You need to ace that exam. Set yourself up for success by mastering these 22 test-taking strategies used by the very best students.
By Thea Beckman
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If you have a feeling of impending doom when you walk into an exam room; get nightmares in which you turn up without your pants on; and spend the first few minutes in a cold sweat, these test-taking tips are the dragon-slaying knight to your damsel in distress.
In this guide, I'm going to walk you through the 20 best test-taking strategies to keep you calm, and thinking and performing optimally in any test or exam. These test-taking tips fall into one of eight categories:
- The 2-3-day lead-up to your test or exam
- The best test-taking strategies for the exam room
- Essay exam-taking skills
- Multiple choice exam-taking skills
- Test-taking tips for when you're done writing (or think you're done)
- Test-taking tips for when you're drawing a blank
Following these tips and strategies will ensure that you do your absolute best, even if you accidentally leave your studying for the last minute.
Let's dive in!
Strategy test prep 2 to 3 days before an exam
The two to three-day lead-up to your exam is a crucial period. There’s a whole lot you can do in this time to make sure that you're in peak condition, both mentally and physically...
Test-taking tip 1. Optimize your studying
Put down the highlighter. Now's the time to study as efficiently as possible (because your time is super limited), consolidate what you've been learning in the prior weeks and months, and put it into practice with some practice tests or mock exams:
- Study efficiently with flashcards, especially Brainscape's already-made flashcards for hundreds of subjects, since you won't have time to make any.
- Try to find and do some practice exams. This will highlight knowledge weaknesses you may have while familiarizing you with the exam format, so there aren’t any unpleasant surprises on test day.
- Use the Feynman Technique. The best way to iron-proof your knowledge of a subject is to teach it aloud from the very basics up. Use your little brother, sleeping cat, or potted plant as your student.
Test-taking tip 2. Prioritize your sleep in the days before your exam
We know that cramming and pulling all-nighters is, like, "a thing" for students but it is quite honestly the most garbage of all the test-taking strategies. You may as well tie a 100-pound weight to your brain and ask it to run a one-minute mile.
Sleep is crucial for good brain health and memory. You're better off getting a good night's rest the night before an exam than pulling an all-nighter. (In fact, one study showed that sleep-deprived people performed about as well as people who were high on marijuana, which is far from ideal when you’re trying to operate at your mental peak.)
So, prioritize good sleep always... but especially in the days leading up to your exams. Your brain will reward you with greater clarity, memory, and creativity. (And if you struggle with insomnia, we got you.)
Test-taking tip 3. Feed your brain
So many students focus only on piling information into their brains in preparation for exams but not on optimizing their brain health. Food is another crucial factor that controls how well your brain performs so make sure you have a good breakfast of slow-release carbohydrates and proteins to supply your body and brain with a steady feed of energy throughout the day.
Also, avoid sugar-packed foods and beverages. Sure, they give you a burst of energy but quite soon after the rush, your body produces insulin to get your blood sugar under control causing you to feel sleepy. Not great for a 2 to 3-hour exam.
In general, you're going to have much more energy and perform better cognitively if you consume a balanced diet with plenty of healthy grains, fats, proteins, fruits, and vegetables. And don't forget to hydrate!
Test-taking tip 4. Arrive at the exam venue 30 minutes early
You're probably already a little stressed out. The last thing you need to add to your plate is the utter panic of getting lost, missing your bus, or getting stuck in a traffic jam. Make sure you’ve allowed plenty of time to find your exam room and get settled.
If you have time to spare, flip through some flashcards and take your last restroom break before the exam starts!
Pro tip: try to avoid other students, if possible. When you get to your test room, treat any stressed-out fellow students like they have the ebola virus. Stress is contagious, and no matter your state of preparation, you’re better off staying in your headspace.
The best test-taking strategies for the exam room
The prep is done. You're at the exam venue and sitting down, ready to take the test. It's go time! Here are the best test-taking strategies for maximizing your score...
Test-taking tip 5. Listen and/or read the instructions carefully
Possibly the dumbest thing you can do in any test or exam is leave points on the table because you didn't listen to the examiner or read their instructions. Do not make this mistake. Most of the time, the instructions are routine, but you never know when something unexpected will show up: like a unique preference the examiner has.
Part and parcel of this is carefully reading the questions and making sure you answer them by addressing specifically what is being asked of you.
Test-taking tip 6. Scan the exam paper and do a rough time allocation
Spend no more than one or two minutes scanning your test or exam to give yourself a 30,000-foot view of its anatomy. What do want to walk away with from this initial inspection is how much time you roughly have for each section of the exam. (Sometimes, examiners provide this time estimate for you.)
