How to Prepare for Competitive Exams

Co-authored by Ted Dorsey, MA

Last Updated: February 19, 2023 References Approved

Competitive exams can seem daunting, but if you employ smart strategies to prepare for the exam, the process can be much more manageable. To prepare for competitive exams, buy or find online test preparation materials for the specific test you are taking, take a diagnostic practice test to see what you need to practice, and then make a timeline and outline of your study plan. Learning general tips for studying, relaxation, and keeping healthy will also help you prepare for your test holistically.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Considering Your Options

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Enroll in an in person course. There are in person classes that you can take that are given by the Princeton Review for the ACT, for example.^{[1]
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Research source} These classes are great because some students benefit from the sense of accountability that you get from a traditional class setting. These classes can vary in length, but for the Princeton Review course, it lasts 6 sessions. To enroll, you go online and find a website for the course you want to take, enter where you live, and the dates you are interested in taking the class to find a class near you.
- The Princeton Review course gives 4 practice tests so that you can measure your progress and target your problem areas. Most other test prep courses will offer something similar for you to chart your progress.
- These classes tend to be expensive but will often include the cost of the study materials that you will be needing.
- Do the homework associated with these courses in order to score the best you can.
- If you live in a rural area, you may need to commute to a city to take the tests.
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Enroll in a test preparation program online. There are many online websites, some of them free and others at a cost, you can sign up with that will prepare you for the test you are taking. For example, for the ACT, there is a website that prepares you for the ACT through videos, text lessons, practice tests that simulate the real test, and games to help you study and keep you engaged.^{[2]
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Buy study materials, and study the material on your own. For the ACT, for example, there are different kinds of study guides you can buy depending on your need, and this is the same with many other tests. The following are different types of study materials for the ACT: critical books are study guides are for anyone trying to improve their scores, regardless of skill level or areas of strength/weakness; subject training books will help you focus on one specific area of the test, for example, English, Reading, Math or Science; books for top scorers are for those who want an extra push to get their score to the top; and last, books for people who score low and/or only want to work for a short amount of time. Avoid these 5 hour type short study guides unless you only need to improve your score a small amount.
- Purchase your materials from book stores, online, or check them out from a library.
- Research the best study guides for the specific test you are preparing for and your needs.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Being Healthy and Combatting Stress

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Get good rest the night before you test and on studying days. Ensure that you get a full 8 hours of sleep before your exam. Getting a bad night's sleep can have a marked negative impact on your test score. Regularly not getting good sleep can create stress and cause you to get sick more often.
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Backward plan to figure out when you need to go to bed or get up. One technique that can help you get to bed on time is backward planning. Start from the time you want to be at your test site or studying the next day, and mentally go through all the things you need to do leading up to that time. Plan backward to figure out when you need to realistically be in bed by to get enough sleep.
- Consider how long it takes you to fall asleep, typically, and make sure you account for that time.
- Add some cushion time in your backward planning for your test day in case something unexpected happens, like you get lost trying to get to a test site.
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Eat brain foods and complex carbs. Eat complex carbs for brain power. If you are distracted by your hunger during your test or while you study, you won’t be able to focus as well. To combat this, on the day of the test and before you study, eat food high in protein, like eggs, and/or whole grains that will stick with you for several hours, like oatmeal. If you have a break during your test, pack a light snack, like an apple, that will keep you alert.
- On the day of the test, eat complex carbohydrates like oatmeal rather than candy made up of simple carbohydrates and sugar.
- Eat a serving of omega 3’s three times a week. To help you study better and prepare for your test, consider incorporating omega 3’s into your diet. These nutrients have been found to boost your ability to concentrate and stay alert. You can get these nutrients from salmon, herring, mackerel, trout and sardines. ^{[3]
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- Eat dark veggies and fruits for antioxidants that help your cognitive abilities. Oxidants will damage your cell membranes and fruit like blueberries are a great example of a fruit high in antioxidants that protect your brain cells.^{[4]
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EXPERT TIP

