#test taking tips

and how you can too!

the problem-solving strat:

visualize concepts: when learning torque especially, it helped if I used an object (usually my pencil) and actually tilted it or rotated it. this helped me visualize pivot points and which direction the object would rotate based on the direction of forces

visualize problems: always draw out the problem. no matter if the question seems easy, still draw everything! it's generally a good habit to get into, and it really helps with all the problems

multiple choice questions (mcqs...):

units, units, units: look what it's asking for. what are the units for what it is asking for? look at the values you are given. now how can you go from the given units to the wanted units?

know how each formula works: yes, you're given a formula sheet, but it's useless when you don't know the types of formulas for the types of problems. review your formulas and, more importantly, do those practice problems.

practice problems: they are important. more important that taking notes or watching videos on the concepts. there will be no "grasping of the content" until you've done practice problems. and do hard ones, too. not the ones on khan academy, but actually tough ones, especially towards ap season.

free response questions (the dreaded frqs):

FRQ's are your best friend: why? the graders give you points for correct steps, even if your answer is wrong.show what formula you’re using, plug in numbers clearly, and always include units. think of it like showing your work for partial credit…because it is showing your work for partial credit

practice the lab format: practice writing clear step-by-step procedures that are specific and account for any potential error. usually that means doing more than one trial. know how to list materials properly, like you're setting up a lab for someone else.

learn how to change equations into graphs: identify which variable is changing and which is constant. think: if I graphed this, what would the slope of the line of best fit represent? in many problems, slope of the line = a key quantity that you need to look out for!

okay so AP physics 1 has the highest fail rate of any AP exams. but somehow?? ur girl got a 5. and now you've just got a few more strategies so you can bag that 5 too!

So, I wanted to make a blog post detailing the different strategies I used to review for the LET, an exam I passed last May. For non-ph people, the LET (Licensure Exam for Teachers) is an exam a teacher needs to pass to get his/her license and register as a professional in their country. Passing the exam was one thing, but registering is a whole other journey.

Okay, so first thing’s first, I know that people would want to know how long it takes to review for a certain test--oh, and not just ANY certain test, but a freaking board exam. If you’re a teacher who’s about to take the test in September (as the test only happens twice a year, March and September), don’t worry! I’ll give you all the details down here.

It took me 1 month to review for this test. I applied for the test on February 24, and took the test on March 25(?), so it was basically the day after I applied for this exam, I started gathering my review materials. And look, if you have any doubts, now’s the time to cast it out. I reviewed for 4 weeks and passed the exam; you can too. With these tips, and some diligence, I think you’ll be set!

Now onto how I sectioned the concepts I needed to review in a week. Generally, in one week, since there are a lot of concepts to cover, I would do 2-3 subjects a day. So my week typically went like this:

Monday: English and Filipino

Tuesday: Math and Natural Science

Wednesday: Social Science and FACLERN & CHDODEV (Facilitating Learning and Child Adolescent Development)

Thursday: Teaching Profession and Curriculum Development

Friday: PTEACH and EDTECH (Principles of Teaching and Educational Technology)

Saturday: ASESLE and SOCIEDU (Assessment of Learning and Social Dimensions of Education)

And, for example, if on Monday I had to do English and Filipino, that meant that I had to take a pre-test for both subjects, write down the concepts/info I got wrong on the test, review them, and then take a post-test. I did that for every single subject, and yes it’s possible, as I was able to review for my Ateneo law exam (which was on March 24) AND work as a part-time teacher at the same time. 

I reviewed every morning before work, and every afternoon after work. 

It’s possible, but definitely not easy. It was one of the most stressful times of my life, but that was when I started to get back into bullet journaling, so I guess it was also one of the best weeks of my life. 

Okay! So to the exciting part of this post. What were the materials I used to review? If anyone’s curious, no I didn’t apply in a LET review class because it was too late for the likes of me; I only had 1 month, and I’d rather start cracking open my books than to waste my time finding a review centre that would accept me. Below are the actual materials that I used!

National Book Store LET Books

You heard me right. I didn’t have to gather a ton of review books, I just really needed two of them. The titles were, Comprehensive LET Reviewer Based on NCBTS and Table of Specifications General Education by LORIMAR Publishing, & the Reviewer for the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) 6th Edition by Cecilio D. Duka

You can find them I think in any NBS store in the Philippines! I got mine in Festival Mall Alabang, and they were pretty cheap! I think they were around P750 all in all. 

So, how did I use these books? Well let me tell what I didn’t use in these books. The information.

