

One of the first things I do before studying is to pray to God for guidance, as I am a Christian. Even if you are not a religious person I believe it is important to just take a breather before studying to clear your thoughts instead of jumping right in and stressing out. I then categorize what is it that I need to study the most, is it vocabulary, context, equations, or problem solving? Once I identify what I must study for my test I make flashcards for the equations and vocabulary. If what I need to prepare for is context then I will print out or obtain a workable online copy of what I need to read and will color coordinate with highlighters and annotate the important parts. I find that color coordinating really helps me prepare for a test because it enhances visual learning, and annotating the text allows me to rewrite the text in words that I can understand, instead of just reiterating word for word what the text says, without having a deeper understanding of the context. If what I need to study for my test involves problem solving then I like to prepare for the test by using a white board to map out how to solve the problem, this way Ii can see how each step coincides with the others. Finally, the best test preparation practice that I have is to not study the night before a test but to actually start studying a couple days before, and to not over exhaust studying the last night, but rather to get a good nights sleep. I have found that not procrastinating with studying and getting plenty of rest before a test has allowed me to have a clear mind when taking the test so that I can focus on the task at hand and obtain a good grade.

Kendra from Florida
High School Senior
Coral Glades High School