Preparing for an exam can be stressful and time consuming, but it doesn't have to be. There's no need to stress out yourself or cram. By doing a couple of simple things ahead of time, you can ensure that you are confident and ready for anything that comes up on the test.

I will share with you few tips to getting outstanding result in university tests and examinations below

Start studying early

Give yourself more than enough time to review the material that was covered in class. You might want to gauge how soon to start studying by how much material you need to review. For instance, if you have to review material for an entire semester, you might want to start studying a few weeks prior. However, if you are just taking a test that covers material over a few chapters, a week prior or even three to four days may be sufficient.

Only you know how long it takes you to study, so you are the best judge of when to start studying.

If the class material is especially difficult for you, start studying early. Give yourself enough time to truly grasp the material, practice it and then review it.

Get a full night's sleep before the exam. Your brain needs time to subconsciously digest everything you've put into it, so start early so you don't have to stay up all night.

Read through your entire note that will be on the exam

It will refresh your memory of the material and help you remember what you learned. It will also help to make you aware of all the information in your notes, where it is located in your notes so that you know where to find them, and what might be missing from your notes. Decide if you think your notes are sufficient enough to study from. Did you miss any classes? Are some of your notes missing? If so, you might need to borrow someone else's notes.

Get good notes

If you're not a good note taker, or if there are "holes" in your notes, then ask a friend if you can copy his or her notes. Good notes can make all the difference when you're studying. They can explain content that the book doesn't explain well or highlight information and make it easier to understand and remember. If you only have five pages of notes, but your friend has twenty, then you probably missed some important information. Compare your notes to your friend's to see where the holes are in your notes.

Ask your lecturer about the area of concentration and study materials

One of the easiest ways to begin your studying process is to find out what might come out in the test directly from your lecturer. Many lecturers will provide some guidance on what will and will not be covered on the test. Knowing which material the test and exam will cover will help you focus on the main material that you need to study.

Your teacher most likely won't tell you exactly what is on the test, but he or she might give you some pointers by handing you a study guide, or simply announcing what the exam will cover.

Always go through your notes

This time re-read your notes for understanding. In other words, you are going to study your notes. Start with the most basic information. So, if you're studying an art history unit on impressionism, make sure you know what impressionism means. Who were the most famous impressionists at the time?

Ask yourself, who, what, where, when for each theme/subject matter that you are supposed to know for the test.

You can look up information online to study from or ask a senior, but the best information to study from is the information presented to the class because the answers will be derived from your classroom materials. Sometimes information on the internet can vary from the information that you are presented in class.

Solve past questions

Practice doing the questions in the book that you were assigned for in the class or during lectures or Tutorials. Do extra questions at the back of the book. Re-do questions that you got wrong, and try to figure out why you got them wrong. Do practice questions until you feel more comfortable with subject matter and practice time management.

Make flash cards

After you have taken notes from studying all of your materials including the book and your notes, use that information to make flash cards. (Grab an index card, or cut paper into squares to use as a flashcard.) Turn statements into questions.

For instance, if the statement is Linus Pauling was one of the discoverers of DNA, then write on the flash card the question, who was one of the main discoverers of DNA? Write the question on one side, and the answer on the other.

Study with a friend

Get together with a friend or group of people from your class and study together. It doesn't have to be a formal study group. You can simply review each other's notes to see what you may have missed, and discuss concepts you think will be covered on the test.

Quiz each other

Ask each other potential exam questions. Use your flashcards to quiz each other, or ask your friend to make up new questions that you didn't think about. Even if you use the same questions that you wrote on your flashcards, you will find that the experience is different when your friend is quizzing you. More than likely, your friend will hold you accountable for answering the question in its entirety.

Chat about the concept

Sometimes you can learn more about the information by simply discussing the concepts in a conversation with someone other than your teachers. It may help you understand the information in a different way, and it might even deepen your understanding. Bring snacks for the group or meet at a coffee shop and make the study group more casual, relaxed, and fun.

Determine your exam format

Reviewing past Exam Questions can help you understand the format of the Exam and whether it will be multiple choice, Essay or both, short answer or essay. It also gives you more ideas about how to study. Does it ask for specific information like dates and times that events occurred? Or is it testing big ideas with explanations in an essay format?

If you understand the format of the exam, you know what information to pull out and how detailed or open-ended it might be.

You'll also be able to assess the distribution of points. Is the essay worth much more than the multiple choice? With the past test to review, you can assess what you've already studied and re-assess.

Make sure you pray

Many gurus have failed because they believe in human power alone, don't depend on your intelligence, move closer to God and always pray ahead of the future.

Pray as is you have not read anything.

Read as if you have not prayed.

With these tips, I bet you can excel in course you embark on. Also, there is no success without consistency, so you must be consistent in studying and revision.