In this computer age, it stands to reason that more tests would utilize computer technology. And that’s exactly what’s happening.  There are two main categories of computerized tests. The first is the CBE or computer-based exam.  The CBE is much like a standard pencil / paper exam, in that the same questions are presented to everyone in a specific order.  Plus, just as you can skip from one question to another, and then come back to earlier ones, many computer based exams let you do the same thing.

The second major category of computer exams is the computer adaptive test (or CAT).  This refers to an exam with questions which change according to the talents and answers of the person taking the test.  On the CAT format, the test-taker can’t skip around like they can on the CBE.  The test-taker is giving a question that is neither too easy or too dificult.  Those who answer the question correctly get a harder one; those who get it wrong get an easier question. As a result, it’s common for every person in the testing group to receive a different test.

Strategies for Computer Exams

Several tips will help you with a computer exam, whether it’s the CAT or CBE format.  First, make effective use of scratch paper.  Use it to take notes, top copy down diagrams, or other materials that you think will help you answer the questions.  And of course, you’ll almost always need scratch paper to help you work advanced math problems.

Second, practice prior to taking the test.  Nearly every major computer exam today has published practice materials that will help you. If you’re not able to buy one, then check one out from your school or public library.  If possible, find a copy that has a CD-Rom, which will allow for practice on the computer—thus better simulating the computer-test-taking process.

Third, watch your time.  Both of the major categories of computer tests have timed portions. Often, an on-screen timer helps you keep track of how much longer you have. Pace yourself so you don’t run out of time. And remember: Don’t get stuck wasting all of your time on one question!

Finally, before you start taking the test, make sure you know the test’s rules. Some will let you skip around; others won’t. Some will give breaks at specific times, while others ask you to log out first. The better acquainted you are with the test’s rules, the more efficient you will be on the real thing.

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High test scores can mean the difference between getting into the Nursing School you want. How do you really prepare for a test? For starters, thorough preparation begins long before you take the actual test. Nursing Entrance Tests like the NET, HESI, PSB or DET can be tricky if you are not prepared.  Nursing Certification Tests are even harder.  It also means more than simply reviewing material. Some simple suggestions may make preparing for tests much easier. Mental preparedness can be just as important as actually spending time learning the material for a test. The following tips can help you to get your mind ready so that you can do well on your next exam.

Prepare Mentally

Stay motivated. You’re learning this information and if you think of it as more than just information to help you pass a test but as knowledge that will be useful in your future you will likely retain it for a long time.  See our post on Mental Preparation.

Sharpen your memory. This is something that can help you for more than just test preparation. Brief mini-quizzes in the days leading up to the test can really help you have the information you need well in mind and increases your chance of scoring well on your exam.

Don’t cram. It is simply not a good preparation technique. Instead spread your studying out over a period of time to allow you to process the information. Several short study sessions will serve you much more effectively that one night of burning the midnight oil before a test.

Practical Steps to Prepare

Review the material. Having everything that you need to review in one place will keep you from wasting time trying to find missing notes or books. Missing material can also create anxiety, so being organized is an important part of test preparation.

Review the course syllabus. The course syllabus highlights the main topics that were covered during a particular section of the course or over the entire course in the case of a final. Also any quizzes or tests that you’ve already completed may give you a good idea of how the teacher normally structures exams.

Find out the format. While certain teachers may favorite a particular style of test it’s always a good idea to ask beforehand so there are no surprises. The method of studying for a test differs depending on the format. Also, if questions are going to be weighted differently it is a good idea to know where to focus your attention when you study.

Schedule your time. A visual of the amount of time you want to spend studying can help put things into perspective for you. Time management is essential for more than just test preparation and forming the habit of making a schedule now can have definite long term benefits.

Plan to relax. It may sound like a given but if you micro-manage your time to much you will only burn yourself out. So along with planning specific study periods you also need to plan time to relax. Take a walk, watch some TV, bake some cookies, but do something to break up your study periods because you simply stop retaining information if you study for too long without a break.  See our Post on Test Anxiety.

