How to Prepare for the Entrance Exam

Entrance exams can be intimidating, but with the right strategies, the process becomes much more manageable. To get ready for your specific exam, find or purchase study materials online, and take a practice test to assess your strengths and areas for improvement. Afterward, create a study timeline and outline your plan. Also, learning some general tips on how to study effectively, relax, and maintain good health will ensure you are fully prepared for the exam.

Enroll in a course. For example, many courses are available for direct registration, such as those offered by Princeton Review for the ACT exam (American College Testing, a standardized test used by college admissions boards to evaluate and compare applicants). These classes are fantastic, as some students benefit from the accountability found in traditional classroom settings. The course durations vary, but Princeton Review's typically run for 6 sessions. To enroll, visit their website, fill in your location and preferred dates, and find a course near you.

• The Princeton Review courses include 4 practice tests to track your progress and focus on areas needing improvement. These practice tests are designed to help you gauge your performance and adjust your preparation accordingly.
• These courses are usually expensive, but the cost covers the study materials you'll need.
• Complete all the homework assignments for the best results possible.
• If you're in a rural area, you will need to commute to the city to take the test.

Enroll in an online exam preparation program. There are many online platforms available, some of which are free while others charge a fee, offering various resources to help you prepare for the entrance exam. For example, for the ACT exam, several websites provide preparation through videos, written materials, simulated practice tests, and interactive games designed to maintain interest while revising.

Purchase study materials and review them on your own. For example, for the ACT exam, there are various types of preparation guides available depending on your needs, and this applies to many other exams as well. Here are the different categories of study materials for the ACT: general prep books designed for anyone aiming to improve their scores, regardless of their current skills or strengths/weaknesses; subject-specific guides focusing on a particular area, such as English, Reading, Math, or Science; advanced guides for those who want to push their scores to the highest levels; and finally, guides for those with lower scores or short preparation times. Avoid quick 5-hour study guides unless you only need to improve slightly.

Get enough rest the night before the exam and during your study sessions. Ensure you get 8 hours of sleep before the exam. A bad night's sleep can negatively impact your exam performance. Chronic lack of sleep can lead to increased stress and a higher risk of illness.

Create a plan to determine when you need to sleep or wake up. A method that can help you sleep on time is using backward planning, which involves setting clear goals for what you need to do. Start from the time you need to arrive at the exam venue or begin studying the next day, and plan everything you need to do to stay on track during that period. Use this method to determine the exact time you need to go to bed to get sufficient rest.

• Consider how long it generally takes for you to fall asleep and ensure you account for this time.
• Add buffer time to your plan for unexpected situations, such as getting lost on the way to the exam venue.

Eat brain-boosting foods and complex carbohydrates. It's essential to consume foods rich in complex carbs for brain health. If you're distracted by hunger during the exam or while studying, it will be difficult to concentrate. To avoid this, on exam day and before study sessions, eat protein-rich foods like eggs or whole grains, such as oatmeal, which can sustain you for hours. If you get a break during the exam, consider packing a snack, like an apple, to stay alert.

• On the exam day, choose complex carbs like oatmeal instead of candy, as candy only provides simple carbs and sugar.
• Incorporate omega-3-rich meals into your diet three times a week. Omega-3s are known to improve focus and mental clarity, which can be beneficial for studying. You can obtain these nutrients from fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies.
• Eat dark-colored vegetables and fruits for antioxidants that aid cognitive function. Antioxidants protect brain cells from oxidative damage, and berries like blueberries are especially beneficial for brain health.

Start a regular exercise routine. To support both your mental and physical health, aim for about 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise (such as walking or cycling) each week. This will help you relax and maintain focus during study sessions and exams. If you're interested in sports, your school may offer free or low-cost group activities at local parks. Check with your school or local park management to find out more. Consider renting exercise DVDs from your library or practicing online workout videos with friends or family every day or on convenient days.

• If you're pressed for time, take a 15-minute walk around your campus whenever you need a break. This will help you refocus and feel more energized when you return to studying.
• Start your day with a jog to boost your energy levels.
• Find ways to exercise without leaving home. For example, if you live close to school, walk to class instead of taking the bus, or opt for stairs instead of the elevator.

Take practice tests to assess your abilities. Most entrance exams consist of multiple sections. For example, the GRE (Graduate Record Examination, a standardized test for graduate school admissions in fields such as natural sciences and social sciences in the U.S.) includes sections on math, verbal reasoning, and analytical writing. To prepare effectively, you should take practice exams to identify the areas that need the most focus. You'll often find practice tests in study guides.

