I have spent the better part of the last 53 years taking well over a thousand multiple choice tests. As a teenager, I struggled through high school. Armed with an average IQ and some fairly significant learning disabilities, I barely graduating with a 1.4 grade point average. However, I was smart enough to figure out early on that much of academics, and that achieving success in academics, had far more to do with the ability to master multiple choice tests than raw intellect. From there I began a 35 year study on the art and science of passing, mastering and scoring high on multiple choice tests. Despite a very substandard high school GPA, I scored high enough on the SAT and the ACT to be accepted to the University of Michigan, one of the top academic institutions in the Country. Upon graduation from college, I accepted a commission as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. As a Marine Officer, I completed dozens of military and civilian schools, including a Masters Degree from Boston University, and a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Detroit School of Law. In fact, I earned a full ride military scholarship to law school based primarily on the fact I scored so highly on the Law School Aptitude Test (98th percentile). Upon completion of law school, I passed the Michigan Bar exam on the first attempt, scoring 149 points on the multistate (the multiple choice portion of the exam), which was one question away from automatic passage (at 150 they examiners do not need to grade the essay portion). I have also taken and applied many of the Marine Corps concepts of discipline and mental toughness to the art of preparing for, taking, and passing multiple choice tests. Resigning my commission and leaving the Marine Corps in 1990, I continued both my education as well as honing my test taking skills. I currently hold 12 professional licenses and 5 professional designations, which required me to pass several comprehensive and difficult multiple choice examinations. I have also attended dozens of professional test preparation courses. From those courses I have "cherry picked" all of the valuable lessons and test taking tips and have included those in this book. One of the professional licenses I hold is a paramedic license. As a paramedic I have gained a much greater understanding of the anatomy and physiology of test taking. Test taking is all about the central nervous system, which of course includes the brain. However, as I explain in this book, it is clear that the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems have as much to do with passing and failing multiple choice tests as does the brain. Accordingly, I have also applied many of those principals in this book.

Attacking the Standardized Exam

The Art of Mastering Multiple-Choice Standardized TestsBy Ronald S. Thompson

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2011 Ronald S. Thompson
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4634-2207-3

Chapter One

Developing "Mental Toughness" to Attack and Beat the Exam

Step One: Building the Biological Foundation

A. Preparation is key.

As a Boy Scout, the most important lesson I learned was based on the Boy Scout motto "be prepared." Clearly, the success of facing any challenge is based 99 percent on preparedness (I will give 1 percent to luck and no more). After twelve years as a Marine Corps officer, I realized nothing could be truer than that concept. However, being prepared usually means much more than merely studying the challenge or studying for the challenge. If you want to meet the challenge, you must ready yourself for the challenge, not only intellectually but emotionally and physically. By being ready for the challenge on all three levels—physical, emotional, and intellectual—you will not only meet the challenge, but you will master it. Nothing could be truer when preparing for a multiple-choice exam. So let's begin by looking at developing physical and emotional toughness.

B. Mental toughness starts with physical toughness, and physical toughness starts with fitness.

As previously stated, maximizing your performance on a multiple-choice exam requires preparedness. There are three aspects of being prepared: physical preparation, emotional preparation, and intellectual preparation. In order to be truly intellectually prepared, you need to have the right attitude, which requires emotional preparation. In order to be emotionally prepared, you must have the right physical preparation. While all three aspects are covered in detail in this book, we will start with physical preparation as it is the foundation for the other two.

The Marine Corps teaches you mental toughness. Early on in boot camp, young US Marines are trained to understand (not believe but understand) that nothing is impossible. If you set out to accomplish the mission and are ready to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission, then the mission can be accomplish—period! That aspect of psychology, as it applies to test taking, will be dealt with in some detail later in the book.

However, the Marine Corps also trains you to be prepared for the task, and that requires not only intellectual readiness but also physical readiness. That is why the Marine Corps, far more than any other military service organization, prides itself on developing and maintaining the physical fitness of its members across the board. When you are in good physical shape, you are in better mental shape. You can study longer, absorb more information, and stay focused for greater periods of time. You are also less prone to stress and less affected by it. In addition, physical exercise can reduce and/or relieve stress.

Going back to paramedic training, productive brain activity has a great deal to do with flow of oxygen to the brain. Oxygen is carried to the brain and other organs through hemoglobin contained in the blood. Interestingly, an overweight person will typically have less blood volume that a person of normal weight who is the same height. Likewise, an athlete will typically have greater blood volume than a nonathlete of the same height and weight. So the better physical condition you are in, the better your blood capacity and the greater opportunity for oxygen flow to the brain. So the first step toward preparation for taking and mastering a multiple-choice test is to get into shape.

Of course, I am not suggesting that you need to train for and run a marathon. However, the point here is to begin a regular regiment of exercise and good diet. While later in the book I discuss specific foods you should and should not eat immediately prior to and during a multiple-choice examination, here I am simply talking about the concept of eating right. Regarding exercise, specifics of that are also very individual and beyond the scope of this chapter or book.

However, there is another important point to be made here. When studying for a very important multiple-choice examination (ACT, LSAT, MEDCAT, bar examination, CFP, etc.), it is not uncommon for people to work out less or stop working out completely in order to focus more time on studying. Nothing could be worse that that. In fact, regular exercise promotes better sleeping habits and rest, which ultimately allows you to sleep sounder for fewer hours and focus better while awake. So make sure you get in shape and stay in shape. Once you are in good physical shape, you are ready to begin the second and third aspects of good test preparation, which are emotional preparation and intellectual preparation.