This will prevent you from running out of time.
Test-taking tip 7. Answer the easy questions first
Start by answering the easy questions first (or the topics you know well). This not only builds your confidence, getting you into your flow state quicker, but it also allows you to rip through a significant portion of your test as quickly as possible, leaving you more time to tackle the harder sections.
That said, don't waste your time trying to cherry-pick which parts of the exam count as "easy" for you. If you read a question and can't answer it immediately, move on and come back to it later once you've captured your answers to all the questions you do know.
The best test-taking strategies for mastering your mindset
The key to getting an A is having the right mindset and staying focused. Here are some test-taking strategies to optimize your concentration and thinking before and during an exam.
Test-taking tip 8. Recognize (and set aside) the inner critic
Especially at the start of your test, be on the alert for the voice of “the inner critic”. You know the one: that annoying negative voice in your head that says things like “I don’t have nearly enough time to answer all these questions!” “That last essay I wrote was rubbish!” “I’ll never pass this!” etc.
This voice can become very loud if you’re feeling anxious while taking a test but just remember: you don’t have to believe everything you think.
Your best test-taking strategy here is to recognize the voice, set it aside, and get on with your exam. Even if you didn't put your all into your prep, you will always have another chance to do better.
Test-taking tip 9. Breathe deeply to calm your nerves
Some people get really stressed out before an exam and it can derail their focus and ability to perform. The quickest, surest way to calm your nerves is by slowing down your breathing:
- Put one hand on your tummy,
- Breathe out until you can’t anymore,
- And then breathe in slowly through your nose.
This engages diaphragmatic breathing, which calms your body down, alleviating the body’s stress responses.
How do you know when you’re doing diaphragm breathing correctly? When you breathe in, the hand on your tummy will move outwards. When you breathe out, this hand will move inwards. Count slowly to ten while you do a few calm diaphragmatic breaths, then continue your test.
Essay exam-taking skills
Essays are unique challenges that require a toolbox of exam-taking skills. Unlike short, open-response questions, they require a narrative, which in turn requires planning. You also need to keep coming back to the question to ask yourself: have I given the examiner everything they're asking for? Have I accounted for every possible point allocated to this question?
So here are the best test-taking strategies to apply to essay exams...
Test taking tip 10. Read the question carefully
We've been through this before but it's especially important for essay questions, which are much longer. Make sure you satisfy the examiner and account for all the points allocated to that question or else you're leaving points on the table. Remember, the best exam essay answers the question. To answer the question, you have to read it carefully.
Test taking tip 11. Plan your essay
It may feel like wasted time, but it's NOT. A minute or two spent planning how best to answer a question (and how you intend to structure your response) will make your job much easier. It'll ensure that your essay has a logical structure and it'll be quicker to write. Always plan first.
Try drawing a quick mind map of what you’ll cover, or write an outline by sketching the main and supporting points for each argument in the essay before you start.
Test taking tip 12. Practice your essay exam-taking skills
The best way to get good at writing essays is to practice them. Ask your teacher for a list of possible essay topics on your subject and then practice writing them at home. Share your work with your teacher for feedback and then rewrite those essays with that feedback in mind.
If this sounds like an awful lot of work, it is. But I promise you this: you'll become an essay assassin and the essay exam-taking skills you build here will follow you into college, your postgraduate studies, and your professional life. You're welcome.
Multiple choice exam-taking skills
Multiple-choice tests or exam sections may seem much easier than longer, open-response questions but they too present their challenges! Here are the best test-taking strategies to bear in mind when tackling multiple-choice tests.
Test-taking tip 13. Understand the rules of the game!
Always, always, always check the rules before you start answering multiple-choice questions: will you be penalized for wrong answers or not?
- If you’re penalized for wrong answers, don’t guess. Just leave out the questions you’re not sure of.
- If there's no penalty for wrong marks, definitely guess. As Michael Jordan said: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Just leave yourself some time to come back to the questions you weren’t sure of and give them your best guess.
The best test-taking strategies for when you're done writing (or think you're done)
Test-taking tip 14. Check your work!
There are three positions you’ll be in at the end of the test. You’ll either be:
- Finishing with 5 to 15 minutes left for a quick revision of your work.
- Finishing with a LOT of time to spare.
- Running out of time, and not sure whether you’ll finish before the clock.
Each of these requires a different test-taking strategy.
1. Finishing with 5 to 15 minutes to spare
If you’re writing essay questions, check your introductions and conclusions. These are where you can make the most impact. Put yourself in the shoes of a tired examiner who’s had to mark thirty similar essays that day.
