Exam Day: Survival Tips

Test-Taking

Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/10296.html

Essential Test-Taking Advice

Try out these strategies while you’re still in high school, and by the time you get to college, you’ll be a test-taking expert.

Before the Test

Eat well.

Studies show that you need good nutrition to concentrate and perform your best.

Bring the right supplies.

Bring your pencils, erasers, pens, rulers, compasses, calculators or whatever else you need on test day.

Review the whole test before you start.

See how many sections and what types of questions are on the test. Determine how much time to allow for completing each section.

Choose the right!!!

Online learning

Part 1

Read between the lines

Make a judgment about the site’s reliability based on your own analysis of the site and the information it contains. Here are some ways to do this;

·        Look for facts you know or can check with a trusted source. If the site gets those facts right, it’s more likely that the other facts on the site are also accurate.

·        Study the language used. It is angry, satiric or overly impassioned? This may indicate that the site is biased.

·        Consider whether the arguments are logical and backed up by evidence, and whether the site presents only one point of view.

·        Check the links to the source that the author acknowledges. Scholarly writing, whether in print or online, should include a bibliography.

Choose the right!!!

Take Control of Homework

So It Doesn't Control You

Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/121.html

Although very few students love homework, it does serve a purpose. Homework helps you:

·        Reinforce what you've learned during the day.

·        Build study habits that are essential in college.

·        Prepare for your classes.

·        Get a sense of progress.

Here are some tips to help you deal with homework more efficiently and effectively.

Set the mood

Create a good study are with everything you need (for example, a calculator). If you don’t have a quiet place at home, try your school or local library.

Know where to begin

Make a list of everything you need to do, and note all deadlines. Do the more difficult assignments first, so you don’t have to face them at the end.

Study at the Same Time Every Day

Even if you don’t have homework every night, use the time to review notes. If sitting down to work is part of your normal routine, you’ll approach it with less dread. Also, you’ll become a pro at using time productively.

Choose the right 

Note—Taking Strategies

Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pla/college-success/955.html

How to Get Your Class Notes into Shape

Getting the most out of high school and college means studying hard and using your time ion class wisely. An effective note-taking strategy can help you do both. Here are the basics.

Stay organized

It may seem obvious, but your class notes can only help you if you can find them. When you’re taking notes be sure to:

·        Keep all your notes in one place.

·        Date and number pages; keeping them in order makes it easier to understand them later.

Before class

Review the materials assigned for that class period thoroughly. Bring a list of any questions you may have.

Choose the right!!!

Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?

Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/paln/high-school/47337.html

You may want to take a class that your high school doesn’t offer. Under some circumstances, you can still enroll in the class—through distance learning.

Distance means taking a class without being physically present where it is being taught. Internet-based technology lets students participate in lectures and class sessions online from almost anywhere.

Some high schools agree to recognize distance-learning credits when they don’t have resources to offer a course themselves. Distance education is often used to increase options in rural areas and for AP® courses.

For you, it might mean doing self-tutorial at home in the evening or, participating in a class that is 1,000 miles away, along with other high school students. Check with your school students. Check with your school counselor to see what’s available.

Choose the right!!!

Balancing High School and Part-Time Work

Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com /students/plan/high-school/45266.html

Like many high school students, you may want—or need—to work part time. Working takes a lot of time and energy, though, so before getting a job, make sure that you think about your ability to handle both work and your education.

Important Considerations

You have to weigh a number of factors when deciding whether to take on a part- time job. It’s important to get as much information as possible, so you can figure out what choice make the most sense for you.

Schedule a meeting with your school counselor to discuss the idea of working. Talk to your counselor about why you want to work and what type of position you’re seeking.

Choose the right!!! 

The Power of Study Groups

http:///www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/high-school/50432.html

Part 1

Working Together Helps Everyone

You may have noticed that when you’re explaining something you’ve learned to a friend, you begin to understand it better yourself. This happens because, when you explain an idea, you need to think more deeply about it.

The same principle makes study groups useful. Studying with others in a small group is helpful because you:

·        Think out loud

·        Share ideas

·        Learn from one another

In an effective study group, you and other students hash out lesson materials together- explaining concepts, arguing about them, figuring out why one person’s answer differs from another’s – and in the process, you most likely learn more than you would have studying by yourself.

Choose the right!!!

 

 

How to Take on College Studying

http://www.collegeboard.com/student /plan/ college-success/961.html

Part 1

Develop Good Study Habits

In college, you’ll need to build on the study skills that you learned in high school. The demands of a college class are probably more rigorous than those you are used to.

You can succeed by knowing what you expect and how to handle it. Think of college as a full-time job, in which you spend 40 hours a week on class, labs, study groups and doing homework.

Being organized and using your time well are essential. Learn more about time management, and use the guidelines below to develop your study skills.

Decide When to Study

Work out about how many hours you need to study every day. Then make a schedule.

·        Figure out what blocks of time you have available throughout the day, in the evenings and on weekends.

·        Consider what time of day you are most alert—there are morning people and night owls—and try to schedule your studying accordingly.

·        Think about whether you do better studying for a few hours at a time or sitting down for marathon sessions.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!