By The Princeton Review
Whether you are in school, testing for a job or taking a grad school entrance exam, there are some key components to being successful on a multiple-choice exam.
1. Content Knowledge.
Nothing can supersede knowing the material but that does not even ensure a great score. You should review all the elements from research about the exam or what your teacher may tell you. A solid foundation will help you on your way.
2. Strategy.
A game plan will help to ease your tension. Each exam may be different so it is crucial to know the specifics of any test you are taking. The number of questions, time limits, guessing penalties, etc. will impact the attack plan. Everything is public knowledge so a little research can go a long way to improve your score. So know the directions ahead of time.Nothing is a bigger waste of time than trying to figure out what to do with a question while theclock is ticking. Then it simply becomes a matter of execution.
3. Technique.
A step by step way to actually attack certain question types will provide consistency and a higher score. We have techniques for nearly everything we do, we just don’t realize it. We need to find the ones that work on these exams and use them (whether you get assistance or tutoring or create your own – they just need to work).
4. Practice & Analysis.
Practice. Practice. Practice. Then understand your weaknesses so you can build your score even more.
5. Confidence and Endurance.
This is a key element that most people overlook. It plays a huge role in high stakes testing and is impacted greatly by the previous components. In addition, if the exams are long, you need to work up to the length by lots of practice. It is much easier to take a one hour exam than a three hour so train if you need to build your endurance.