How to Study

Preparing for Great Test Scores
Some rites of preparation are pertinent to any test, from a weekly
quiz to the SAT, and everything in between.
Plan Ahead
I admit it. When I was a student, even in college, my attention span
tended to be bounded by weekends. Tell me in October that there’d
be a big test the first week of December and I’d remember, oh, around
November 30th.
Of such habits are cramming, crib sheets, and failing marks made.
The key to avoiding all of these unpleasantries is regular, periodic
review. The more often you review, the less often you will have to
pull all-nighters the week of the test. You already will have stayed on
top of the material, written down and asked questions that arose from
your reviews, and gone over class and textbook notes to make sure
you understand everything. Your last-minute review will be relatively
leisurely and organized, not feverish and harried.
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Use Two Alarm Clocks
Doing poorly on a test is discouraging. Failing a test you felt ready for
is depressing. Missing the test entirely is devastating. It’s imperative
that you know when and where all tests are scheduled and allow
ample time to get to them.
If you’re still in high school, getting to a particular test shouldn’t 
be too hard—it will probably be held during your regular class period
in your normal classroom. But in college, tests may be scheduled 
at hours different than the normal class period…and at entirely 
different sites.
Likewise, major tests like the PSAT and SAT may not even be held
at your school. In such cases, make sure you allow enough time to
drive to, or be driven to, wherever you have to be—especially if you’re
not quite sure how to get there!
As soon as you know the time and location of a test, enter it on your
weekly calendar. Whether in high school, college, or grad school, most
schools set aside a week, two, or even more for final exams. This
exam period is usually clearly marked in your college handbook,
announced in class (usually on the first day), and printed on your class
syllabus.
If you have an upcoming exam early in the morning and you are afraid
you won’t be in shape for it, do a bit of subterfuge on your body and
brain—get up early for several days before the exam, have a good
breakfast, and do homework or review your notes. This will help
jump-start your brain and get it used to the idea of solving equations
or thinking seriously about Shakespeare at an earlier-than-usual hour.
Chapter 8
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