By Monte Ashqar
Tests can be stressful to a lot of students, but with preparation and a few simple techniques, the anxiety and stress can be controlled, Adolph Lopez III, testing and assessment center director, said.
“The key to test taking is you have to attend class and study, and without doing so, you won’t pass,” Lopez said.
Cramming on the night before the test does not work, Lopez said.
“You will forget about 90 percent within a week, so when you try to study for the comprehensive final exam, you won’t remember a thing,” Lopez said.
Studying regularly is the best way to study for a test because students should be reviewing the material on the night before the test and not re-learning the material, Lopez added.
“Also don’t get there too early,” Lopez said. “Other people are nervous, and that could be contagious.”
Lopez also said a little anxiety can be beneficial while taking a test because students can use the adrenaline generated from being anxious and nervous.
“When taking a test, go through the questions one by one,” Lopez said.
“If you don’t know the answer to a question, skip it and go to the next one. That way you don’t waste too much time on those questions.”
Lopez said reading a later question sometimes can give a hint of the answer to a previous unknown question.
“Always avoid talking negatively to yourself, and focus on one item closely around you if you get nervous,” Lopez said.
“Staring and focusing on your watch, for example, can reduce the anxiety and help you gain control of it.”