Test time
Over the course of two university degrees, you become painfully familiar with exams. The anticipation, the dedicated struggle of studying, the intense effort during, and the wait for judgement after. It's an unavoidable process that becomes much more manageable when you find a consistent routine. For me that routine follows the same few steps every time.
- Light Review I go through my class notes and readings--but only at a high level. I don't stress about all the details on the first run through. It's merely a way to dust off the cobwebs that may have collected on the principles and concepts that have been covered so far. Class notes in particular are usually a good indicator of what my professor may include on the exam. I make sure I have those concepts nailed down.
- Create a Cheat Sheet A few of my more wise--and more helpful--professors allowed their students to bring in anywhere from a small 3x5 card to a full sheet of paper of notes to help out on exams. Of course I would spend hours cramming every relevant equation, concept, and example that could conceivably fit onto that redeeming piece of paper. Inevitably, though, I found that when I actually took the test I didn't need the notes. Creating the cheat sheet had already crammed the information in my head.
- Do Problems You Know The Answer To As an engineer the majority of my classes are technical. This means lots of practical problems. Equations and calculations dominate the majority of my exams and ultimately there is no substitute for practice. But smart practice is important. I concentrate on solving problems I know I know the answers to. This allows me to simultaneously check my work and my understanding. Textbook examples, previous exams, and corrected homework problems are all great references to get me familiar with the problem solving patterns I will need for the next exam.
This is a simple, tried and true method that has led me to many a successful exam. What methods work for you?