Find a distraction-free location to study, in advance if possible. This means not in front of the television and ideally away from the radio and the telephone. Many people choose to study in the library in order to avoid distractions.

Use a study aid. For most subjects there are several study guides and sheets available that can help you. You may not even have to purchase it if you check to see what is available at the local library first. These study guides will often provide suggestions on studying for the subject and may even provide you with sample tests.

Form a study group. Study groups can become a distraction if the members don’t take studying seriously. Members should encourage one another to stay focused. Everyone can benefit from the strength in numbers if each person focuses on a particular topic and then shares that information with the rest of the group.

Determine and rank topics that need to be covered. Something is going to be emphasized on this test and it should be emphasized accordingly in your studying. No point focusing on something that won’t likely appear on the test.

Start studying ASAP. Don’t spend so much time preparing to study that you don’t actually get in some quality studying time.

Successful test preparation is a multi-faceted process. It involves mental preparedness as well as practical preparation. A well-thought out and more importantly well-executed schedule can ease some of the worry that frequently comes with test preparation. Through thorough preparation you can achieve the score you want on your next test.

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Test anxiety is a common phenomenon among students, especially since it can often determine whether you have to retake a class or not.  Not all test anxiety is bad though.  In fact, a healthy amount of test anxiety can actually encourage you to study harder and at least shows that you care about doing well on the exam. Especially a Nursing Entrance Test like the DET, NET, HESI or PSB.  Overconfidence, on the other hand, can lead to silly mistakes.  Test anxiety can become a negative factor when in creates so much anxiety and stress that you can’t concentrate on preparing for the test.  Stress can cause you not to recollect information that you have studied which usually leads to panic and even more anxiety.

Even though anxiety is a major stressor during exams, several emotions can affect your preparedness for an exam.  Anger or depression, even if they are caused by factors that have nothing to do with the test, may make you forgetful.   For this reason, good test preparation not only means preparing the material it also means being mentally and emotionally prepared for an exam.  Standardized tests are a special case where mental preparation is vitally important since you do not know the exact content of the test.   Let’s take a look at a few strategies to reduce your anxiety before your next exam:

1. Boost your confidence. It sounds clichéd but you really do need to believe that you can do well on the test in order to do well on it.  Don’t be a self-fulfilling prophecy.  If you assume doom you will usually be right.  One big confidence booster is being prepared for a test.  Don’t procrastinate because cramming is not the key to success on an exam.  Most things are much more manageable if you space your time appropriately to handle them.  A week of preparing material for an exam will allow your brain the time it needs to process the information.  You may need to enlist some help.  Studying in a group or getting help from a professional tutor are both excellent options if you really want to succeed.  Sometimes just knowing that you’re in it with someone else or receiving help from someone who has “been there, done that” may be just what you need to give you the confidence to approach the test with a healthy amount of anxiety.
2. Get comfortable. While you may not have control over all the specifics of the room where you will be testing there are things that you can do to make sure that you are comfortable in your testing situation.  If it allowed take the opportunity to get familiar with the room where you will be taking the test before exam time.  Take note of the temperature.  Being too cold or too warm during a test can be very distracting, so dress accordingly.  Give the room a good once over and you probably won’t be nearly as distracted as you would be in an unfamiliar setting on test day.  A brief chat with the proctor of the test may also do much to increase your comfort level.  Speaking from experience proctors are hardly ever as intimidating as they appear to be.
3. Get happy.  It’s not the end of the world; it’s a test.  School has enough drama without having a heart attack about every test.  Once you pass the Nursing Entrance Test, you will have many more tests!  Doing something to improve your mood before you take a test can make a big difference.  You want to go into the test with a positive frame of mind so set aside a little time before the test to indulge in something you enjoy.
4. Postpone, perhaps. While postponing a test is not always a realistic option sometimes it may be a good choice.  Standardized tests for college are offered several times a year and if you feel you’re just not prepared it may be a good idea to take the test at a later date.
5. Lose the attitude. As was mentioned earlier anxiety is not the only emotion that can get you in trouble on test day.  When you’re angry it is a lot harder to concentrate on the task at hand.  So the fight with your parents the other day or the fact that your favorite sports team lost, or any other negativity needs to be pushed to the side so you can focus on doing well on your exam.
6. Don’t let your imagination run away. Don’t let imaginary worries start popping up to distract you.  Like did you lock the front door or what if you break the lead on 5 pencils in a row or what if your desk breaks in the middle of the test.  Now if you haven’t looked over any information at all for the test you should be worried but of course you want to do well so you haven’t allowed that to happen. The point is deal with the real and you won’t even have time to worry about imaginary problems.
7. What if I have test terror? So when you have a test it goes beyond just regular anxiety.  You have panic attacks and you may even black out or become extremely ill before a test.  The help you need may best be found with a certified psychologist.  Since this is a legitimate handicap they may be able to offer you suggestions for therapy or may be able to fill out the paperwork to allow you to take the test in a special setting.  If part of your anxiety is taking the test in a large group you may be able to inquire about receiving the test in a format that you can take at home or taking the test in in individual setting with a proctor present.

