Getting Ready for College: Tips on How to Prepare for Your College Entrance Exams

While summer may be just around the corner, many junior and senior high school students are setting aside vacation plans to focus on preparing for their college entrance exams. Getting accepted to top schools such as UP, Ateneo, or La Salle is no joke and requires consistent good academic performance as well as satisfactory moral character. Some schools even prefer students who are exceptional at particular academic subjects, making it more challenging for average students who are vying for a slot. As such, many parents want to go the extra mile and send their children to the best review centers or hire private tutors to obtain a higher chance of passing and getting in.

If you’re college-bound and starting to get ready for the application process, you can start by doing some research about the schools you want to apply in. Have a talk with your parents about your goals, your dreams, and what kind of profession or career you want to have. Your parents are your best supporters when it comes to your school life. While you have tracks you wish to pursue, it’s better to consult your parent or guardian for some insight and advice. After all, they only want the best for you.

Need some help on prepping? Take a moment and check out these practical suggestions. Take note though that each person has different ways and methods of studying so learn what is best for you:

Set a routine – by now, you’ve probably established your own studying routine. However, with the pressure building up, you will need to double up with almost everything especially if your objective is to ace the exams. Develop something that works for you but don’t wear yourself out. Make sure to leave room for snacks, naps, and other non-academic activities. While discipline should be the foundation of your routine, you need to make time for your hobbies and passion too.

Get back to the basics – basic formulas, vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills will pop up on your exams. Make sure to recap your "ABCs" and include them in your overall review plans. For sure, you will be asked to answer essays. This will determine your strength in composition and proficiency in the English language.

Create a conducive studying environment for yourself – while your parents might provide you with review classes or private tutors, what happens during in-between hours will be entirely up to you. You must find the most optimum place for you to concentrate and focus. Avoid coffee shops if possible and other noisy places as you might get easily distracted. Use "time block" management tools to avoid online distractions.

Know what subjects to focus on – university and college entrance exams do not have the same focus when it comes to subjects or fields. While you need to study for all the subjects, it helps to know which subjects will weigh in more with each entrance exam.

Put the pressure on – it certainly is challenging but putting the right amount of pressure on yourself will allow you to set your own standards. However, know your limits. You can also create your very own reward system—a movie for one successful memorization, some shopping for X hours of crunching numbers—anything that helps to motivate you.

Take a break – when things are becoming overwhelming or too stressful, pause and take a break. Whether it’s walking to get some fresh air, or talking to friends and family, a break can rejuvenate your mind and body.

Create your own dream board – if you want a visual representation of your plans, collect flyers from the universities and colleges you’d want to get in to, grab some colorful markers, stickers, some art materials, and start creating your very own college dream board. To make it more personal, grab your instant camera, take photos of your dream university, and add them to your board.

Your journey into this new phase may be nerve-wracking, but it will be filled with many great milestones and precious memories with the promise of meeting new friends and learning a lot of important lessons. Ultimately, what’s important is that you have learned to achieve your own goals and have fun while doing it!

*This article was originally published in Instax Philippines website for the benefit of educational purposes. The information in this article is meant soley to educate users.

Hi I'm Mirasol M Ojena aka Mira, a coffee junkie. Striving to become a better person. Who also finds passion in traveling,reading, adventures, baking, cooking and eating. Now, helping in the world of Digital Marketing - a SEO/SEM Specialist.