Successful test-taking starts before exam day. Prepare intentionally, use effective strategies during the exam, and learn from each test to improve over time.
Before you begin studying, make sure you understand what your instructor expects you to know and be able to do.
Questions to ask before your exam 
The better you understand the test, the more effectively you can prepare.
Downloadable Resource: Exam Preparation Planner
Simply rereading notes or highlighting your textbook is rarely enough. Research shows that active learning strategies help you retain information longer and improve exam performance.
Effective Study Strategies
Ask yourself: “Can I explain this without looking at my notes?” instead of “Have I read this?”
Downloadable Resource: Active Recall Study Guide
Different types of exams require different preparation strategies. The most effective students adjust how they study based on what they’ll be asked to do.
Essay Exams
Focus on organizing ideas, explaining concepts in your own words, comparing theories, and supporting your answers with evidence. Developing clear arguments and organizing your ideas takes practice. The Jill and Marvin Willis Center for Writing can help you strengthen your writing skills across academic assignments.
Downloadable Resource: Taking an Essay Exam
Multiple-Choice Exams
Practice retrieving information quickly, distinguishing between similar concepts, and applying knowledge to new situations.
Downloadable Resource: Taking a Multiple Choice Exam
Quantitative Exams
Spend most of your study time solving practice problems, showing your work, and analyzing mistakes rather than rereading examples.
Downloadable Resource: Taking a Quantitative Exam
How you prepare on the day of an exam can influence your focus, confidence, and performance. The goal is to arrive prepared, minimize distractions, and create the best conditions to demonstrate what you know. Remember: By test day, your learning is largely complete. Your job is no longer to learn more—it’s to create the conditions that allow you to demonstrate what you’ve already learned.
Before the exam
Set yourself up for success by taking care of both your body and your mind. Eat a balanced meal or snack that will provide steady energy throughout the exam, and stay hydrated. Give yourself time to relax before the test by listening to music, taking a short walk, exercising, or engaging in another activity that helps you feel calm and focused.
Resist the urge to cram during the hour before the exam. Last-minute studying often increases stress without significantly improving retention. Instead, trust the preparation you’ve already done and focus on arriving with a clear mind.
To minimize distractions, travel to the exam independently if possible, arrive early enough to settle in, and avoid discussing the exam with classmates beforehand. Comparing what you studied or worrying about topics others mention can increase anxiety and undermine your confidence.
Once the exam begins
Read all directions carefully before answering questions, and budget your time based on the point values or number of questions. Begin with questions you can answer confidently when appropriate, skip difficult questions and return to them later, and show your work whenever possible. If time remains, review your answers before submitting the exam.
Remember that your goal is not perfection, it’s to accurately demonstrate what you know.
Downloadable Resource: Exam Day Guide
Every assessment is an opportunity to improve.
Reflection questions
After receiving your exam, reflect on:
Small adjustments from one exam to the next can lead to meaningful improvements throughout the semester.
Downloadable Resource: Exam Reflection Guide
