS? A COLLECTION OF TIPS AND STRATEGIES

So…you took a test, and it didn’t go well. Or you think it didn’t go well, but you haven’t seen your actual grade yet. You start to wonder – What could I have done differently? Why do I struggle with tests? It is easy for people to assume that being gifted means that you breeze through exams, but test-taking can be a concern for even the most talented students. How can you improve your test taking abilities?

First, you will need to do some self-exploration to try to discern the actual issue.

• Do you not fully understand the material?
• Are you unable to get through the material in the time allowed?
• Does test-taking make you so anxious that you are unable to show your true abilities?
• Do you actually perform fairly well on tests, you’re just sure you did poorly even when you really didn’t?

If you are having trouble with the actual material, what you need are test preparation strategies. Don’t assume that just because you’re smart that you should be able to understand content without putting in any effort. And if you’ve always done well on tests without studying and suddenly that’s not so easy – well, that’s one of the drawbacks of being a gifted student. You’ve never had to practice this skill, and now it is underdeveloped.

I like this article, hfhighschool.org/academics/guidance/academic-support/test-taking-tips/, which offers the following advice:

• Take notes and begin to prepare for tests on the first day of class!
• Study a little daily (or at least weekly) – continuously review material from prior lessons.
• Attend review or help sessions.
• Ask the instructor if certain areas will be emphasized on the test.
• Do not wait until the last minute to begin to review notes, homework, worksheets, prior quizzes and tests, and reading material.
• Have a quiet study space and avoid digital distractions.
• Understand what material is the most critical; start there.
• Create a review sheet of the of main ideas/information/formulas.

If you are unable to get through materials in a timely fashion, or feel disorganized and discombobulated, you might want to think about some test-taking strategies. Some good ones I’ve read include things like:

For essay questions:

• Make sure to read the prompt carefully.
• Underline key words or phrases if responding to a passage.
• Write a brief outline or bullet points on what you want to cover.
• Try to leave time to go back and proofread your work (crossing out and correcting is usually fine).

For multiple choice questions:

• Think about answering all the questions you know first, then going back to the ones you couldn’t answer immediately.
• If leaving blanks makes you uncomfortable, don’t spend too long on any one question.
• Eliminate the answers you know are wrong, make your best guess and move on.
• Our first thought is usually correct. Try not to overthink the answers.

For all test takers:

• Practice maintaining focus. Losing focus during a test makes it hard to get back on track.
• Try sucking on a peppermint or chewing gum; this works for many people.
• Take deep breaths and try to remain as relaxed as possible.
• Pace yourself. If timing on tests is hard for you, practice at home.
• If you finish early and have time to review, do so.

You can read more about this at the following sites:

• 12 Test taking tips for high school students
• Checklist: Test-Taking Strategies for Middle and High School Students
• Test Taking Strategies 

Finally, even gifted students have test anxiety. Scratch that, it’s possible that gifted students have even more test anxiety. Many of you have perfectionistic tendencies that like to rear their collective heads at the thought of quizzes and exams.

So, try to take a deep breath (all the way in, hold it, and then see if you can take in a little bit more, then let that breath out very slowly). Pay attention to the way you’re talking to yourself. Are you saying “I don’t know this material. I didn’t study hard enough. I know I’m going to fail.”? If so, try some positive self-talk. “I’ve done the best I can. I understand the content. I’ve got this.” Psyching yourself up is the counterattack to psyching yourself out.

And try not to get too worked up while you wait for your results; there’s no sense stressing about something you can’t undo. And if your grade comes back and it’s not the grade that you want, this is when you go back and look at the tips and strategies, learn from your mistakes, and move forward. This is what will help you become a more successful student and, more importantly, a better person.

Until next time,

Ms. Nan