Ted Dorsey, MA
Master's Degree, Education, University of California Los Angeles
Ted Dorsey is a Test Prep Tutor, author, and founder of Tutor Ted, an SAT and ACT tutoring service based in Southern California. Ted earned a perfect score on the SAT (1600) and PSAT (240) in high school. Since then, he has earned perfect scores on the ACT (36), SAT Subject Test in Literature (800), and SAT Subject Test in Math Level 2 (800). He has a BA in English from Princeton University and a MA in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Ted Dorsey, MA
Master's Degree, Education, University of California Los Angeles

Treat the exam like an athletic event for your brain, and fuel appropriately. The day of your exam, have a full breakfast, complete with carbohydrates and protein. Carbohydrates will give you energy, but it's short term, so it's important to include protein for long-term energy. You should also bring some kind of snack bar with you to eat during a break.
4
Start an exercise routine. To help with your mental well being as well as your physical health, try to incorporate about 2 ½ hours of moderately intense (power walking, cycling) exercise into your schedule per week. This will help you relax and concentrate on your test and studies. If you are interested in sports, often times there are intramural teams that meet at parks that you can play on for free or little cost. Inquire at your school or local parks department. Consider renting a workout DVD from the library or doing a video workout online with friends or family every day or every other day.
- If you feel like you don’t have the time, take 15 minute walks around your campus when you need a break. This will help you focus better once you get back to studying.
- Go on jogs first thing in the morning to give you energy.
- Look for ways to get exercise without going out of your way. For example, if you are in school, walk to class rather than taking a bus, or take the stairs instead of the elevator.^{[5]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Studying for the Test

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Take a diagnostic practice test. Most competitive exams are composed of different parts. For example, the GRE is comprised of math, verbal, and essay components. In order to do targeted studying and practice you need to best prepare for the test, you will need to take a practice test to determine which areas of the test you need to focus on the most. In your test prep books, you can typically find diagnostic practice tests.
- There are also many websites, like collegeboard.org for the SAT, which provide practice tests for competitive exams. These online tests will score your tests for you.^{[6]
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- Take the practice test under test like conditions. This means time your test, put away electronics, refrain from listening to music, and sit in a desk/space that will be similar to the environment of the test.
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Practice the essay portion of the test. If your test includes a writing portion, be sure to practice writing your essay in the time that will be allotted. Make sure you practice writing an outline and planning what you will write about during your practice as well.
3
Make an outline to structure your study plan. You will need to make a realistic study plan based on what test you are taking, and the amount of time experts say you will need to do to prepare. Some competitive tests like the GRE take months to prepare for, for example.
- Sit down with your study materials, and make an outline of the big topics/areas you need to study for the test.
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Backward plan which areas of the test you will study and for how long. Having a plan and staying consistent in studying and doing targeted practice are going to be key for success on competitive exams. Typically, you will need to block off large, regular chunks of time in your schedule for studying. According to your outline, break down how much material you will need to study per session, approximately.
- Start with the most important material and work toward the less important material to make sure the important content gets covered before the test.
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Use a calendar app like Google Calendar to make a schedule. You can sign up for a Gmail account if you do not have one and want the app. Go to your Calendar app located in the apps directory in the upper right corner of your Gmail account. Go to "Create" and schedule an "Event" to put the study schedule on your Calendar app. Check and update your calendar regularly to remind yourself of your study schedule.^{[7]
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- Google Calendar has an email reminders option that you can use to remind yourself of your schedule.
- Revise your schedule as needed. If something comes up and you are unable to study, look at your calendar and revise the study plan. Make room in your schedule to study at another time so that you can cover the material and keep on pace in your studies.
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Clear your plate of obligations. In order to gear up for taking a competitive test, you should carve out room in your schedule for you to study regularly. Explain to your friends and family that you will be concentrating on preparing for a test. Take whatever steps you need to give yourself the time and space you need to focus regularly on studying.
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Keep track of your progress by taking practice tests. Every couple of weeks, or as often as recommended, take a practice test, and then go back through and look at the questions you missed. If your answer sheet tells you what kind of question it was, take note. If not, do your best to determine what kind of problems you are missing, and look for patterns in the mistakes you are making so that you know what to focus on in your studying.^{[8]
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- When testing, don’t consider each question unique. ^{[9]
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  Research source}There are different types of questions that recur in tests. For example, on the English portion of the ACT, test questions come from these categories: grammar & usage, punctuation, sentence structure, strategy, organization, and style.^{[10]
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Study the areas you are weak in. Take more time studying the concepts that you are having trouble with. For example, if you are having difficulty correctly answering the questions about sentence structure in the ACT, use your practice book to study lessons on sentence structure. Consider getting help from someone who is strong in the area you are struggling in, like a teacher or a friend.
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Stay focused on your outline. The stress that comes from studying for competitive tests can be overwhelming at times because of the amount that you have to study. Make sure to combat that stress by concentrating on studying one lesson at a time. Remind yourself that you have to go through this test prep one step at a time, and don’t let yourself worry about mastering the whole test in a short period of time.
- Do not try to learn everything at once, cramming will not help you deeply understand the content you are learning.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Working on Your Concentration

