Just ended my first semester but...

[lalamcd]

So I took my final test for the first semester today, for Patho. And I totally bombed it. 76%, which brought my final grade to a 79.5, which this instructor thankfully rounds up to a B. Here's the deal... I totally know this material. I really feel like if we sat down one on one and the instructor was asking me about the material, I would pass. Obviously, this is not reflected in my tests. So can anyone tell me how I can test better. After googling how to take multiple choice tests better, I can tell you what is NOT my problem:

I'm not overly anxious

I don't take too long, I actually tried to go slower on this test-40min

I don't change my answers, and if I don't know it, I come back to it without wasting time on it

I underline/circle/box key words (always, increased, everything, except)

I tried on this test to answer the question before looking at the multiple choice answers

I do actually study. A lot.

I do the study guide questions until I can practically recite them.

What am I doing wrong?

Thank you!

[sKris]

Did you go over the exam afterwards? What types of mistakes are you making? Are you over thinking? Bringing extra info into the question? Hard to say without examples.

[lalamcd]

I don't go over the exams after. She has them on a table page by page and there's 30 people crowded around trying to see what they got wrong. I wouldn't be able to discern anything in that environment anyways, so I just always took the break instead.

[sKris]

I would suggest making an appointment with your professor to go over your exams one on one. The feedback will really help you target your weaknesses and improve your test taking strategies. There is a pretty big learning curve on how to answer nursing questions.

[lalamcd]

I would suggest making an appointment with your professor to go over your exams one on one. The feedback will really help you target your weaknesses and improve your test taking strategies. There is a pretty big learning curve on how to answer nursing questions.

That would be great, but this lady wouldn't do it. She doesn't even answer questions other than "I am not an expert and you are in grad school, go figure it out." Seriously. And this class is now over, so I was really just trying to figure out how to do better in the upcoming classes. The frustrating thing is that I KNOW this stuff. And I am smarter than the number I get back on that test, I've studied harder than that number represents. I just need some positive reinforcement on that I guess.

[sKris]

Sorry, I missed that this was in the advance practice forum. Hopefully next semester will be better and you will have instructors who are actually interested in teaching. If professors are consistently not holding office hours or accommodating student meetings I'd take your complaint up the chain. Good luck.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

My school offers a test taking workshop, which while I have not taken it you could see if your school offers one. I also bought a FNP exam study book and would do some review questions on whatever topics were being covered on the exam.