Yep, all the facts in English, the formulas in Math, the long paragraphs in Social Studies... I didn’t even bother to take a second look at them the first time I cracked open the reviewers. The very first thing I did with each of these reviewers was to rip out the answers page and go straight to the provided test. I took the test with just my stock knowledge (info I already had in my brain before reviewing) and write down my score in each test (English, Filipino, Math, Science, Social Sciences, ICT, and the professional education subjects). I did these for three reasons:

1. I know my base knowledge on these subjects.

2. I can compare my pre-test score to my post-test score.

3. I can see if I’m improving.

It’s very important to take a pre-test and a post-test when reviewing because then you’ll actually know if you’re improving! Don’t worry about the score you get in your pre-test/diagnostic exam--either way, unless you’re a genius, it’s going to be a low score. Don’t let that define you. Use that score, and the questions you’ve answered wrong, as a baseline as to where you should start. This is a great strategy because you’re tackling your weaknesses at the get-go. 

For example, you did the General Education pre-test and found out that you scored lower in Math and Science compared to the other GenEd subjects; you immediately then make those two subjects your top priority of studying before you tackle the subjects you’re already competent in. It’s a sure-fire way to know where you stand, and what you need to do to get a higher score. 

Loose Leaf Paper 

I didn’t use some special, pricey Moleskine notebook. And the reason why is because my goal wasn’t to write down everything I needed to learn and then take the test. It was sort of the other way around. I used yellow pad as an avenue to write my answers to the test provided by the books, and whichever question I got wrong, I would mark it down at the bottom of my yellow pad so I know which concepts I need to revisit. I then take another sheet of yellow pad and write all the info about the question I got wrong the first time so that the second time, I would know what the right answer is. Plain and simple.

Pens

The pens I used were the Muji 0.38 Black Gel pen and some Zebra Mildliner Highlighters. I would like to stress again though that I mostly used my black pen because all I did was answer test after test after test. I didn’t go the info-heavy route, because that would be a waste of my time. 

So on the day of my exam, I brought all the necessary stuff I needed. My documents, my wallet, my phone, earphones, food, pencils, pens, calculator, etc. 

Fun fact: I was sick for the first time in months on the day of my board exam which I had to wake up at 3am for as the venue of my exam was like on the opposite of the archipelago. 

So I also had to bring tissue or else I would’ve been too distracted and frustrated to focus. I made sure to stop reviewing though the day before my exam, so on the actual date of the LET, I wasn’t trying to rush and store some vague info about mathematical formulas because I knew I had to trust that I did my best the past 4 weeks, and rush reviewing wouldn’t do me any good anyway--it would just give me anxiety. 

The exam, I believe, would run for 4-5 hours? But I got out an hour or two earlier as I finished the exam early. The content of the exam wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, especially the Math portion, BUT I was surprised at the level of difficulty of the Science section, so I guess that balances out. 

So a couple of productivity tips:

try to bring your reviewer notes everywhere! i found this helpful because whenever i would be standing in line, waiting for something or someone, i would whip out my reviewer and try to read leisurely the information i wrote down for myself. the word here is leisurely. you don’t want to overwhelm yourself for nothing.

start bright and early! if you’re not a morning person, i think now’s the perfect time to start. if you wake up early, you can get more down quickly, therefore having less work to do in the evening when you have to wind down.

bring a bottle of water and snacks while reviewing! you’ll be using a lot of brain power, so you need to stay hydrated and full! i suggest also have iced coffee on hand if you can, as it would wake you up and give you that energy boost you need to tackle your tests.

time yourself--or don’t. it’s really up to you! i didn’t time myself as I would feel too pressured and not perform well. i just made sure to take a lot of tests so that my test-taking time perspective would slowly get used to taking tests faster and more efficiently each time. 

get encouragement from your fellow exam takers! you can find them on fb groups if that’s what you prefer; be careful though, don’t use fb as often as you’d want to when reviewing. the goal here is to be motivated and inspired, not to stay idle. 

try to review in bursts. meaning, section your review realistically with the time you have. the goal here isn’t to overwhelm, but to make most of the time you have. personally, i would do the harder subject in the morning, then the easier one in the afternoon. it would usually take me 1-2 hours for each subject. 

review in different places. if you feel lethargic reviewing in your bedroom, that’s normal! your bedroom is supposed to be a place of relaxation, not your review workshop. Try working in different areas of your house, in a coffee shop, in your car even. I used to go to Starbucks every morning when it opens to get the best seat so that I could actually look forward to the review. 

take breaks. i know. the exam’s is in 4 weeks, and you’ve got a ton of areas to cover in terms of concepts. but brute forcing your way into trying to learn every single thing about every single subject in a week wouldn’t do you any good--you, just like any other human being, are prone to burn out, and at such a crucial time, being burnt out is the last problem you need. so take breaks. take as long as you need to. i can’t tell you an exact time for how long you need a break because everyone’s different, but take a long enough break that you don’t hate yourself that much for going back to reviewing. 

handwritten? digital? up to you. use whichever medium works! i personally took the test in handwritten format so that I would get used to answering on a sheet of paper, which I would have to do on the day of my exam.

and lastly, trust the process. you can review for 24 hours everyday, buy all the highlighters and pens you need, all the notebooks to put information in, all the iced coffee in the world, but the ultimate outcome of the test isn’t in your hands. so trust me when I say to not only trust the process, but have the process be the only thing to focus on. don’t focus on the idea of passing the LET; that’s something out of your control. they could make a mistake with your name, they could’ve lost your answer sheet, they could’ve rejected your application altogether--all that are useless worries. focus on getting better everyday. focus on scoring higher and higher in each test you let yourself take. trust that you’re doing your best, and accept whatever the outcome is. 

