It was late in the morning and the forecast was clear and sunny. But there was darkness looming over me because I had to take my finals for Bio. Science never sparked curiosity in me like English did, and as a result, I waited until the last minute to study for the exam. I was up all night, memorizing practice answers, testing myself, and even giving science lectures to an invisible audience about viruses and genetic disorders. Then I looked at the clock - one hour before show time. I shuffled to get ready, jet out the door, hopped on the train and speed walked into the building. When I arrived to the class, my heart was racing. My classmates were filing into the room and into their seats. It was Judgement Day for many of us. The finals was could make or break our final grade. My goal was to get an A and at the time, I was sitting at an 87 average at the start of the exam. I would need a 95 or higher on the exam to boost my average grade up to an A, which was a 93 or higher according to the school's grading system. "Good luck," said the Professor in his thick Serbian accent.
I returned after two hours to ask for my score. The Professor promised to have scores calculated that day. I guess the students weren't the only ones wanting the semester to end. I watched him go through my test and I was astounded. No wrong answers. I got every question right. I was the first one to finish and got a 103 on the test. That's right—I even got the extra credit question correct.
He did the math. He calculated my average for the semester. "Okay. Your grayd for the semester is ninezy-two poieent zix. Zat rounds up to a ninzy zree. Congratulations," he said with a proud smile. I couldn't believe it. I went from an 87 to a 93 overnight and aced the class! But I didn't just study the way students do in study hall with their noses buried in a textbook. Let me share three tips that will aid you in getting the grade you want, just like I did for myself that sleepless night.
1. Record the lectures
Yes, audio-record them. Prior to the final, I found out one of my classmates had the brilliant idea of recording the lectures during the last quarter. She had the lectures on her phone and sent them to me. I listened to those lectures all night, over and over, listening for any information that the Professor repeated or emphasized or said, "This is very important to know." You see, the Professor knows what's going to be on the test. So naturally, he or she will repeat and emphasize the points that you want to remember. You can listen with more precision for repetitive information if you record the lessons and listen to them at home or on the train/bus. Trust me, you will not regret this decision.
2. Ask for a review sheet
Ask the Professor for a review sheet, which is basically a list of questions and topics that you can expect will be on the test. In my entire career in school, all teachers give either a review sheet, review session, or both. Take full advantage of these.
3. Test yourself
In addition to recording the lectures, this is my favorite study tool. That night before the exam, I paced back & forth in my living room reciting vocabulary words to myself. In my case, the review sheet had a vocabulary section and I memorized every word on there to the point that I could recite the meaning of each word without looking at the paper. I did this on the train ride to school also. I even did this in the hall outside the classroom before the test started.
Again, do not cram the night before. I cannot stress this enough. You will forget everything within a week anyway. It's better to start early and finish strong. Use these tools well in advance. The good thing is that these tips will help you whether you study a month before the test, or the night before. In this case, I got lucky. But luck always has some help. In this case, the help came from my utilizing of these three study habits.
Use them and see what wonders they will do for you. It isn't enough to work hard, you have to work smart too.
