TEST TAKING STRATEGIES
• Read the questions carefully. Many questions have ‘tricks’ that make them simpler than they sound.
• Work backwards. Look at the answers; you may not need to do a calculation at all. Looking at the answers may also clue you in to which operation you need to use.
• Draw a quick sketch if it will help you analyze a question
• Estimate the answer before you solve. You will usually be able to eliminate some of the choices this way.
• Don’t spend too long on a single problem. Skip the tricky ones and mark them with a check mark so you can come back.
• If you have to guess, look for and eliminate unreasonable answers
• Don’t leave any answers blank. If you are not done, use the last minute to fill in any remaining bubbles. Blanks are automatically wrong.
• Do what you can to help yourself stay relaxed. Take deep breaths when you start to feel anxious, bring your lucky eraser with you, etc.