Hey y’all,

Today was my last day of classes. All I have left are my final exams. Here is what I’m taking:

Assessment

Concepts and Clinical Competencies

Pharmacology

For Assessment and Concepts, we take final exams that are a standardized HESI. The Pharmacology final exam is department made. Here is how I am preparing:

Assessment/Concepts: 

Go over ALL notes and look at key points and highlighted concepts.

Practice questions: NCLEX style, Quizlet, from Saunders Prep Book.

While doing the first two, assess weak areas and study those concepts further.

Go through all of the flashcards I made this semester.

RELAX the night before the test.

Pharmacology:

Since this one is not a HESI, I will study differently. It is a 70 question test consisting of 30 questions from the newest material (Diuretics, Antihypertensives, Digestion & Elimination and Oncology), and 40 questions from the rest of the class.

Go over the newest material in detail, as I would for any other test.

Review my other notes and look at highlights.

Go through all of my flashcards from this semester.

Find and/or make up my own practice questions.

RELAX the night before the test.

Test-Taking Tips

For any nursing-style test, remember to read the question. Twice. Think about what the question is specifically asking for. Usually you can eliminate one or two answer choices just by doing this. If the question is about priorities and you have 3 answers about a patient’s airway and breathing and another answer about their mental status, you know you can eliminate the mental status because of standard ABC’s. 

Don’t over think anything. Don’t ask yourself, “well what if ____?”. NO. Just look at the information provided in the question. Don’t try to include any other random information or assumptions. 

Go with your gut. If you have put in the hard work of studying the material, chances are that your first instinct guess is the right answer.

There are some other official test-taking strategies that are helpful in different resources, like the Saunders book that I have linked above.

Study Tips

Hello! My university has some flyers in our testing center to help students on their exams, so I thought I'd share one of them. These particular tips are taken from "Where There's a Will, There's an A."

Even when we do our best to study hard, we will inevitably encounter questions for which we simply don't know the answer (boo). When this happens, don't panic! Use the following tips to increase your odds when guessing. Remember to eliminate the choices in the question that you know are incorrect, then apply these methods.

"Multiple Choice" exams: When two out of four choices are opposites, pick one of those two as a best guess.

Non-answers (Zero, None of the above) are usually poor guesses.

In questions asking for the most or the least, pick the answer next to the most or the least (Most: 5 8 9 15 30)

"All of the above" is generally a good guess.

Longest multiple choice answers are good guesses.

If two out of four choices are almost identical, pick the longer of the two.

If a few questions have five possible choices instead of four, pick number five.

If a question asks for a plural (or singular) answer, make sure you pick the plural (or singular) answer.

When limiting words are used (all, never, always, must, etc.), "false" is usually the better answer.

When general terms are used (most, some, usually, could, might, etc.), "true" is usually the better answer.

Exaggerated or complex answers are generally "false."

Answer every question, even with a best guess as you go. Identify those you're not sure of with a mark. Review these on a second pass.

"Fill in the blank" exams: Never leave a question blank. Give it your best guess. You might guess correctly. Even if you don't, you might get partial credit just for coming close.

"Essay" exams: Say as much as you can, use short paragraphs, and write legibly. Volume, quality, clarity, and neatness pay off.

Reread directions before turning in an exam. Did you define terms when you were asked to compare them? Use the entire period to double check.

Answers quite often pop up in other questions. Keep that thought in mind.

First impressions (initial guesses) are often best. If an answer comes to you from out of the blue, it's probably your right brain at work. Don't fight this intuition unless you're sure it's wrong.

When a question is difficult to visualize, draw it.

Assume a possible answer. Then work backwards to see if you're right.

Sit in front of the class (if the exam is in class). Ambiguous questions can be cleared up when you're near the instructor. 

From the Rabbit Handbook of Plz Don’t Fail Me Now

This applies to any style of question for the most part: 

If you can’t answer it in under 30 seconds, skip to the next question and continue. Do all of the easy questions first and then go back to finish the ones that were harder. 

You may end up spending too much time on a difficult question and not finish, or get flustered and lower your accuracy for the easier questions. It’s better to miss one..Instead of 5 because you spent 15 minutes debating whether the spelling for difinete or difinite or definite or diversified is right.

*extra tip: seriously there’s always at least 1 totally bogus answer on these things. 

2 x 4 / 35 = 

A) 403,238 

B) 3.14 

C) .238 

D) Spain