Six Real Exam Tips from a Centennial College Grad

Prepare for exams with these top tips from a grad who's been in your shoes.

This article was written by Anthony Geremia, a Centennial College grad.

We’re almost into exam time at Centennial College, and chances are you’re already being peppered with study tips left and right as a student. As a Centennial graduate, I’ve been in that same situation. So, these tips are based on what actually worked for me, discovered through trial and error over years of schooling.

1. Never cram

Why? Staying up all night before an exam to cram everything in your textbooks isn’t going to do anything for you. And it’s actively bad for your health. You won’t retain the knowledge and you’ll feel burnt out at the same time.

2. Get a good night’s sleep

Being tired will just impair your ability to think, and your memory. Try to get a good eight hours before your exam begins. It’ll make you feel more energetic and sharper. Admittedly, getting that sleep can be hard if you’re stressing, but it’s worth a try. And if you need to specifically mark time off on your calendar as “sleeping,” then feel free to do so, because it’s something you should already be doing.

3. Schedule your time generously

This is how you get that sleep, and how you avoid the last-minute cramming. Give yourself plenty of daytime to study long before an exam. This is particularly important if you have a bunch of exams in a row. As soon as you know your exam schedule, you can create a proper calendar that lays out when you’ll get your studying done and which subjects you’ll cover. Try to limit it to one subject per day if you can. Taking time to schedule your studying will be worth it, and prevent burnout.

4. Know your classmates; they can help you out

Centennial College’s greatest asset is that you’re surrounded by a community. Smaller class sizes are common in college, and you can get to know most of the people in your program. This can be a particular help around exam time. Get in a study group, find a study space at your campus library, and quiz each other.

Here’s something that worked for me when I was studying: explaining things to others. Nothing makes you more secure in your knowledge than having to explain it to another student, and so these study groups effectively became teaching circles, too.

5. Figure out the minimum exam grade you need to pass the course

Before I explain this, let’s be clear: this is not an excuse for slacking. It’s a way to help you stress less. First, figure out what your current grade is, what your exam is worth, then the bare minimum you need to get on it to pass the class. If you’ve been keeping up with your work, and doing decently well in your course, you’ll be surprised at how low of an exam mark is mandatory. Once again, this isn’t an excuse to ignore an exam or not study. Instead, it can reduce your stress by reminding you that this isn’t necessarily a pass-or-fail situation. Of course, this is dependent on you having done well in the class to begin with.

6. Focus on what you learn, not what grade you get

This philosophy is really what got me through exams. College is about practical, hands-on experience, not about lectures, grades, or exams. You’re there to pick up career-building talents and abilities. It’s not about what you learn out of a textbook, but what you can accomplish once you roll up your sleeves.

Your focus should be on what abilities you can take from the program, not memorizing for a final. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to prepare for exams. The point of the class is what you learn, and the point of an exam is supposed to be to check whether you learned those things. And the point of a diploma, which you’ll get for passing your exams, is that you can prove to an employer that you have the skills the school trained you in.

So, as exam season approaches, keep these tips in mind to perform to the best of your abilities without being overwhelmed or burnt out. Good luck!