8. How to prepare for exams?

An exam is about more than content. Super handy. This means that you can expand a tool kit that can be used for all exams and resits that are still to come.

In other words, you can prepare for an exam in other ways. Here are some suggestions:

Prior to the exam:

1. Read the extra information about test formats, for example about multiple choice [print screen of the infosheet about this, as soon as the layout via Stephanie is ready]
2. Know what is expected of you. Screen the learning objectives and check whether they match the materials and old or practice tests
3. Make ensure that you can explain the study material aloud to someone else. Then you know for sure that your brain networks are strong enough.
4. Plan as much as possible the day before the exam or presentation. Top athletes will also not train a lot shortly before the competition.
5. Put on your best underwear and best clothes on the day itself (seriously, also works very well during job interviews!).
6. Take food and drink with you (preferably slow sugars like a banana or muesli bar, you get a glucose dip from fast sugars like chocolate).
7. Avoid fellow students who want to check study material at the last minute. Only stress increasing. Stop it!
8. Make sure you are well on time and treat yourself to tasty coffee.

Now some suggestions for during the exam:

1. Read or view the questions calmly and accurately
2. Drink water regularly, eat that banana or bar between micro breaks
3. Only improve if you have convincing arguments for that !!!
4. Cover the answers, which only cause too many associations in your head. Super inefficient. First work out the answer to the question yourself. Then put that back in the given answer options. [image of a multiple choice exam, covering answers, working out an answer on a real leaflet, or a real leaflet in your head]
5. For open questions: if you don't know the answer, freely associate on key terms, key words that are mentioned. "What I do know about ... is that ..."

Oh. By the way: If you just miss passing the exam every time, it does not mean that you ‘almost had it’ every time.
It means that you chronically score at a substandard level: you have not adequately mastered the material at all.

For tips on how you can prevent yourself from falling into the pitfalls of a resit (such as 'Keep doing the same as what you did before,' and 'Recognizing the study material instead of really mastering it'), see this info sheet.

Good luck!