by Robert C. Veil, Jr.
There are some techniques which have proven helpful to me in preparing for and taking
tests. I’d like to share some of these with you, but with a larger purpose in mind than merely
academic test-taking. In a very real sense, all of us are being continuously tested in this life. And,
we are in for a big final exam for which we need to be completely prepared. I hope some of these
thoughts may be helpful to that end.
Preliminarily, before sharing these suggestions I should say that I have taken a good many
tests in my life. From kindergarten through college there were the periodic quizzes and tests which
became part of our school experience. When I did my Master’s work at Freed-Hardeman
University, there were tests in every course, and then a comprehensive examination administered
by three professors. When I sat for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), I employed methods
which I had specifically been taught for taking that test. Throughout law school I had many more
tests and examinations, culminating in the bar exam, for which I had taken a review course
specifically designed to help me take the test! I have taken driving tests, amateur radio and Morse
code tests, commercial drivers license tests, and a slew of medical tests. That having been said,
here are a few observations you may appreciate as you are tested daily, and in preparation for
taking the ultimate test before the Throne of God.
With any test, it is important to understand in advance that there is going to be a test.
Most of us have had “pop quizzes” which were unexpected. The only preparation for these is the
general preparation we have made with the material up to that point. But for serious and
comprehensive tests, usually we are told not only that there is going to be a test, but when it will
be, and often something of the format of the test itself. I once had a college professor who would
take a day reviewing for the test, and who actually told us everything that would be on the test.
True to his word, there were no surprises when test time came.
Good teachers give fair, well-written tests, but not every teacher is good at this. A
good test is not an attempt to trick students, but to evaluate their knowledge. When I taught
Business Law for 10 years at our community college, I spent a great deal of time preparing test
questions. I tried to make sure they were clear, unambiguous and fair. All of us have probably had
the experience of taking a test which was not well written. You find yourself guessing what the
teacher means by the question. That is an uncomfortable and risky situation. I have known of
students (and I have done it myself), who actually stated in their answer something like, “If you
mean this, then the answer is such and such.” That answer may be upsetting to the teacher, but it
may save you from a poor grade.
Take your notes with the test in mind. One of the important keys to successful test
taking is developing the skill of taking good notes. Notes should be clear and legible, and they
should contain the material in a condensed, easily-reviewed fashion. As we live our lives, we make
written and mental notes about our experiences, and we refer to them later. Keep good records in
life. Make them cataloged and accessible because your memory will not be as good later as it is
now. Do not retain unnecessary things, and try to stay organized in your affairs always. Clean out
the diversions in life, and all those distractions from what really matters.
Prepare early for the test. I was never comfortable being a study binger or a late
crammer. It just did not work for me. I did much better when I prepared for the test in segments, a
little at a time, and over a period of time in which I could absorb the material adequately. When I
tried to cram for a test at the last minute, I found that I could not retain the information, either for
the test or for later. Try to reduce at least the important parts of your notes to bare minimal outlines,
organized by memory aids. Use acrostics, and anything else that will trigger your memory during
the test.
Get rest, pray and take it seriously. It is a great feeling to walk into a test with
confidence. All of us are approaching a day of judgment, for which we want to be ready. Christians
can enter into that day with confidence, because they have been preparing for it all of their lives.
Good luck on your test!!
