So, I realize that my main demographic of readers are not college students, but I know SOMEONE out there must need help studying.  I just got back my last *big* college test… the last test that I thought would give me trouble… and received 102/100 (112 with extra credit).  How did I do this?  By studying.  It’s crazy, I know, but studying helps you pass tests.  Below are all of my study tips that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND.  They have yet to do me wrong.

on powerpoint presentations:

• If your prof provides you with powerpoints before class, DON’T PRINT THEM OUT.  Bring your laptop to class, add notes (preferably on the slides if small enough, otherwise in the notes section)
• Delete slides that your prof skips over.  Chances are, if they don’t lecture about it, it won’t matter
• Make slides that you deem important have red font
• Make slides that you deem common sense, or that you already know, have green font
• When it comes time to study, rewrite all important information BY HAND.  Preferably in cursive, since you’ll have to spend time thinking about every word (if you don’t typically write in cursive).

on memorization:

• If you have a Mac, EBBINGHAUS flashcard program should be your best friend.  Add in all definitions and create as many fill in the blank questions as you can.  You can load these questions onto your ipod (and probably iphone) and carry them around with you whereever you go.
• If you don’t have a Mac (or if you find this more helpful), make flashcards by hand.  As boring as straight memorization is, this gets the job done for multiple choice tests.
• Dedicate enough time!!
• Draw it out.  Make some sort of graph, chart, picture, etc. that will help you remember key information
• Come up with silly mnemonic devices.  Ex: one of the concepts I needed to know for a management class was about entering global markets, so I took the first letters and they spelled out “git’m.”  I made this chart:

cheesy, but very helpful.

the night before/day of:

• I know you’ve heard this a thousand times before, but really.. get some sleep!  Don’t stay up cramming.  You’re probably better off getting six hours of sleep (at the least) than spending an extra two hours studying and getting four hours of sleep.  Study.  Sleep.  Eat well.  You know this.
• Get to class as early as you can.  Spend ten minutes briefly thinking about the information, but don’t overdo it.  If you don’t know it yet, you probably won’t.
• Spend five or ten minutes before class relaxing!  Talk to your classmates, chill out, stop stressing.
• Don’t stress.  If you studied, you’ll do fine.  Consider taking the test a good thing… you can finally display all of that hard work you spent studying!
• If you have an essay test, or anything other than a scantron, at the end of the test, add a heading like “fun facts that weren’t on the test.”  Put all of the information you deem important (and remember clearly) that you went over in class that didn’t end up on the test.  Some teachers really like this and might give you a few extra points.  It can’t hurt, and even if you don’t get points, the teacher will know you’re trying to give the extra effort.  You spent the time memorizing it, why not throw it on there?  This is how I got 102 out of 100… I drew out some charts at the end of the test and she gave me 5 extra points.

Hope this helps someone out there, and good luck!  .