How to Cram for a Test

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Sure, the best way to prepare for a test is to faithfully attend class, take copious notes, and join a study group. But if it's a little late for that, cramming is the way to keep that F at bay.

Step 1: Read over notes
Begin by reading over your lecture notes. If you don’t have any, beg and plead with a classmate to photocopy theirs.

Tip
Some campuses have note-taking services where you can purchase class notes.

Step 2: Highlight key points
Highlight the key points in your notes.

Step 3: Skim textbook
Skim the textbook for anything in bold, or key definitions, sections, and charts, and highlight those portions.

Tip
Read the first and last few pages of each chapter thoroughly, because they often summarize the information.

Step 4: Create flashcards
Create flashcards by reviewing all the highlighted portions of your notes and textbook and writing one key piece of information on each index card.

Tip
Keep your energy high by drinking water to stay hydrated and eating snacks that raise your blood sugar without it crashing afterwards, like bananas.

Step 5: Memorize
Memorize the material on your flashcards. Recite it out loud until you’re sure you’ve got it.

Tip
If you’re having trouble remembering something, write it down six or seven times in a row.

Step 6: Sleep
Get some shut-eye. A Harvard study proved that eight hours of sleep before a test improves performance by 25 percent.

Step 7: Eat breakfast
Eat a hearty breakfast the day of the exam. Numerous studies prove that people perform mental tasks better on a full stomach.

Tip
Eat foods rich in complex carbohydrates and protein, like eggs and whole-wheat cereal or toast, so your energy lasts. Sugary foods will give you a quick rush and then leave you yawning in the test.

Step 8: Take your flashcards
Take your flashcards with you to your testing site and keep going over them until the exam begins.

Step 9: Relax
Right before the test starts, take several deep, slow breaths to help you relax.

Step 10: Take a nap
Take a nap after the test. Studies show it will help you retain what your learned—for the semester final.

Did You Know?
Half of American teenagers admit to cheating on a school exam, according to a 2004 Gallup poll.