My best test-taking strategies to ACE ANY EXAM

Summary

Amy Wang shares practical test-taking strategies based on her experience with exams, including the ACT and AP classes. Her main message is that test-taking is a skill: preparation matters, but how you think and act during an exam can also help you earn points, manage stress, and use your time well.

How to Earn More Points

• “Overdeliver” when you’re unsure what a question is asking. Write down relevant ideas and reasoning rather than leaving the space blank. Extra information may still include points the grader is looking for.
• Show your work in math and science. Even if you can’t reach the final answer, write the steps you think you should take; partial credit may be available.
• Use memory cues. Recall similar practice problems and what you did or understood when solving them. Alternatively, imagine explaining the concept to someone else and connect it to ideas you do know.
• Check for common mistakes. Ask yourself whether you forgot a unit conversion, significant figures, or another familiar detail.
• For multiple-choice questions, choose the answer you trust most. Amy describes asking herself which option she would “bet [her] life on” to avoid excessive second-guessing.

Managing Stress

• Aim for calm confidence, not zero stress. A little pressure can help you care and focus, while too much can interfere with clear thinking.
• Use positive self-talk. Recall challenges you have overcome and remind yourself that you can handle the task in front of you.
• Keep the test in perspective. One exam does not determine your whole life; focus on doing your best.
• Treat the exam as a challenge or game. This can make the pressure feel more manageable and give you a reason to stay engaged.
• If panic or uncertainty hits, pause. Take a deep breath, clear your mind, and reread the question as if you are seeing it for the first time. A fresh read may help you notice something you missed.
• Amy also mentions personal good-luck rituals, such as wearing a lucky color, as something that can offer reassurance.

Working Efficiently Under Time Pressure

• Move through the entire test. It is usually better to reach every question than to spend so long on a few that you miss questions you might have answered later.
• On multiple-choice questions, read the question stem, then glance at the answer choices. The choices can indicate what form an answer should take or what information to look for. For instance, fraction choices may mean there is no need to convert a result to a decimal.
• Use the options as a preview. In reading-heavy subjects, scanning possible answers first can help focus your attention when you reread the question.
• Skip strategically when stuck. Make a reasonable guess or write what you know, mark the question, and return after answering the others. If you have no basis for an answer, circle the question number so you remember to fill it in later.
• Practice under timed conditions while preparing. Amy recommends doing practice problems with a timer to build speed while maintaining accuracy.

Getting into the Right Mindset Before the Test

• Combine “Zen” and “pump-up” modes. Reduce distractions and stressors—such as phone notifications and social media—while also doing something that builds energy and confidence.
• For a calmer focus, Amy suggests activities such as walking, looking outside, laughing with a friend, or stretching.
• To feel energized, she listens to confidence-boosting music.
• Confidence can support all the other strategies: it may reduce unnecessary second-guessing and help you keep moving through the test.

Amy closes by encouraging students to do their best, avoid regrets by focusing on their effort, and share helpful test-taking techniques with one another.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Amy Wang — Host and sole speaker. She draws on her own test-taking experiences and refers to advice she gives her students.
• No other speakers or external sources are featured in the subtitles.