Look for ways to make yours stand out. A strong conclusion is particularly impactful due to the recency effect, meaning humans recall the most recently presented information best. So even if you lost your way a bit during the middle, a strong, clear conclusion will help carry you through.
For multiple-choice tests, check for any questions you missed. Avoid the temptation to redo questions you’ve already done, unless you’re 100% certain.
2. Finishing with a LOT of time to spare
As much as you may want to rush out of the exam room and erase the test from all memory, don’t. Having a lot of time at the end of a test usually comes down to one of these three reasons:
- You’re a total ace and know the answers like your ABCs.
- You’ve totally flunked, and have no idea what subject you were meant to be studying. Are you even in the right exam room?
- You’re pretty well prepared, but you’ve missed some vital information, and need to play catchup.
If you’re in category one or two, there’s not much to be done. Category three though, can be a heartbreaker. So let’s make sure you’re not about to throw your exam because you’ve misread the instructions or skipped a section.
Firstly, check your exam paper for any pages that may have become stuck together, hiding questions you’ve missed.
Secondly, if you’re writing essays, check the required length of the answers to make sure you haven’t shortchanged yourself there.
Thirdly, check if all the page numbers are sequential in the exam, and if you haven’t been accidentally given a test paper with missing pages. Look for any inserts or added sections that may have fallen off your desk or become mixed up in your writing paper.
Once you’ve done this, you’ll either be writing frantically to finish an essay in time, or you can smile, sit back, and put yourself in the first category.
3. Running out of time
If you’re running out of time for essay questions, it’s okay to jot down your thoughts in point form. You’ll likely still get credit for them. After all, the aim is to demonstrate your knowledge, and most examiners will give you marks, even if your sentences aren’t complete.
For a multiple-choice test, first check you won’t be penalized for wrong answers. Then, do a lightning round of filling out the first answer that springs to mind. Give yourself a reasonably short time for each question, and GO!
Test-taking tips for when you're drawing a blank
If you sit down to start your test and discover your mind has gone as blank as a Zen monk after a year-long silent retreat, here are a few test-taking strategies for getting the engine started...
Test-taking tip 15. Label what you’re feeling
Emotions can be overwhelming in times like these. When you label them, you put them outside yourself and make them more manageable. i.e. “I’m feeling anxious because I can’t remember anything about quadratic equations.” This can have the effect of diffusing the emotion.
Test-taking tip 16. Do the easy questions first
Scan the questions until you find one you know the answer to. Sometimes you just need a few easy questions under your belt before your brain kicks into gear and you go into flow.
Test-taking tip 17. Breathe and stretch
Our body and mind are connected. If you're blanking, try using your body to get those mental juices flowing. Take 30 seconds to focus on your breathing and gently stretch your body. Relaxing can help you re-concentrate on the exam with better focus.
Strategy 18. Take some perspective
Remember that however dire the consequences of failing a written test are, they are never fatal. You’ll be okay in the end, and if you’re not okay right now, it’s not yet the end. Sometimes a quick change in perspective can give you the shift you need to relax and get your brain into gear.
Strategy test prep: the power of "the debrief"
Your exam is done and the relief is real. But before you blithely forget you ever wrote an exam, now's the perfect time to debrief so that you can do better in the future. After all, how do you expect to improve your test-taking skills if you don't reflect on the one you just wrote? Do that now: take the time to do a good post-mortem and set yourself up for future success.
Test-taking tip 19. Avoid the people who'll make you feel bad
We all do it: gather together after exams to compare notes. But, if possible, try to avoid a detailed post-mortem with those students who are either freaking out, convinced they failed or are swanning about with smug superiority.
That energy just isn't helpful.
Test-taking tip 20. Do a self-assessment
That said, it’s a really good idea to take thirty minutes that evening or the next day to sit somewhere quiet and do a self-assessment of your test. This is about you improving your overall performance, and it’s the kind of analysis that will help you do well on future tests.
Think about what you did well and what you could have done better, not only in how you answered questions but also in terms of your exam mindset, study habits, and overall enjoyment of the subject.
Perhaps you should try to include some new study tools to help you prepare more efficiently for future tests and exams. (Like Brainscape's flashcards #shamelessplug) Or maybe you need to find better ways to control your stress leading up to exams.
This kind of reflection is valuable, both for future performance and as a life skill. From Socrates to Ben Franklin, examining your life puts you in good stead for lifelong learning and will improve your test-taking strategies.
Make these 20 best test-taking strategies a habit
Now you know the best test-taking strategies used by top students. While building strong study habits is essential to a high test score, good exam technique is also key. Practice these test-taking strategies often enough, and you will become a test machine, acing each exam with cyborg-like precision.
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