Nervous Test Taker Hints

I don't know about you all but I am a very nervous test taker.  I fret and freak for days prior not to mention allllllll the cramming.  In order to get into nursing school I had to pass a little exam called the HESI which tests everything.  Me being 30 and not So this little entry is about test taking tips. Here it goes.
 Info from testtakingtips.com

All these tips are great for all ages and levels of schooling.

Reducing Test Taking Anxiety

 

Test anxiety is when a student excessively worries about doing well on a test. This can become a major hindrance on test performance and cause extreme nervousness and memory lapses among other symptoms. The following are tips on reducing test taking anxiety.
Being well prepared for the test is the best way to reduce test taking anxiety. Space out your studying over a few days or weeks and continually review class material. Don't try to learn everything the night before. Try to maintain a positive attitude while preparing for the test and during the test. Exercising for a few days before the test will help reduce stress. Get a good night's sleep before the test. Show up to class early so you won't have to worry about being late. Chew gum (if allowed) during the test to help relieve test anxiety. Stay relaxed, if you begin to get nervous take a few deep breaths slowly to relax yourself and then get back to work. Read the directions slowly and carefully. If you don't understand the directions on the test, ask the teacher to explain it to you. Skim through the test so that you have a good idea how to pace yourself. Write down important formulas, facts, definitions and/or keywords in the margin first so you won't worry about forgetting them. Do the simple questions first to help build up your confidence for the harder questions. Don't worry about how fast other people finish their test; just concentrate on your own test. If you don't know an answer to a question skip it for the time being (come back to it later if you have time), and remember that you don't have to always get every question right to do well on the test. Focus on the question at hand. Don't let your mind wander on other things. If you're still experiencing extreme test anxiety after following these tips, seek help from your school counselor

Cramming Techniques for Exams

 

Cramming for exams should be avoided at all costs. You should only cram for an exam as a last resort. It's hard to take in and retain a large amount of information in a short period of time. Some of the tips on studying and preparing for a test may overlap with the cramming techniques below.
Eat some food to give you energy to study but avoid consuming excess sugar which will make you hyper and will make it more difficult to study. An apple does a better job at keeping you focused and awake than caffeine. Find a well lit place with no distractions around to study but don't get too comfortable or you may fall asleep. Keep a positive attitude, it is easier to study when you are relaxed than when you are stressed out. Since your time is limited, you have to choose what you study. Don't attempt to learn everything, focus on things that will get you the most points on the exam. Focus on the main ideas and learn key formulas. Skip the details for now and only come back to them if you see that you have time after you have learned the key points. Write down the key ideas/formulas on a sheet of paper and keep on studying from that sheet, repetition is important. Highlight the important points in your notes, and text and focus on that. Read the chapter summaries (they usually do a good job at summarizing the important points). If there're no chapter summaries then skim through the text and write down key ideas. Study from past tests, review questions, homework & review sheets. Take at least one five minute break an hour so that you can gather your thoughts and let your brain relax. If time permits, try to get at least 3 hours of sleep (one sleep cycle) before the exam so that you don't fall asleep when taking your exam. Don't forget to set your alarm!

Study Tips & Study Skills

 

Students with better study methods and strategies score higher on their exams.
Everyone is different. Different methods work for different people; the following are only suggestions on improving upon your current studying techniques. It is best to review the material right after class when it's still fresh in your memory. Don't try to do all your studying the night before the test. Instead space out your studying, review class materials at least several times a week, focusing on one topic at a time. Have all of your study material in front of you: lecture notes, course textbooks, study guides and any other relevant material. Find a comfortable and quiet place to study with good lighting and little distractions (try avoiding your own bed; it is very tempting to just lie down and take a nap). Start out by studying the most important information. Learn the general concepts first, don't worry about learning the details until you have learned the main ideas. Take notes and write down a summary of the important ideas as you read through your study material. Take short breaks frequently. Your memory retains the information that you study at the beginning and the end better than what you study in the middle. Space out your studying, you'll learn more by studying a little every day instead of waiting to cram at the last minute. By studying every day, the material will stay in your long-term memory but if you try to study at the last moment, the material will only reside in your short-term memory that you'll easily forget. Make sure that you understand the material well, don't just read through the material and try to memorize everything. If you choose to study in a group, only study with others who are serious about the test. Test yourself or have someone test you on the material to find out what your weak and strong areas are. You can use the review questions at the end of each chapter, practice tests that the teacher may give out or other pertinent materials. Listening to relaxing music such as classical or jazz on a low volume can relieve some of the boredom of studying. Don't study later than the time you usually go to sleep, you may fall asleep or be tempted to go to sleep, instead try studying in the afternoon or early evening. If you are a morning person try studying in the morning

Test Taking Tips

 

 

 

 

Bring at least two pens/pencils with good erasers, a calculator with enough batteries and any other resources that your instructor allows you to.
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. Do the problems that have the greatest point values first. 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. Write legibly. If the grader can't read what you wrote, they'll most likely mark it wrong. Always read the whole question carefully. Don't make assumptions about what the question might be. 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. 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. Double check to make sure that you put your first and last name on the test.


I hope some of this helps.  I know that we do some test on computers but still same rules pretty much apply.