The dreading days have come when students must take their FSA and AP testing for the 2018-2019 school year. Don’t you worry, because the OCSA Ledger is here to provide a few good tips that you can use to help you prepare for final exams.

According to St.Lawrence University, something that you should never do is cram for a test last minute. Psychology shows that studying 60-90 minutes a day for the week leading up to the exam proves more effective than crowding your mind with all the knowledge the night before. While studying, it’s also important not to multi-task. Doing multiple things not related to your success distracts you and will negatively impact your preparation. This includes smartphones, social media, and even music.

An extra piece of advice, a very common one, would be to make sure you get plenty of sleep. Most students have heard this familiar phrase repeated every year; however, most ignore it and don’t know how crucial it really is. Giving yourself more hours of sleep will help engage your brain to remember information better. Being “fresh” and ready-to-go will improve your working memory and help synthesize instruction. So, give yourself an advantage and let your brain rest for a few more needed hours.

Talking to OCSA’s own Mrs.Carswell, I asked her what’s the most common mistake she sees when students go into big exams of this stature, “Getting overly nervous because it’s one moment of their life” she said, “[and] not being prepared the night before.” This also includes the “simple things” that students tend to forget, for example, not having writing utensils; “The next morning, when they forget, automatically there’s that possible, slight or major, moment of panic. That’s just gonna set the tone for their testing. Huge mistake kids make.”

Although it may be a scary time of your life, Mrs.Carswell also wants to remind everyone that it’s like any other exam. That you are prepared and “it’s like any other test [you’ve] done in class. If you think of it that way, you’ll be fine.”

Good luck on the big exams and remember to do your best to the highest of your abilities! The OCSA Ledger staff and I believe in you, and can’t wait for you to achieve success!

AP exams will occur from May 6th-May 17th. General FSA testing dates will be posted down below: