How do you ace tests?

Published

I might fail nursing school. I am failing one class so far with a 78%. To pass, you need an 84%. Does anyone have suggestions on how to ace tests? I almost always arrive at the correct solution via logic but then change my answer due to neurotic thought patterns. Should I write on the top of the paper "Do not doubt your logic" as well as "Use ABCs" and other things I must do for the tests? How do I make sure I no longer doubt my own thought process? I need a 90 percent or above on the next exams. I'm finally getting how these tests are set up halfway through the first semester. I was sadly caught off guard and it took far too long to adjust.

Here's what I do:

1. I read the chapter one time fully, making sure I understood the content.

2. I highlight information on the book that we went over on lecture and stuff that I think will be on the test.. think what if I was making this test what would I want my students to know.

3. I outline the all the highlighted information. This works! I'm able to downgrade memorizing and understanding 200+ pages of info into 20-25 pages of OUTLINED and SIMPLIFIED pages.

Also this is the perfect way of studying for final exams!!! It sure beats out re-reading all the chapters. Instead of re-reading a billion pages for your finals just re-read the 75-100 pages of outlined notes.

4. I record all the lecture. Before the day of the exam and after reading all the chapters I listen to the recording and I pick out things that the teacher emphasizes on and things I didn't know. I write these things down on a piece of paper and look them up to make sure I understand.

This has worked for me so far, though I am not a nursing student right now I imagine it's the same (I'm a Criminal Justice Major). My lowest grade so far is a 90%. Good luck, I realize this takes a lot of time but I always find that one week is more than enough for me to accomplish all this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

My mother used to tell me to answer the question with the first answer that comes into your mind and don't go back and change your answer. I guess she was right because that is what I have always done.

I had great students in class with me who were VERY smart but who could not take a test. The problem was that they would read too much into the question. Or they would just freeze up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

Somethingcreative: How on earth do you have time to do all of this? I NEVER did that much reading in any course I ever took ever in my life. Are you a fast reader?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Somethingcreative: How on earth do you have time to do all of this? I NEVER did that much reading in any course I ever took ever in my life. Are you a fast reader?

Hehe it's crazy in CJ. You'd be surprised how much we have to read each week. The answer to how I get that all done is simple: I start a day or 2 before the actual reading is assigned and each day I read about 20-35 pages everyday (which takes 2-3 hours/day) and that is more than enough time for me to cover a 1 week span usually given for each exam and have an outline set up for my review. The key is not to read fast but to understand the material, I highlight materials I don't get so I can go back to it when I make my outlines.

Or If I'm really really behind because I felt lazy I make up for it by waking up early at 6 to 7 Am then reading before I go to work or school at 9.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've been taking this advice and so far I have aced the last 3 tests. Hopefully it will continue.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
IME, at least, more studying doesn't necessarily translate into a better grade on the test. I think that in nursing school, especially, test taking skills count for more than knowledge. I mean, I do study a LOT for nursing tests, but the questions I get wrong rarely come down to lack of knowledge--it has to do with not reading or interpreting the question correctly.

Take the time to really think through the question, and read each answer choice carefully. I can't tell you how many times I got questions wrong because I missed out one crucial word in a question or word choice. Also, if two answer chioces sound similar to each other, you can eliminate them both and choose the one that's opposite to them.

Good luck!

True, but more time "studying" could translate into doing more NCLEX style questions from NCLEX books....so, more studying can really help you improve on NCLEX style questions.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PICU/Pedi.
That would tick me off. Maybe I'm the odd one out, but when I change answers, I'm almost always changing it to a correct one. I've also made mistakes on bubble sheets that I catch when I check through my answers.

To OP: just stop changing your answers. It's clearly not a working strategy for you, so just stop. Use the logic that you use to figure out the answers to reason yourself out of changing the answers. If writing yourself reminders on the top of the test to not change your answers seems like a good idea to you, do it.

I am also one of the few who does better when they change answers, and I would go nuts if I couldn't do it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

HA HA HA HA, I'd tell you, but then I'd have to dispose of you, ha ha ha ha.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion