14 Test-Taking Tips to Help You Ace Your Next Exam

A good test day means avoiding last-minute scrambles, listening to instructions, and getting a good night’s sleep.
14 Test-Taking Tips to Help You Ace Your Next Exam
Test-taking is as much about mindset as it is about knowledge. Ivan Samkov/pexels
Walker Larson
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A lot can depend on a test—getting into law school or medical school, earning an important certification, or simply preserving a strong GPA. With such stakes, many students suffer from anxiety and stress around test-taking.

Some degree of nervousness about a test can actually be beneficial. The dose of adrenaline can provide energy and keep you focused. However, too much stress can undermine test performance. One review of the scientific literature on the subject found that it’s crucial for test-takers to manage anxiety and sustain motivation if they hope to be successful.
Walker Larson
Walker Larson
Author
Prior to becoming a freelance journalist and culture writer, Walker Larson taught literature and history at a private academy in Wisconsin, where he resides with his wife and daughter. He holds a master's in English literature and language, and his writing has appeared in The Hemingway Review, Intellectual Takeout, and his Substack, The Hazelnut. He is also the author of two novels, "Hologram" and "Song of Spheres."