Writing a scholarship exam can be scary, especially if you’ve never written one before. Whether you want to prepare yourself to score higher on your upcoming test or simply want to feel more confident about the process, there are certain steps you can take to boost your chances of passing with flying colors. Use these 10 tips to prepare for your scholarship exam and study smarter, not harder !
1) Pick the right test
Some high
school students dread scholarship exams, or even worry about which scholarship
exams they should take. You should be able to pick which test is right for you
based on your career interests and GPA.
If you’re
struggling with picking a test, ask your school guidance counselor—they can
help direct you towards tests that will get you closer to where you want to go
post-graduation. Or talk to an older student who has already taken some of
these tests. For example, if you have a 3.5 GPA and are interested in pursuing
accounting, it would make sense to start preparing for the CPA exam as early as
possible so that by senior year you’ll be ready to sit for it without much
stress.
2) Write down your study plan
When you’re
trying to prep for an upcoming scholarship exam, there are certain steps you
should follow. Start by writing down your study plan and laying out which
material you need to learn; it’s critical that you know exactly what will be on
your exam so that you can effectively prepare.
From there,
create a schedule of when you’ll review each area of content—don’t just try to
cram everything in at once! Finally, set aside time each day or week for
dedicated practice testing. By following these three steps, you can ensure that
you have all of your bases covered before test day arrives.
3) Reduce stress and do what you love
Preparing
for college-level coursework, especially if you’re competing in a scholarship
exam, can be stressful. Find an outlet where you can decompress and enjoy doing
what you love—whether it’s reading or playing guitar—to keep your stress levels
down. And while we’re at it, make sure you set aside time to study and prepare
as well.
You want
your effort on exam day to be as efficient as possible. If you find yourself
constantly stressed out about exams, don’t worry; many students feel similarly
before big tests. Just remember that preparation is key!
4) Get more practice
Taking
practice tests is another great way to ensure you’re ready for exam day. Set
aside several hours when you won’t be interrupted and have on hand a copy of
your course materials, writing utensils, and something to take notes with.
Write down any questions or areas of confusion as they come up so that you can
address them after your test.
If possible,
allow yourself enough time in advance of your exam date to retake at least one
practice test from beginning to end. The more comfortable you are with how
things work, the better prepared you’ll be on exam day. It may also help to
find a study buddy—someone who is taking (or has taken) your class and will
help keep you accountable throughout your studies.
5) Start early
Early
preparation is key, especially when it comes to scholarship exams. The earlier
you start, the more time you’ll have to prepare, and you can avoid last-minute
cramming at exam time. If your school offers an early registration period for
exams, take advantage of it. You might also want to consider taking practice
tests before test day so that you can gauge your progress over time. Remember:
You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to do better than everyone else!
6) Know when to take a break
It’s
important to take some time off from your studies and relax. You’ll be less
stressed if you schedule times during your week that are designated as
off-limits, in which you aren’t allowed to study or work.
During these
off-hours, do something relaxing like watching television or taking a nap. Your
brain needs time to rest, so don’t feel guilty about not studying—allow
yourself some time for breaks and relaxation every day. This will help keep you
focused on what really matters: getting good grades!
7) Eat well before and during test day
Before your
exam, make sure you’re well-fed so you can be at your sharpest. You should also
eat healthy meals during your preparation time so that your brain has time to
absorb all of that knowledge. Make sure your diet is rich in fresh fruits and
vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains – these foods have been shown to
improve memory and learning capacity. Aim for 5-7 servings of veggies per day
and 2-3 servings of fruit per day.
And don’t
forget about protein! A study by Oxford University found that people who ate
more protein performed better on cognitive tests than those who didn’t consume
as much protein. Protein helps build muscle mass, which helps increase
metabolism, which in turn keeps your brain firing on all cylinders!
8) Practice doing long problems
Often times,
scholarship exams feature long problems that test your knowledge of concepts
over anything else. Practice these types of problems by working through several
long sample questions. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with how
much time it takes you to complete them and how much time is allowed on actual
tests.
Review your
answers carefully, looking at where your time was spent versus what might have
been saved had you answered correctly. In addition, look at your overall
percentage correct—you’ll want to aim for as high as possible so you can
maximize points.
As you work
through these practice problems, make sure to track your performance in a
spreadsheet or other document.
9) Be comfortable
In order to
ace your scholarship exams, you’ll need to be in an environment that is
conducive to learning. Be sure you know where you will be taking your exam and
what time it will begin. You may also want consider bringing a small notepad
with you, as well as something light and healthy for lunch. If possible, leave
yourself at least one hour before your exam start time in case there are any
delays or problems. Being comfortable will help keep your mind focused on acing
your scholarship exams!
10) Develop your number sense
In order to
pass your scholarship exam, you must develop your number sense so that you can
quickly find solutions by using mental math. To do so, practice working with
numbers in your head. For example, use games like sudoku and puzzles like
crosswords, where you’ll need to plug in numbers and arrive at solutions in one
step.
The more
often you work with numbers—and with these mental calculations—the quicker and
more accurate you’ll become when solving problems on exams. This also helps you
think critically about which questions are easier or harder than others, and
how to manage time accordingly. It also helps if you start practicing early.
One study found that just three months of number-sense training helped students
solve simple arithmetic problems 20 percent faster than those who hadn’t
received any training. So set aside some time each day for practicing math
facts or other exercises designed to help develop your number sense!
During my study I could never get myself prepared enough to take an exam smoothly and correctly.