Studying, tests and exams can be extremely stressful.

According to the American Test Anxieties Association, between 34% and 38% of students have text anxiety. But you don’t have to feel that way.

Do you have a test coming up? We’ve put together these helpful tips and studying strategies to make sure you pass the exam.

Talk to Your Teacher or Tutor

Your teacher or tutor is there to help you. It is their job to teach you how to pass your exams.

Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher or tutor about the exam. They are there to answer any questions that you have. They should be able to tell you what to expect, and how to answer the exam to get high marks.

Know What to Expect

You need to know what topics you will be asked about. That way, you can prepare yourself for your exam and study what you need to.

If you’re unsure what the exam will be on, you can ask your teacher or tutor. Otherwise, take a look at the curriculum or syllabus that you’re studying. This will tell you what you’re expected to know, and this is what you should focus your studying on.

It’s also useful to know what your exam will be like. Questions can come in many formats. They may be multiple-choice, true or false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, listening, essay writing, or something else.

You can prepare for your exam better if you know what types of questions you will be asked. You can also practice answering those types of questions so that you’re used to them.

Organize Your Study Place

Find a space that is quiet and free of distractions that you can easily study in. This should be a space that you can organize yourself and have everything that you need.

Get rid of any clutter, and anything that you don’t need. Make sure that you have good lighting, fresh air, and that you’re comfortable. Gather all of the materials that you will need to study effectively.

Creating a well-organized study place will help to put your thoughts in order.

Move Around

That being said, it is important to change your environment when you can. This forces your brain to recollect the same information in different places.

You may be studying in your bedroom, but you’ll be taking your exam in a hall. If you have only ever studied in your bedroom, you may be thrown when you then have to sit your exam in a different environment.

Consider where you’ll be taking your exam, and study in similar places. This might be a classroom, library, or dining table.

Wherever you choose to study, make sure you organize your study space.

Divide Studying Into Sessions

You can’t learn everything at once. If you try to, you can feel overwhelmed.

Instead, plan ahead and make a list of all of the topics you want or need to study. Then develop a schedule and spread out your studying. That way you can make sure you have enough time to revise everything you need to.

Study for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, and take regular breaks. Move away from your study space, go outside and do things that you enjoy. This will make the time you spend studying more effective and efficient.

Improve Your Memory

You can improve your memory by knowing how best to use it. This way, you can study effectively and remember the information that you need to pass your exam.

During your studying sessions, try focusing on one topic at a time. Spend time understanding and remembering the information in different ways.

You’ll be able to learn what works best for you. It may be that you associate information with things that you already know. Images, sounds, diagrams, or graphics may be more effective for you.

Use what works best, and try to use as many different ways to remember information as you can.

Test Yourself

As they say, practice makes perfect. Once you’ve spent time studying a topic, test your knowledge.

A great way to do this is to practice exams. This can be answering exam questions, or completing an entire past exam paper in realistic conditions.

If you are studying for your SATs or your ACTs, you can find past papers and exam questions online or through your education provider.

There are also specialist example exam papers available. For example, you might be studying to be a Financial Risk Manager. You can see here for Exam Q&A books.

Pass the Exam

Follow these tips to prepare yourself, and you’ll be able to pass the exam every time.

While you’re here, have a look at some of our other ideas to make life a little bit easier.