St. Augustine Prep Blog
8 Strategies to Ace Final Exams
Posted May 10th, 2018
The end of the school year is here, but before summer sets in there’s one last challenge: final exams. Exams can be daunting for even the most high-performing students, and there’s a good chance you’re just as stressed as your child. St. Augustine Prep is here to help. Consider these eight ways to support and guide them through this final push of the school year.
- Make a Plan First
Before your child hits the books, encourage him to make a study schedule, ensuring he designates enough time for each subject. Having a plan takes away stress for you both, turning an abstract concept of work into concrete steps.
- Eliminate Distractions
Help your son set up a clean and quiet study space. Encourage him to make it a no-cell phone zone to minimize distractions, and encourage the family to respect this designated space, too.
- Take it Piece by Piece
Suggest he study each subject in small chunks, whether chapter by chapter or page by page. He’ll remember more when he learns things in pieces, then immediately reviews what he’s just read.
- Get Creative
Memory tips aren’t just for elementary school. Coming up with acronyms or stories together, (perhaps while you quiz him on the material) will be not only useful but energizing and fun.
- Practice Testing
Help your child prepare for the pressures of testing by standing in as both ‘the teacher’ and ‘the clock.’ Offer to time him on problems and/or short answer questions, and consider remaining present in the room to help simulate a testing environment.
- Treat Yourself
Remind him to take breaks and reward himself for his hard work. Maybe it’s a snack, some outdoor time, or a social break. He’ll be rejuvenated when he gets out of his study space (and mind space) for some fresh air and activity.
- Pretend It’s Game Day
Chances are, he’s experienced a game day or an opening night for a play or concert. The concept of test day is the same. Make sure he eats right, including a good breakfast, and gets plenty of sleep — not just the night before the test but consistently in the nights leading up to ‘game day.’
- Keep Things in Perspective
It’s tempting to overemphasize the gravity of exams. You want him to do well, but exams are only one part of his education. The main thing is to help your child stay positive about school and his particular abilities. Exams are not the end of the world, but they are a great opportunity to keep on practicing diligence and hard work, which pay off far beyond high school.
At St. Augustine Preparatory School, we partner with parents to ensure our students have what they need to succeed. Ready to learn more about a St. Augustine Prep education?
