Standardized Test Prep – Your Way

MattHerndon
Husband. Dad. Career and leadership development savvy by day, huge DIY fan by night.
MattHerndon

@Just_Matt_

I love my wife and my kids. I also love to write about almost anything from marketing to leadership and parenting. I won't write about cats. Or politics.
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MattHerndon
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Studying
You made your decision to continue your formal learning to give yourself a better future. You’re confident in your educational background, in your extracurricular activities and work experience, in your personal statement and in your transcripts. You’ve selected your top programs. All you need to make your application complete is a standardized test score, and it seems like an insurmountable problem because you’ve never been good at standardized testing. Don’t worry, though. You may be able to boost your test scores with a new approach to studying that takes advantage of your individual learning style.

Standardized Tests in Higher Education

If you want the degree, you’re going to have to take the test. Whether it’s the SAT or ACT for college, the GRE for graduate school or the LSAT, GMAT or MCAT for law, business or medical school, most schools require you to take a standardized test for admittance. Scarier still, your scores often weigh heavily in the decision to admit you. Conventional wisdom states that there is only one right way to study for a standardized test, since everyone takes the same test. In reality, the only “right way” is your way, based on your individual learning style. The goal is to use techniques that cater to your own learning style and apply your learning to standardized tests.

The Approach

First, you’ll need to discover your style. You can get a pretty good idea of your style using a self-administered, no cost quiz. The quiz consists of multiple-choice questions. It takes only a few minutes, and you get your results instantly. Once you receive your results, try to fit them into your test prep program. Most people will do best with a combination of techniques.

The Learning Types

Visual-spatial
You’re an artist or designer, and you learn best with diagrams and pictures. An example of using visual-spatial learning would be to put vocabulary words into different rooms of a house based on their meaning.

Aural-auditory
You like to listen, and you can remember what you hear. Record your vocabulary words and trigonometric functions on an MP3 player, and listen and repeat out loud throughout the day.

Verbal-linguistic
You like words. Make stories with your vocabulary words, translate tough reading comprehension passages into simple stories and study algebra with word problems.

Physical-bodily-linguistic
You like to move, and if you’re going sit still, you might as well be sleeping instead of studying. Let yourself fidget as you read, and listen to recorded notes as you walk or clean the house. Just keep moving.

Logical-mathematical
You have the need to understand the sense of everything. Justify your vocabulary word definitions to yourself and outline your reading comprehension passages.

Social-interpersonal
You have to be surrounded by people. You like them and they like you. Make a study group and learn by quizzing each other on facts and discussing passages.

Solitary-intrapersonal
Study in the traditional quiet setting. Make a list of your goals each day, and continue to repeat your memorization and studying until you are satisfied with your efforts.

Continuing your education increases the jobs that you are eligible for and earns you the respect and admiration of colleagues and potential employers. If you’re thinking about going back to school, don’t let standardized tests stand between you and your educational and career goals. Although the test questions are the same no matter what kind of learner you are, customized test preparation techniques that consider your own learning style can improve your scores. 

Comments

  1. Very interesting, Matt. I had no idea that there even were different types let alone that they are suited to different techniques. Reading through you’re article, however, I quickly realised that I fit into the logical – mathematical set and no other.

    Now if only I had seen this before failing all my exams ;)
    Matt Alhaarth recently posted..Early Or Late – How Can I Tell?My Profile

  2. Its amazing, Matt. An example of using visual-spatial learning would be to put vocabulary words into different rooms of a house based on their meaning. I made my decision to continue my formal learning to give myself a better future, Thanks!
    jasonlius recently posted..Tao Attraction SystemMy Profile

  3. great post Matt, specially loved reading “The Learning Types” Part. i used to learn via Solitary-intrapersonal in my exams and its quite a better way to do so.
    Marvin recently posted..How to Print from an iPadMy Profile

  4. You are correct Matt. Everyone has their own technique of formal learning for ones better future.I am convinced your technique also.

    See the thing I never failed in any exams iI have appeared so far.

  5. Exam Result depends on the your study technique. I never follow such methods. I will give them a try and will advice to others too.
    Neha recently posted..Grade 10 – Science and Math ComboMy Profile

  6. Very interesting, I had no idea that there even were different types let alone that they are suited to different techniques. Reading through you’re article, however, I quickly realised that I fit into the logical – mathematical set and no other.
    saghaib recently posted..Sosok Hantu Dalam Pengetahuan Orang AcehMy Profile

  7. Interesting post. I have a child that will be in college in a few years and this is something I printed out for him to read. Good food for thought.

    Thanks!
    Joe recently posted..Mobile Car Detailing Mission Valley. STOP Wasting Your Time!My Profile

  8. I was completely not aware that so many styles excited. I took the 70 question quiz and ended up in getting more scores for Social, Solitary and logical. I will be a student from September.
    Arun recently posted..10 Facts About EgyptMy Profile

  9. Great post matt, you write the useful information to buid qualified people. Every people have different ability include preparation to face their test.
    julidarmaputra recently posted..How To Drop Blood Pressure NaturallyMy Profile

  10. Great points! I was never really great in preparing in that kind of test as it was not my favorite thing to do. Actually, I do review when our exams will take place the next hour. Funny, eh?
    Adam Parnala recently posted..LG Optimus 4X HD Philippines Price, Specifications – Another Quad-core at Php27,990My Profile

  11. Out of the different types of Learning types i fit in the Physical-bodily-linguistic and the Logical-mathematical type. :)
    Prateek recently posted..7 Best Ways to Optimize your Wifi at HomeMy Profile

  12. I really liked the tips you mentioned here. Many of these i am already following . I am just confused in video mind mapping.. ? How to do that ?
    Sandip Bhagat recently posted..How To Increase Loyal and Engaging Mass Traffic To Your Blog ?My Profile

  13. Hi, nice post. you have made nice list of different learning types. first i saw the title and impressed by title itself only. yes, our way is the best way to learn something.then your content is awesome. in those i like visual spatial,logical-mathematicle.
    saimohanreddy recently posted..LOGICAL PUZZLE-3My Profile

  14. Hi, nice post. you have made nice list of different learning types. first i saw the title and impressed by title itself only. yes, our way is the best way to learn something.then your content is awesome. in those i like visual spatial,logical-mathematical.
    saimohanreddy recently posted..LOGICAL PUZZLE-3My Profile

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