What if these options aren’t available?  Go back to tip number three and recognize that having a positive attitude is very important.  Can you visualize yourself doing well on the test, answering questions with confidence, remembering key dates and events that you have studies in your preparation for the test?  Think about the last time you did an exceptionally good job on a test and recognize that you can repeat that.  Continue to dwell on positive thoughts throughout the test and before you know it you will have completed the test and had much more success than you would if you had allowed negativity to overwhelm you.  Remember; don’t allow negative test anxiety to get the best of you.

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Test anxiety is only natural because in most classes how well you do on your tests can determine whether you pass or fail the class. While studying the material and getting the facts you need well in mind is important, mental preparation for a test is equally if not more important than just knowing the facts in certain testing situations.

Preparing Mentally

You probably already mentally prepare for tests to some extent or another. Following a few, simple suggestions will guarantee that you are thoroughly mentally prepared for your next exam:

Avoid procrastinating. As soon as the information for the test becomes available you should set up a schedule to start reviewing the material on a daily basis. Procrastinating usually leads to cramming which is not a very effective method of studying since you don’t allow your mind sufficient time to process the information you cover. Cramming, in fact, usually increases test anxiety.

Have a positive attitude. If you have prepared yourself for the test by reviewing the information that will be covered and making the necessary mental preparations you should feel confident that you will do well on the test. Positive reinforcement of this thought throughout your studying process and while you are taking the actual test can help to settle your anxieties and boost your confidence. Negativity can’t help you at all so don’t give in to it.

Don’t compare. On this test and throughout life people are always going to have to stand on their own merits so comparing yourself to other students is a habit that should be avoided. You are the sole factor that determines the results you achieve on the test. Time comparing yourself to others could be much better spent deciding what your strengths and weaknesses are and figuring out how you can improve in your weak areas.

Visualize success. Can you imagine moving quickly and confidently through the questions on the test pleased because you are familiar with the majority of the information on the exam? Can you see the teacher handing you back the test with score you desire in large numbers at the top of the page? If you want to succeed this type of positive visualization can help you.

Stay away from negative people. Unhealthy anxiety is frequently contagious and you do not want it to spread to you. Spending time listening to people talk about their worries about the test can only harm you. Instead, if possible try to bring a positive, upbeat tone any test conversation and you may well help your fellow students have a similar positive attitude about the test.

It is normal to feel a healthy amount of anxiety before an important exam. Especially if you are taking an Entrance Test like the NET, HESI, PSB or DET, a lot is riding on your success.  You can avoid allowing this anxiety to become unhealthy by working hard to maintain a positive attitude. Thorough preparation, by studying the information and getting yourself ready mentally, will soothe your anxiety and help you to achieve your desired results on your next test.

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• Effective Test Preparation
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• What You Need to Know About the NET (Nursing Entrance Exam)