How can I help my friend do better on exams? Please read description.

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Hi! So me and my friend have been studying together this semester. I feel bad because it's helping me but her grades aren't improving. For example the past 2 exams I've made As while she barely pases. She's fine with it but I'm worried I'm doing something wrong as a study buddy... I always make sure she understands the material and we do an awesome discussion quizzing session which she says helps her a ton. I know a small portion is her test taking skills. And so I give her tips tell her to review the exams with the instructor. I'm scared because I want her to succeed... anyways does anyone have any tips on what I could do for a two person group? Thanks a ton!

By how you describe, it seems like she's doing fine. If she likes the way you two are studying, and tells you it helps, then I don't think you should spend too much more of your energy trying to fix her situation. Especially if you've given her other advice and she hasn't tried it, that's not your fault. You playing the teaching role sounds mutually beneficial by your description. If you think that's what is getting you you're A's that's awesome. Maybe that's what's keeping her just above passing level and the time teaching is better spent on her than your husband.

You can help your friend, but your friend needs to find her/his way of learning. Although we are in it together, it comes down to individual... I would do a lot of NCLEX style questions to develop test taking sills.

Specializes in Emergency and Critical Care.

Wish I could remember the department name, but I would hope every campus has something similar. BTW, she made Dean's List every quarter after that.

Disability services, can work with accomodations. You two may also try some relaxation techniques together before studying, and then have her do them before she starts testing.

Specializes in Emergency and Critical Care.

Maybe she is beating herself up so much that she is feeling too embarassed to review the tests. My faculty always review the tests with the students after they take them so they can see what and why they got a question wrong

Specializes in Pediatrics and Nursing Education!.

So very often in nursing school with NCLEX style questions, it's not just about knowing the content-- but what to do with the knowledge you have. Critical thinking and application skills are so important when it comes to "nursing" tests.

Consider doing some practice NCLEX style questions together, plus rationale review. Be sure to work on application of knowledge: What's the question asking? What are the key words? What are your expected outcomes of this question? What will the result of your action (answer option) be? Give it a try!

Hope this helps! And, check out my IG-- you'll find lots of helpful things there!

I think if she doesn't tell you about it, you don't need to change something. Everything is fine then. The thing is you can try to talk to your friend and find out what she perhaps doesn't like and how you can really help her.

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