How to pass JAMB’s UTME with ease

Except you’ve been staying under the rock, you’ve probably heard that 2015 UTME is starting on Monday. Yes, this approaching Monday, 9th March. And you know what that means, it’s time for the most feared exam by secondary school students!

Of course, you know the only sure way to please your parents and yourself is to perform well in your exams – and that’s what this article is all about.

Preparing for an exam should be just a review if you have actually been studying all along. Preparing for an exam does not mean learning things you should have learned a few weeks ago or even a few days ago. A review consists of looking over your notes, the outline of your chapters and anything else you think is important.

The following are some strategies you can take to maximise your readiness for test taking.

KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT

Many students become anxious when they don’t know how their examiners are going to test them. Asking some of your seniors who have done the same exam before you can reduce anxiety.

GET A HOLD OF PAST QUESTIONS

You never know, some of the same questions may reappear on your exam. When examiners reconstructs a test, they often recycle the questions used in the past.

EXAM MATERIALS

Before the exam, make sure you have everything you need in order to take the exam. For example, pencils, pens, erasers and other aids that you’re allowed to take into the exam hall. This way you will come fully prepared to take the exam.

RECITE CHAPTERS IN THE TEXT

By now you should have summarised the chapters in the text at least a few times. Without looking, see if you can recall everything that is important in each chapter. Then go back and see if you forgot anything. If you did forget something review it. This can also be done with your class notes.

STRENGTHEN YOUR WEAK AREAS

Review any material you don’t know and if there is enough time, review the material you do know. Often students review the material they already know well and parts they don’t are ignored, making their study process ineffective.

GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

Unfortunately, many students may have trouble falling or staying asleep because their level of arousal is high when exams are approaching. Usually, the level of arousal increases as examination day draws near. Here are few suggestions on what you can do.

• Drink warm milk.
• Take a warm bath.
• Read something boring.
• Do a few stretches.

The anxiety of taking exams is normal and of course understandable. Students feel that their grades in school and success in life are all based on their examinations. Students become anxious because of the thought they have of becoming a failure in life.

Avoid having these types of thoughts and feelings. They only make you feel bad and won’t help you when it’s time to take the exam. Just remember, an exam is to see how effectively you have studied. If you follow the methods of learning, studying and preparing for exams then you shouldn’t have a problem with examinations. Here are some things you can do on the day of the exam.

ADOPT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

On exam day, wake up in the morning with a big cheery smile. This will help start off your day in a good mood. Once you’re in a good mood it becomes easy to adopt a positive attitude. Walk into class with your back straight and chin up then repeatedly tell yourself, “I can ace this exam.” By being prepared and adopting a positive attitude you will ace that exam! Students who have a negative attitude during exams don’t do as well as students who have a positive attitude. Students who have a negative attitude are pessimistic and have developed a sense of hopelessness. Having confidence in you does make a difference.

MEDITATE

Before an exam, try meditating to help decrease stress and anxiety. Here is one way you can meditate:

1. Relax in a comfortable position and close your eyes.

2. Inhale deeply with your nose, and then exhale slowly through your mouth.

3. Then repeat a few phrases to yourself such as, calmness, serenity and tranquility. When you exhale, breath out phrases such as anxiousness and nervousness.

4. Do this until you’re physically relaxed. When you’re physically relaxed, your arms and legs feel heavy. Sounds from your environment will fade in and out. You will feel half asleep and time will seem to have moved forward.

This meditative method should help you feel more relaxed.

REVIEW YOUR NOTES

Don’t you hate it when you know the answer to a question but you just can’t remember it? Well, this is a common occurrence among students. Students will become so nervous during an exam they will go blank. A helpful solution to this problem is to review your notes right before the exam. Reviewing your notes before an exam can increase your chances of remembering.

USE AN ERASABLE PEN

Use an erasable pen for easy correction and neatness. Students who use a regular pen often turn in exam papers that look sloppy. It becomes difficult for your instructor to read your exam when words are scratched out and corrections are made. The neatness of your exam can affect the letter grade you will receive. A neatly written exam will often receive a better grade than a poorly written one.

READ ALL DIRECTIONS AND QUESTIONS CAREFULLY

You can lose points on an exam if you don’t read the directions and questions carefully. You may overlook the meaning of the directions and questions. Here is a common type of question that students will overlook: “Which of the following is not a likely?” Students will give the wrong answer because they fail to notice the word not. Here is also a common type of direction that students will overlook: “Select the two best answers.” Students will often give one answer because they fail to notice the word two.

PUT A MARK NEXT TO THE QUESTION YOU ARE UNSURE

Often too much time is spent dwelling on a single question. You can reduce the amount of time spent on a question by putting a mark next to the ones you are not sure of. After you have completed your test you can go back and reread or double-check your answers. Hint: If you’re stuck between two answers select the one you thought of first. Majority of the time the first answer you thought of is the correct one.

RAISE QUESTIONS TO CLARIFY

If parts of an exam lack clarity such as directions, then ask the invigilator for help. It is better to clarify something you don’t understand, than to regret it later. Sometimes a teacher may give a helpful hint to the answer of your question (especially if you appear distressed). So when in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask for help.

TAKE YOUR TIME

Don’t rush! Again, it’s important for you to read your exam carefully so you don’t miss any valuable information. There are a number of ways to avoid rushing during an exam. First, stop looking at the clock! This only causes you to hurry. Just relax, take your time and complete the exam. Second, don’t let students who have completed their exam make you feel you have to hurry. Some students just read faster than others. Finally, there is a tendency to think that students who finished first are the ones who have aced the test, and students who have finished last have failed. However, this is not the case. Students who use the whole time period do better because they recheck for errors. Some students who finish early use the “any old answer method.” In other words, they put down any answer on their exam and they hand it in. So the amount of time spent on a test is not correlated with the results of the test. Just concentrate on your exam and do the best you can.

Good luck!