How to Prepare for Exams in College: Build A Simple Step-by-Step Plan
When I first started college, I hated preparing for exams because I could never tell if I'd studied enough. I often procrastinated because I didn't have a plan and didn't know where to start. Everything was just up in the air. Thankfully, things have changed! In this guide, I'm going to show you my simple step-by-step plan that will teach you how to prepare for exams in college!
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I've mentioned this in other posts, but I used to think I was a poor test taker. I was a good student, but I didn't receive the grades I wanted on tests.
I'd do all of the readings, every single assignment, and essays were usually a breeze, but when it came to taking tests, I didn't feel confident about my abilities to do well.
I often procrastinated until the last minute. I didn't know what study methods I should use, how long to study for, or even how to get myself to remember things.
What changed?
For one thing, I switched my major and started taking classes with content I enjoyed learning about. This gave me the motivation to figure out how to prepare for exams in college because I genuinely wanted to remember the material.
Over the past year, I've developed an exam preparation plan that I adapt for each class. My test scores have risen significantly to the point where I sometimes score near the top in the class.
I don't say this to brag, but to show you that if you don't feel confident about your test-taking abilities, you too can learn how to build a plan for exam preparation that works for you!
Everyone's learning style is different, but this guide on how to prepare for exams in college is a good starting point for creating your own system for exam preparation!
How to Prepare for Exams in College: Build a Simple Step-by-Step Plan
This is my plan for preparing for college exams from start to finish. Feel free to follow my plan but make sure you adapt it to your own needs as you experiment.
Throughout the Semester
1. Take Notes (Almost) Every Class
I'd say to take notes "every class," but I skip taking notes in classes a couple of times a semester, so I want to be realistic.
Personally, I take paper notes. They aren't pretty like my bullet journal, but even if I never look at them again, just writing my notes by hand helps me stay focused and remember what I learned during class.
2. Do All of the Homework
I hope this goes without saying but make sure you complete all of the homework and read the textbook! I'm always surprised when I hear people say they don't read the textbook.
There's no point in going to college if you are just trying to pass a test, without actually learning.
Now, let's walk through my exam preparation step by step.
Two Weeks Before the Exam
Around two weeks before an exam, I'll start setting aside an hour or two daily to study. Even if I don't study every day, this gives me enough time to absorb material, and extra time for if I have a busy day and don't study.
3. Decide on Your Study Methods
As you progress through college, you should build unique methods of studying for different types of exams.
Based on my experience, most college exams fall into these four categories:
- Multiple choice exams
- Short answer vocabulary exams
- Short answer written exams
- Essay exams
Usually, for multiple choice exams, you won't have to study for as long, and for short answer written exams and essay exams (that are timed or no notes are allowed), you'll have to study the most.
4. Find a Time Tracking Method That Works for You
The hardest part when it comes to studying for me is deciding when I've studied enough. If I can never cross studying off my to-do list, then I'm going to procrastinate doing it... a ton.
If you are like me, you are in luck! I've developed a system that's pretty reliable, but you will have to do some experimenting as well to see what works for you.
This is what I do for the first exam of a class:
- For multiple-choice exams, I'll study for around 5-7 hours (Sometimes less if the exam content is really easy)
- For short answer vocabulary and short answer written exams I'll study for 7-10 hours based on how hard it seems the exam will be and how much material I need to cover
- For essay exams the amount of time I study depends on whether the essay is timed or not
This is where collecting a little data really helps. When I get my grade for the first exam, I know how much I need to adjust my study plan for the second or third exams, and the final.
For the final exam, I aim to double the amount of time that I spent studying for the midterm exams and usually end up in the 12-16 hours range.
5. Set Aside Time to Study Daily + Actually Study
There are many different methods for studying so you'll have to do some experimenting, but I'll share what I've found to work well for me.
Here are the study methods I use most often:
- Review textbook chapters by rereading or scanning and writing down bullet point lists of important concepts
- Transfer those notes to Knowt and make flashcards
- Study all of the flashcards using the quiz features
- Rewrite the most important vocabulary and formulas, but condense all the information into just a couple of pages
- Rewrite and review those couple of pages as many times as possible
- Review all the flashcards and the couple of pages right before I go to bed the night before
During study sessions, I switch back and forth between these study methods to help fight off boredom. I take regular walk breaks while reviewing material.