• There are also many online resources, such as collegeboard.org for the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), which offers practice tests. These online tests provide you with scores that reflect your performance.
• Simulate real testing conditions when taking practice exams: adhere to time limits, avoid electronic devices, refrain from listening to music, and sit in a place similar to an exam setting.

Practice the essay section of the exam. If your exam includes a writing section, make sure you've practiced writing essays within the allotted time. Work on outlining your ideas and preparing what you'll write while practicing for the exam.

Create an outline for organizing your study plan. You'll need to create a realistic study plan based on the upcoming exam and the time frame your professor gives for preparation. For example, exams like the GRE require several months of preparation.

• Relax with your study materials and create an outline that includes key topics or areas you need to study for the exam.

Base your plan on previous experiences to identify which areas in the exam you'll need to focus on and how much time each will take. Having a structured plan and sticking to it, with clear objectives for each study session, is the key to succeeding in exams. Essentially, you'll need to dedicate a significant and consistent amount of time in your schedule for studying. Depending on your outline, limit the number of materials to absorb in each study session.

• Start with the most important materials and gradually work your way to the less critical ones to ensure you've covered the essentials before the exam day.

Use a calendar app like Google Calendar to create your study schedule. If you don’t already have a Gmail account, create one and access the Google Calendar app from the application menu in the upper-right corner of your Gmail account. Click 'Create' and set an event to schedule your study sessions in the Calendar. Regularly check and update your schedule to remind yourself to study according to your plan.

• The Google Calendar app offers email reminders that you can use to keep track of your study schedule.
• Edit your schedule if necessary. If something comes up and you can’t study, simply access your calendar and update your study plan. Adjust your schedule to find other times to study and keep up with your plan.

Don’t push yourself too hard. To stay motivated for your exams, you should ensure you study consistently according to your plan. Explain to your friends and family that you need to focus on preparing for the exam. Take all the necessary steps to give yourself time and space to concentrate on your studies regularly.

Track your progress by taking practice exams. Every few weeks or as often as possible, take practice exams and review your answers from start to finish, paying attention to the questions you missed. If the answer key shows the types of questions you didn’t get right, make a note of them. If not, try to identify the problem areas you missed, and examine your mistakes to determine what you should focus on in your studies.

• When taking the exam, don’t treat each question as unique. Many different question types will reappear in the test. For example, in the English section of the ACT, questions appear in categories such as grammar & usage, sentence structure, strategy, organization, and style.

Review the areas you struggle with. Spend extra time studying concepts that you find difficult. For example, if answering sentence structure questions in the ACT exam proves challenging, use practice books to learn about sentence structure. Consider asking someone knowledgeable in the area you’re struggling with, such as a teacher or a friend, for help.

Focus on the outline. Given the number of lessons you need to absorb, the stress from preparing for the exam can sometimes feel overwhelming. Ensure you combat stress by focusing on one lesson at a time. Remind yourself that you only need to get through the preparation process for now, and don’t worry about mastering everything in a short amount of time.

• Don’t attempt to cram everything in one go; cramming won’t allow you to understand the material deeply.

Eliminate distractions while studying. One way to improve your study practice is to develop the habit of removing all distractions from your study space. Looking at your phone or desktop can break your concentration and hinder your performance. Make sure to place your devices away and study in an environment conducive to focus. For instance, it should not include a TV or any other distractions.

Study in different locations. Recent research shows that people retain more information when they study in various locations. Changing your environment can help you focus better because it keeps you alert. For example, you might switch from one room in your house to another when you find your motivation slipping.

• Try seeking spaces that offer a change in atmosphere. For instance, you could alternate between rooms painted in different colors and/or with different lighting.

Reorganize your thoughts if you're feeling frustrated. Reflect on what you can learn from reviewing your materials, and focus on a positive approach rather than holding onto frustration. Consider the various ways you can apply this information in your life or how it might prove helpful.

Calm your mind. When preparing for an exam by reviewing or taking practice tests, it's natural to feel stressed. This stress response is often a habit we have developed over time, which can make studying or taking the test harder than necessary. The root cause is usually excessive anxiety, which makes it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. To combat this negative instinct, try these relaxation techniques:

• Tighten your muscles and then relax them. Tense all your muscles, such as squeezing your eyes shut, lifting your toes, clenching your fists, tightening your legs, and your glutes. Take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds while your body is tense. After about 5 seconds, exhale and relax all your muscles at once, enjoying the sensation of releasing all the built-up tension.
• Close your eyes and focus on the tip of your nose. Pay attention to your breath, noticing how your inhale feels smooth and your exhale feels warmer. Continue this breathing pattern while keeping your focus on your nose until you feel calm.