The Easy Answers to Acing College Tests

1. Bring a beverage. A nice drink enables you to relax and concentrate on the task at hand. You might even be able to convince yourself that the next 50 minutes will be a productive and satisfying work-hour. And even if you don't convince yourself of that, at least you won't be thirsty.

2. Start working right away. Don't waste lots of time constructing meticulous outlines. A couple of minutes plotting your answer should be enough. And if you have a choice of questions, avoid false starts. Don't choose one question, start your answer, and then decide to go with door No. 2 instead.

3. Budget your time. Be sure to devote the most time to the parts of the exam that net the most points. Spending tons of time on questions that don't count much is not cost-, or grade-, effective.

4. Consider the alternatives. On a multiple choice test, make sure you've read all the choices before deciding on one answer. Sometimes the correct answer lies in making a small differentiation between a number of options. And, of course, unless they're taking off for wrong answers (which they almost never do) always fill in something (even if it's all E's.)

Extra pointer. Forget all the high school multiple-choice guessing strategies, like favoring D's and E's, never picking choices with "All" or "None," etc. These are unlikely to work at college. Professors haven't been in high school for a long time. And no one has bothered to inform them of these practices.

5. Size matters. When confronting a short-answer question, consider the possibility of writing two or three sentences rather than just a few key words. What seems short to you might seem microscopic to the professor. And in a problem-focused test, be sure to show all your work. The grader might feel sorry for you and give partial credit.

6. Answer exactly the question asked. Believe it or not, more points are lost on essay tests by not answering what's asked than by giving wrong answers. So always answer exactly the question asked. Professors put in lots of time formulating their tests, so you can assume they got the question right.

Professors' perspective. Don't be thrown if a question seems to you too narrow or covers only one lecture or book. Some professors like to test by sampling—that is, by asking you about a representative part of the issue, then assuming that you could do as well about the rest. (Other professors like to test by coverage—that is, by asking about a very broad swatch of material to see how much you've taken in.)

Five-star tip. If a question asks you to take a position on some issue, try to formulate a more nuanced answer. This means not just stating a view but also anticipating objections to your claims. And it also means developing a view that is not just about blacks and whites but is sensitive to the subtleties of the gray scale. Do this and you'll end up with a longer, better answer.

7. Be particular. Be sure to bring in specific examples and illustrations to bolster the points you make. Keep in mind that you can and should draw on all the elements of the course. Not just the lectures but also the readings, group projects, and discussions. Just because it didn't come out of the professor's mouth doesn't mean it's not knowledge.

8. Explain in it to an ordinary Joe (or Jane) . How you present the content in a test essay is as important as what you know. If you don't write a clear and detailed answer—one that really explains the point you're making—then you're not demonstrat ing to your professor that you know the material. Many students think they needn't be bothered to explain the material because the professor already knows it. Yes, that's true, but, unfortunately, the professor's not the one being graded here.

9. Give 'em a break. Take pity on your grader, who is facing a huge stack of exams and would likely prefer shoveling coal to wading through the paper pile. Begin to give your answer in the very first sentence so your grader doesn't have to excavate to unearth it. Number the question you are answering and label any parts. Circle your answer to a math or science problem. Don't have arrows pointing to who-knows-what page. And it wouldn't hurt if someone could actually read your writing. A happier grader makes for a happier grade.

10. Keep your composure. Some questions are meant to be hard. That's how a prof separates the sheep (who get the A's) from the goats (who get the B's). So don't panic if something seems to need more mental effort and struggle. Just dig in and fight for your A.

11. Don't obsess. If you're truly stuck, make a mental note of what piece you're missing, then go on to the next question. Your mind keeps working while your pen keeps moving.

12. Always stay till the bitter end. If you finish early, go over previous answers. Correcting even one calculation error or adding one other point or example can easily add a few points to your grade. And you never know when you could use those extra points. Like when you get a 79 or an 89 and your school doesn't even have pluses and minuses.

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