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Remove distractions while you study. One way to make the practice of studying more manageable is if you set up a routine of removing all distractions from your study space. Looking at your phone or computer will break your focus and ability to study well. Make sure that you put all of your electronics away and that you are working in a space that will help you focus. For example, there should be no televisions or distractions in the background.
2
Study in different spaces. New research is showing that people retain more information if they study in different locations.^{[11]
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Research source} You will be able to focus better when you change your scenery because it keeps your alert. For example, you can move from one room in your house to another when you find yourself losing momentum.
- Try to go to spaces that have a different feel. For example, you might want to switch between rooms painted different colors and/or with different lighting.
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Reframe your mindset when you feel bored. Consider the things you could learn from studying this material, and focus on the positive rather than dwelling on your feelings of boredom. Think about the potential ways you could apply this information to your life or find it useful. ^{[12]
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4
Psych yourself down. When we get ready for a test either by studying or taking the test, oftentimes we tense up by instinct. Oftentimes tensing up is a habit we have had for years, and it makes studying or taking a test more difficult than it needs to be. This is because we become overly aroused by our nervousness, and it makes it harder to concentrate on what we need to do. To combat this negative instinct, try these simple techniques to help you to relax:
- Tense up your muscles briefly and then release. Tense all of your muscles, for example, close your eyes tight, raise your toes up, clench your fists, tense your legs, clench your buttocks, etc. Breathe in a deep breath, and hold it in for a few seconds while your body remains tense. After about 5 seconds, let go all at once, and enjoy the sensation of releasing your built up tension.
- Close your eyes and concentrate on the tip of your nose with your eyes. Pay attention to your breathing. Notice how the breath that you breathe in is cooler and the breathe you breath out warmer. Continue breathing in and out and maintaining your focus on your nose until you calm down.

Community Q&A

Question

How can I improve my math skills?

Community Answer

There are certain aspects of mathematics which one needs to master in order to improve. Most important is getting the key concepts. Focus while learning and get your doubts cleared. The best way is to focus on the concepts and practicing a lot.
Question

How do I study without getting distracted?

Community Answer

Just stay focused. Don't let anything bother you. Don't be too hard on yourself.
Question

Why do I get sleepy so quickly when I start to study?

Community Answer

Sleepiness while studying could be due to lack of interest. To combat this, try to understand the practical uses of the knowledge you're studying. For example, if you are studying the process of fermentation, think about a loaf of bread that cannot be made without fermentation. Also make sure you are getting enough sleep and that you are not studying in bed. As your brain may associate your bed with sleeping, it is better to study at a desk.