The final weeks before a big exam can be extremely stressful. Knowing how to prepare yourself for the exam is vital in preventing unnecessary stress at this already stressful time. Hopefully, this article will provide you with a few tips about utilizing your time during those final weeks before you sit your exam.
Make yourself a study plan
Cramming it all in the night before an exam is not the way to go. Neither is panicking and just immersing yourself in your books for weeks on end before your exam! But this isn’t necessarily going to help if you aren’t organized. Make a plan for each subject, decide how much time you need to spend revising, and make sure you schedule enough breaks so that your brain can have a break. And this also applies if you start to feel yourself becoming stressed out or frustrated. Some people like to form study groups, but that is not to everyone’s taste, so don’t join one if you prefer to study alone. However, if you choose to study independently and find yourself in need of some help and clarification, reach out and ask for it.
Preparation is vital
Use the resources that you have been given to help you prepare for your exam. This might include things such as:
- The syllabus you were given when you first started your course.
- Use the notes you would have written in classes and lectures.
- Look for past papers and read through the questions and answers.
- Look through your course work and any handouts you have been given.
- Read any online study notes.
- Take full advantage of your tutors’ office hours and tutoring services.
- Take advantage of any student study classes.
Take care of yourself while you study
Take good care of yourself during this time. If you are tired and stressed, you aren’t going to be able to study effectively. Sleep is vital to your well-being, especially during exam times. Your body needs roughly eight hours of sleep a night. You need to also consider your dietary requirements by eating a good breakfast to fuel your brain for a day’s study. Having a good meal the morning of your exam is also vital. You also need to make sure you are staying adequately hydrated by drinking plenty of water while you study and on the day of your exam. If you have prepared well all year round for your exams, then the days immediately before you take final exams, you should be on top of things and only need to review what you’ve learned. Above all, remember that all-night cramming sessions, drinking excessive coffee, and tired eyes are not going to bode well if you want to do well in your final exams.
What to expect on the day of your exam?
There are many different types of exams, including the NCLEX (The National Council Licensure Examination). The NCLEX exam is a tricky test used to evaluate nursing candidates’ foundational knowledge to see whether they are qualified to work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. With the right groundwork, passing this exam is entirely doable. Here are a few NCLEX tips for you:
- NCLEX Format – uses CAT format or computerized adaptive testing. Which means no single test is the same. Computer algorithms produce a new question based on the performance of previous questions.
- The test will range from a minimum of 75 questions to a maximum of 265 questions, and to pass it, a candidate must have a success rate of 95% confidence interval. The examiner will continue to look at the candidate’s answers until a 95% confidence interval is achieved.
- On the day of your exam, try and relax. Take the morning before the test to calm your mind.
- Know your study style; don’t try new methods. One of the great NCLEX tips is to color code and use graphs and diagrams to help you study.
- The NCLEX test is as much about knowing how the test is written as it is what knowledge it tests.
Knowing how to prepare for an exam is vital in preventing unnecessary stress. Make a study plan, make sure you are eating well, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep. If you are taking the NCLEX, make sure you understand the format of the test and what is required of you