You've put in countless hours of studying and you come across an exam question that seems so unfamiliar, it makes you wonder if you even studied for the right exam. Whether it's the first question or the 101st question, it's likely that you'll experience this at some point during the EPPP and it's important to know how to move forward so you don't get stuck. Check out the tips below to help stay on track and increase your chances of success!
- Stay calm and take a deep breath. If you're not breathing, you're not thinking clearly. Before trying to answer the question, take a moment to reset.
- Remind yourself, you know A LOT of information. It is impossible to know all the information on the exam, but if you followed your study plan, then you have a solid foundation of knowledge that will serve as a framework for decision making.
- Use your test taking strategies. Use what you DO know to make meaning out of this question. Remember TAK: what is this question telling me and asking me, and what do I know about this topic already? Use context clues to narrow it down to 50/50 and choose from these options.
- Remember 50 questions aren't scored. It's not worth your time or mental energy to figure out if this is one of the 50 unscored questions, but it's good to remind yourself of this fact to help keep things in perspective.
- Answer it, flag it, and move on to the next question. If you're still not sure how to respond, choose an answer based on your best educated guess (use those test taking strategies!), and move on to the next question. If you have time, revisit the question and only change your response if you come across new information or misread something.
Practice these tips any time you take quiz or practice test and it will be a well formed habit by the time exam day rolls around!