Secret Key #1 – Plan Big, Study
Small
There’s a lot riding on your performance. If you want to ace
this test, you’re going to need to keep your skills sharp and the material
fresh in your mind. You need a plan that lets you review everything you need to
know while still fitting in your schedule. We’ll break this strategy down into
three categories.
Information Organization
Start with the information you already have: the official
test outline. From this, you can make a complete list of all the concepts you
need to cover before the test. Organize these concepts into groups that can be
studied together, and create a list of any related vocabulary you need to learn
so you can brush up on any difficult terms. You’ll want to keep this vocabulary
list handy once you actually start studying since you may need to add to it
along the way.
Time Management
Once you have your set of study concepts, decide how to
spread them out over the time you have left before the test. Break your study
plan into small, clear goals so you have a manageable task for each day and
know exactly what you’re doing. Then just focus on one small step at a time.
When you manage your time this way, you don’t need to spend hours at a time
studying. Studying a small block of content for a short period each day helps
you retain information better and avoid stressing over how much you have left
to do. You can relax knowing that you have a plan to cover everything in time.
In order for this strategy to be effective though, you have to start studying
early and stick to your schedule. Avoid the exhaustion and futility that comes
from last-minute cramming!
Study Environment
The environment you study in has a big impact on your
learning. Studying in a coffee shop, while probably more enjoyable, is not
likely to be as fruitful as studying in a quiet room. It’s important to keep
distractions to a minimum. You’re only planning to study for a short block of
time, so make the most of it. Don’t pause to check your phone or get up to find
a snack. It’s also important to avoid multitasking. Research has
consistently shown that multitasking will make your studying dramatically less
effective. Your study area should also be comfortable and well-lit so you don’t
have the distraction of straining your eyes or sitting on an uncomfortable chair.
The time of day you study is also important. You want to be
rested and alert. Don’t wait until just before bedtime. Study when you’ll be
most likely to comprehend and remember. Even better, if you know what time of
day your test will be, set that time aside for study. That way your brain will
be used to working on that subject at that specific time and you’ll have a
better chance of recalling information.
Finally, it can be helpful to team up with others who are
studying for the same test. Your actual studying should be done in as isolated
an environment as possible, but the work of organizing the information and
setting up the study plan can be divided up. In between study sessions, you can
discuss with your teammates the concepts that you’re all studying and quiz each
other on the details. Just be sure that your teammates are as serious about the
test as you are. If you find that your study time is being replaced with social
time, you might need to find a new team.
Secret Key #2 – Make Your Studying Count
You’re devoting a lot of time
and effort to preparing for this test, so you want to be absolutely certain it
will pay off. This means doing more than just reading the content and hoping
you can remember it on test day. It’s important to make every minute of study
count. There are two main areas you can focus on to make your studying count:
Retention
It doesn’t matter how much time you study if you can’t
remember the material. You need to make sure you are retaining the concepts. To
check your retention of the information you’re learning, try recalling it at
later times with minimal prompting. Try carrying around flashcards and glance
at one or two from time to time or ask a friend who’s also studying for the
test to quiz you.
To enhance your retention, look for ways to put the
information into practice so that you can apply it rather than simply recalling
it. If you’re using the information in practical ways, it will be much easier
to remember. Similarly, it helps to solidify a concept in your mind if you’re
not only reading it to yourself but also explaining it to someone else. Ask a
friend to let you teach them about a concept you’re a little shaky on (or speak
aloud to an imaginary audience if necessary). As you try to summarize, define,
give examples, and answer your friend’s questions, you’ll understand the
concepts better and they will stay with you longer. Finally, step back for a
big picture view and ask yourself how each piece of information fits with the
whole subject. When you link the different concepts together and see them
working together as a whole, it’s easier to remember the individual components.
Finally, practice showing your work on any multi-step
problems, even if you’re just studying. Writing out each step you take to solve
a problem will help solidify the process in your mind, and you’ll be more
likely to remember it during the test.
Modality
Modality simply refers to the means or method by
which you study. Choosing a study modality that fits your own individual
learning style is crucial. No two people learn best in exactly the same way, so
it’s important to know your strengths and use them to your advantage.
For example, if you learn best by visualization, focus on
visualizing a concept in your mind and draw an image or a diagram. Try
color-coding your notes, illustrating them, or creating symbols that will
trigger your mind to recall a learned concept. If you learn best by hearing or
discussing information, find a study partner who learns the same way or read
aloud to yourself. Think about how to put the information in your own words.
Imagine that you are giving a lecture on the topic and record yourself so you
can listen to it later.
For any learning style, flashcards can be helpful. Organize
the information so you can take advantage of spare moments to review. Underline
key words or phrases. Use different colors for different categories. Mnemonic
devices (such as creating a short list in which every item starts with the same
letter) can also help with retention. Find what works best for you and use it
to store the information in your mind most effectively and easily.
Secret Key #3 – Practice the Right Way
Your success on test day depends not only on how many hours you put into preparing, but also on whether you prepared the right way. It’s good to check along the way to see if your studying is paying off. One of the most effective ways to do this is by taking practice tests to evaluate your progress. Practice tests are useful because they show exactly where you need to improve. Every time you take a practice test, pay special attention to these three groups of questions:
· The questions you got wrong
· The questions you had to guess on, even if you guessed right
· The questions you found difficult or slow to work through
This will show you exactly what your weak areas are, and where you need to devote more study time. Ask yourself why each of these questions gave you trouble. Was it because you didn’t understand the material? Was it because you didn’t remember the vocabulary? Do you need more repetitions on this type of question to build speed and confidence? Dig into those questions and figure out how you can strengthen your weak areas as you go back to review the material.
Additionally, many practice tests have a section explaining the answer choices. It can be tempting to read the explanation and think that you now have a good understanding of the concept. However, an explanation likely only covers part of the question’s broader context. Even if the explanation makes sense, go back and investigate every concept related to the question until you’re positive you have a thorough understanding.
As you go along, keep in mind that the practice test is just that: practice. Memorizing these questions and answers will not be very helpful on the actual test because it is unlikely to have any of the same exact questions. If you only know the right answers to the sample questions, you won’t be prepared for the real thing. Study the concepts until you understand them fully, and then you’ll be able to answer any question that shows up on the test.
It’s important to wait on the practice tests until you’re ready. If you take a test on your first day of study, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of material covered and how much you need to learn. Work up to it gradually.
On test day, you’ll need to be prepared for answering questions, managing your time, and using the test-taking strategies you’ve learned. It’s a lot to balance, like a mental marathon that will have a big impact on your future. Like training for a marathon, you’ll need to start slowly and work your way up. When test day arrives, you’ll be ready.
Start with the strategies you’ve read in the first two Secret Keys—plan your course and study in the way that works best for you. If you have time, consider using multiple study resources to get different approaches to the same concepts. It can be helpful to see difficult concepts from more than one angle. Then find a good source for practice tests. Many times, the test website will suggest potential study resources or provide sample tests.
Practice Test Strategy
If you’re able to find at least three practice tests, we recommend this strategy:
Untimed and Open-Book Practice
Take the first test with no time constraints and with your notes and study guide handy. Take your time and focus on applying the strategies you’ve learned.
Timed and Open-Book Practice
Take the second practice test open-book as well, but set a timer and practice pacing yourself to finish in tim...