Hi y’all! It’s Piper Peanut here for the Effies and the E-flats to offer some tips to make exams a bit easier.

The first thing you want to do is make sure everything is in the correct position! Make sure that you can easily read and access all your material for every class you have.

But do not try to go over everything! You can’t cram all the knowledge you have learned for months.

Get ahead by asking your teachers what will be covered on the exams. Then go through notes, quizzes, and homework to study, with extra focus on any unit or section you previously struggled with or are struggling on. If you still have any questions, bring it up with a teacher after class or privately.

Studying is difficult, and there’s no right way to go about it, but there are options. One studying technique is a study group. Find classmates or friends to go over concepts that you’ll use on the exams. Everyone thinks differently, so going over together notes and concepts with a partner or group is something worthy of looking into.

If you choose to go solo, make sure you go over any mistakes on past homework, quizzes, and tests. Remember, it can be time consuming to sit down with your face stuck in a textbook, so give yourself breaks in between to make it easier.

One of the difficult things on exams is all the types of problems that you will be dealing with: standard problems, word problems, extended responses/essays, and short answers. According to exam strategies for specific types of tests, there are three different types of tests you will see: the short answer test, extended response/essay type, and the objective test.

For each type of test, take your time and pace yourself. If you finish early, go over the questions. Don’t let minutes pass you on the test, if you don’t know a question, skip it and go back to it after you finish the exam. If you don’t understand the question, there’s no shame in guessing if you have to.

Each exam varies by subject. For math, if the teacher offers you help, take it. If your teacher is giving you a copy of an old exam, use it to your advantage. Use any extra practice by finding existing exams or tests online. Or studying using flashcards and writing down vocab and concepts.

If you don’t have a study guide, write down all the vocab/formulas that you know you will need on the exam paper before it begins. A studying technique could be going on to websites that are dedicated to the subject such as Khan Academy or study.com.

English will have multiple choice questions and extended response questions, often based on passages or texts. Multiple choice sections often feature literary terms, vocab, as well as elements from books read in class: the names, spelling, authors, setting, and plot.

For science exams, use flashcards for any vocab. Look over notes, quizzes, and labs, ask questions in class and attend as many help nights as you can.

For foreign language exams, be sure to go over any past grammar and vocabulary. Write down or find a Quizlet for the vocab for each chapter, as well as any grammar rules in the chapter. Listen to any new or old vocab words spoken by a native speaker, then repeat these words yourself. Use the textbook as your main resource.

For Latin exams, the best tactic is to go over everything your teacher gives you, grammar is the foundation of a language. You should consider making a quizlet of your own vocab set or going to www.magistrula.com. If the internet can’t help you, write out the vocab at least 3 times without a mistake.

The exam is calculated by 40 percent of your grade from quarter one, 40 percent of your grade from quarter two and 20 percent of your grade is made on the exams. If you want to calculate your grade after taking the exam use this tried method, on your calculator put in (0.4)+ (0.4)+(0.2)= your semester grade. If you’re worried, turn in any homework and make up any extra stuff to get your grade as high as possible.

It’s easy to get fretful about the exam but remember all the hard work you’ve put into your classes. You’ve been given the material and you’ve done great so far. Any extra help you could use to prepare are help night, tutors, and the student success center. Start early with studying and a little each day helps make sure it’s a plan you can stick to.

You will do well, I believe in you!
Piper Peanut