Tips for Taking the Test: Math Edition

With the NYS Math Exam coming up tomorrow, you might be looking for some tips for taking the test. If so, you've come to the right place!

• Stay focused. Nothing matters (for a few hours at least) except for the test.
• If permitted, use a calculator to avoid silly mistakes.
• At the end of the test, take time to make sure that your answers are legible (easily read). You can lose easy points if the grader can't understand what you've written.
• Show all of your work, even if you used a calculator. You can lose points for not doing so.
• For the multiple choice section of the test, do all work and computations/calculations before checking out the four answers. This will help you avoid careless mistakes. If none of the answer choices correspond to the answer you calculated, follow these steps:
• Make sure you've read the problem carefully. Did you miss a step? Did you add when you needed to subtract? Did you do step two first instead of step one?
• Re-do the problem. 
• If you still get the same answer, choose the answer choice that makes the most sense - generally the one closest to the answer you calculated.
• Look for key words in the problem. If the problem says to estimate, don't do an exact calculation! 
• Make sure your answer makes sense. Sometimes the test-makers will try to fool you with units that don't make sense, decimals in the wrong place, etc. 
• Pace yourself. Don't rush, but leave yourself enough time to finish as many questions as possible.
• For the second and third parts of the test, you might come across a question (or a few) asking you to explain how you arrived at an answer. Make sure you remember to include every step in your answer. 
• Answer every question. If you need to skip a question, make sure you go back to it.
• Don't spend too much time on one question. 
• Try not to guess. If you have to guess, cross off one or two answer choices first, then make an educated guess. 
• Believe in yourself. You're going to do fine. You've learned everything on the test already! 
• Don't stress yourself out tonight, or the morning before the test. If you're going to study, stick to vocabulary and/or reviewing key ideas you know that you've had trouble with throughout the year.
• Remember that I believe in you too! Good luck!