Exam Taking Basics

“Be in the Moment”

No matter how much you’ve studied, how many practice exams you’ve taken, and how carefully you’ve outlined and considered what’s likely to be tested, once you get to the exam, you must be prepared to let go and “be in the moment.” This means that you respond to what the professor asks of you and not what you want to tell the professor you know. Professors craft exam questions to test you on the material you should have mastered in class; if you turn questions around or avoid answering the ones that are asked, you’re thwarting the professor’s agenda and substituting your own. Trust me — there’s no better way to ensure a poor grade than to ignore what’s asked of you. By answering the professor’s question, you’ll be showing what you know.

Now let’s talk about the “exam zone.” If you’ve prepared properly and you’re willing to surrender to the professor’s questions, this moment will come. Like a “runner’s high,” it’s a feeling that there is only “the now.” It’s where you’re on auto-pilot and your training has taken over. You’ve connected with whatever it was you were working to achieve: for the athlete, it’s that connection of mind and body that allows for peak performance; for the law student, it’s that command of the material that lets you see the issues in the facts and connect it with the rule and allows you to write with clarity and cogency. Your thinking and writing come together — it flows because you flow.

Pre-exam:

  1. Get a good night’s sleep. Cramming and staying up all night doesn’t work for law school exams.
  2. Make sure you eat before the exam. You can’t concentrate when you’re stomach is growling.
  3. For evening students: make every possible effort to be home on exam days even if you’ve managed to get this far without taking off time from work. You must be free from distractions so that all you have in your head is the law. You simply can’t do this if you’re at the office; despite your best efforts, something always comes up at the last minute.
  4. Bring all of your supplies with you. Have enough pens that actually write, markers or pencils if you use them, and your exam number. Consider a watch so you can see the time without having to look up. If you bring something to eat, make sure it’s exam-friendly — no noisy wrappers.
  5. If it’s an open book exam, bring the acceptable materials and have them ready in the precise form the professor has specified. Be attentive to page limits and format requirements.
  6. Consider earplugs if you are easily distracted by noise around you.
  7. Allow yourself sufficient travel time to the test site. Aim to arrive about an hour before the exam.
  8. Upon arrival, go directly to a quiet study area where you’ll be alone. This is essential. The anxiety level during exam time is high. It’s best to remove yourself from that environment and stay away from anyone and everyone who adds to it. This goes for your friends as well. You don’t want to be cornered by well-meaning classmates with last minute questions.
  9. Some anxiety is a good thing. The adrenaline ensures that you’ll operate at peak performance. Some anxiety is absolutely normal and necessary. The antidote to stress is preparation.

During the Exam:

  1. Right before the exam:

    Sit calmly and don’t think about anything else. Don’t worry about other exams — past or future. You can’t do anything about them but you can do something about the one you’re taking right now.

  2. When Told to Begin and the Next Ten Minutes:

    These are critical minutes for setting the pace and tenor of your exam experience. You want to start smoothly, work efficiently, and above all, remain focused and calm. Here’s how to do it:

    1. Write down what you’re afraid you’ll forget: If you’re worried that there’s something you’re likely to forget during the course of the exam, write it down on scrap paper. List general topics covered in the course to use as a checklist against exam questions.
    2. Scan the exam: take a quick look through the entire exam to get an overview of what you’re facing. Note the number of questions and the overall composition of the exam. A general sense of the exam is necessary to let you plan your time and keep focused by knowing what you’ll be expected to do.

      For example:
      Is it all essay?
      Are there multiple choice questions?
      Are there short answer questions?
      Is it a combination of any of the above?

  3. Allocate Your Time

    Budget your time and work within that time is the only way to ensure that you’ll complete an exam. Divide your time in accordance with the way the professor has allocated the points. The most points deserve the most minutes. And you should think about it in terms of minutes.

    Typically, a three credit course is a three hour exam which translates into180 minutes. If you have three essays, then you have 60 minutes per essay. But it’s not that simple. Not all essays are created equal. Even if you have three essays, your professor may not have given each equal value. In that case, neither can you. You must look at the point value for each essay and use that number to decide how to allocate your time. Be very specific and then make a timetable on your scrap paper and refer to it throughout the exam to keep you on track.

  4. After the exam

    Go directly home. Do not stop to chat with friends and discuss the exam. Do not relive the exam by thinking of what you did or did not do. You can’t do anything about it now and besides, you can barely remember what you ate for breakfast, let alone your responses to three hours worth of exam questions. Move on to the next exam where there is something you can still do to affect the outcome.