The Night Before + Morning of the Exam
6. Prioritize Sleep + Try Not to do Last Minute Cramming
Sometimes, prioritizing sleep can be a challenge, especially if you don't feel prepared for a test, but I've heard it repeated many times that your time is better spent sleeping.
I always like to pack my backpack with everything I'll need for the test the night before, so I don't have to feel rushed in the morning.
This also gives me a chance to double-check that I have all of the required materials for the test in the morning to make sure I don't forget anything.
7. Have a Before Exams Routine You Can Follow
It depends what time of day you take your exams, but I take most of my exams in the morning. Whatever time of day you decide to take your exams, come up with a calming routine you can follow to help relieve the stress.
It's easy to always feel like you are underprepared for exams, but even if you haven't prepared enough, the extra stress probably isn't going to help you.
Everyone's routine will look a little different, but these are a few things I like to do to make exam taking as stress-free as possible:
- Review my main vocab/formulas briefly
- Listen to calming music as I walk to the testing center
- Have a quiet and relaxing meal
- Double check that I have all my required test materials (scratch paper, pencils, laptop charging cord, calculator)
- Don't study for other tests or do homework (If the exam is in the morning, and I don't have a ton of other homework assignments due that day)
Creating a routine you follow before each of your exams will help you feel more prepared and help to relieve stress.
During the Exam
8. Use the Exam Strategy That You Planned
You probably won't actually decide on your exam taking strategy during the exam, but you should figure out an exam-taking strategy that works for you.
One of my strategies is if I know a test will probably require frameworks or formulas, I'll write as many of those down as possible (if scratch paper is allowed) before I start looking at the test.
Writing down the main things I need to know helps me get everything out of my brain before I need it, which helps me minimize stress.
Here are a few ways you might approach your exam:
- Flipping or scrolling through the whole test before starting
- Putting down a guess if you aren't sure what the question is and coming back to it
- Leaving questions you aren't sure about blank and coming back to them
- Filling out a section at a time and then reviewing it as you go
- Filling out the easiest or hardest section first
The only tip I would give is to make sure you review your entire exam, even if you don't change any of your answers. Sometimes, you might catch easy errors or have time to write down an additional sentence or two for short answer questions.
After the Exam
9. Take a Break if You Have Time
I don't know about you, but whenever I get out of an exam, I always take a break if time allows because exams are so mentally exhausting.
If you don't have time for a relaxing break, try to at least give your mind a break by exercising or doing homework that isn't similar to what you were doing on the exam.
No matter how you feel like you did on your test, be kind to yourself and remember that grades aren't everything!
10. Revise Your Study Plan for Your Next Exam
The last step in learning how to prepare for exams in college is to use what you learned from preparing for this test to prepare for your next one. Once you've gotten your grade, keep in mind that it's just feedback about how well you studied for the test.
Your grade is not a reflection of how smart you are or how good you are in that subject because grades will often improve with more practice and additional time studying.
You can use a simple tracker to keep note of the class, how long you studied, the methods you used, and your score. After a few exams, you'll be able to start seeing patterns about what's working and what's not as effective.
If you did worse than you wanted to, now you know what you can do to improve on your next exam.
If you received a grade you're proud of, you now have a basic idea of how much you need to study for the next one.
Final Notes on How to Prepare for Exams in College: Build a Simple Step-by-Step Plan
Preparing for exams is an ever-evolving process, so you'll have to tweak your plan as you continue throughout college.
When preparing for exams, try to keep in mind that with most of the classes you are taking, you are learning so you know the material for life, not just to pass a test. This perspective helps me focus on learning the material without cramming!
Here's a quick recap on how to prepare for exams in college:
- Take notes (almost) every class
- Do all of the homework
- Decide on your study methods
- Find a time tracking method that works for you
- Set aside time to study daily and actually study
- Prioritize sleep and try to not do last minute cramming
- Have a before exams routine you can follow
- During the exam, use the exam strategy you planned
- Take a break if you have time afterwards
- Revise your study plan for your next exam
If you enjoyed reading this post about how to prepare for exams in college, you might enjoy these posts too!
- 10 Things to Do During the First Week of School to Stay Organized All Semester
- How to Prepare for a New Semester: 9 Things to Do Before Heading Back to Campus
- My Reading System for Personal Growth + Lifelong Learning
- Bullet Journal Layout Ideas for Students
Good luck with your exams! I hope you enjoyed learning how to prepare for exams in college!
Make sure you save this post about how to prepare for exams in college, so you can refer back to it!
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