C. The physiology of test taking: avoid triggering the sympathetic nervous system.

As a paramedic, you learn a great deal about human anatomy and physiology. While heart, lungs, and kidneys serve critical functions, it is the central nervous system that ultimately controls the body.

Of course, the major component of the central nervous system is the brain. Most people believe that it is the brain that is the sole determiner of whether you pass or fail a test, but the truth is that's only one aspect. The other aspects, which are very critical, are two subsystems of the autonomic nervous system known as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The best way to describe these two systems is to refer to them as they are commonly known. The sympathetic nervous system is known as the fight or flight system, or the accelerator. The parasympathetic nervous system is known as the feed and breed system, or the brakes.

When a person is placed in a stressful situation, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in. Noradrenalin is secreted, and the body reacts. Pupils dilate, and heart rate and blood pressure increase. Blood flow begins diverting to the muscles and lungs in anticipation of fight (self-defense through physical force) or flight (running away from danger). When this reaction is prolonged, adrenalin is secreted, increasing the reaction. Sweating and vomiting typically occur. After this event, the body is exhausted, resulting in a crash similar to that described in many energy drink commercials.

For the foregoing reasons, constant triggering of the sympathetic nervous system through needless worrying over time creates physical and mental exhaustion. Of course, none of this is good for a person preparing for a test. A good test taker wants to maintain a parasympathetic system. Here, blood flows to the stomach, encouraging good digestion and nutrient absorption. Better yet, all of the stress-producing aspects of the sympathetic nervous system are absent. So the first goal in developing physical toughness is eliminating worry and stress.

Obviously, thorough intellectual preparation for a test will build confidence and, therefore, reduce stress, which we will get to later. However, let's begin by looking at reducing worry and stress through physical strength.

D. The physiology of test taking: foods that help you pass tests and foods that cause you to fail.

It is no secret that nutrition plays a critical role in learning. Hence, top performance in test taking requires more than just eating right in general. More specifically, it requires you to consume the right foods prior to and, when applicable, during the test.

As stated previously, chemicals produced by the human body have tremendous effects on both our psychology and physiology. Specifically, when the body produces norepinephrine and dopamine, the brain is stimulated, and your ability to think and reason is enhanced. Conversely, production of serotonin acts as a calming mechanism on the brain, which, in fact, creates fatigue and decreased ability to think and reason. Additionally, eating foods that cause quick energy surges typically result in a resulting fatigue or a crash. Put another way, when you have energy and are alert, you are a better test taker. When you are fatigued and sleepy, you are a poor test taker.

Foods containing protein and protein mixed with carbohydrates enhance production of norepinephrine and dopamine, so these foods should be consumed before taking a test. If you are testing in the morning, eat a healthy breakfast consisting of one or more of the following: eggs, lean meat, whole grain toast, high fiber whole grain cereal (without sugar and with skim or low-fat milk), yogurt, and fruit. Avoid quick energy foods, such as sugary cereals, fatty meats (like bacon), energy drinks, and large amounts of coffee.

If you are testing in the afternoon, eat a healthy breakfast and a healthy lunch consisting of peanut butter (no jelly) or a lean meat sandwich on whole grain bread, fruit, and yogurt. Again, avoid fatty or sugary foods and quick energy foods and drinks. Also, you should avoid foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is contained in turkey, milk, corn, beans, and brown rice. This amino acid causes the production of niacin, which in turn causes the production of serotonin. Alcohol consumption should also be avoided prior to taking an exam for all the obvious reasons.

Now that you have learned how to properly build the physical test-taking machine, we will next discuss the development of psychological toughness.

Chapter Two

Developing "Mental Toughness" to Attack and Beat the Exam

Step Two: Building the Psychological Foundation

A. The Psychology of not "Taking" but "Beating" the Exam.

The Marine Corps trains you to be tough, but you learn early on that mental toughness is actually far more important than physical toughness. I remember the first time I really took a close look at the US Marines who had been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. My expectation was that these individuals would have all been champion athletes and street fighters. I was surprised to learn that, in fact, the majority of those guys were just regular people who shared one exceptional set of abilities. When confronted with a very difficult and stressful situation, they were able to focus, be decisive and disciplined, and then use those very skills to accomplish the impossible.

Focus, discipline, and decisiveness are not inbred. They are learned traits and skill sets. They are also the very same skill sets that help you properly study for, take, and pass multiple-choice exams. The intent of this book is to help you embrace the concepts and develop those skills. If you truly believe you will pass the exam and you have properly prepared for the exam (which means far more than just studying for it), you will pass the exam.

B. Developing Confidence.

Confidence is the single most important requirement when facing any challenge. It is also, in my view, the single most important prerequisite to passing a multiple-choice test. If you sit for an exam and lack confidence in your ability to pass that exam, you will not pass it. You can study and learn the material at a level that would allow you to teach it to others, but if you lack confidence, you will not pass the exam, plain and simple.

When you are not confident in your ability to pass an exam, several things will automatically happen that will significantly reduce your likelihood of success. First, because you lack confidence, you will be nervous and worried both prior to and during the exam. As discussed earlier, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in, and your body and brain are working against you. When preparing for an exam, you need to be focused. Worry, concern, stress, and other by-products of lack of confidence will kill your focus and significantly hurt your ability to pass the test.

Second, while taking the test, lack of confidence can be disastrous. Not only because of the physiological concerns previously discussed but also because it results in self-doubt and indecisiveness. Instead of methodically and systematically going about the task of attacking and answering the questions, you will nervously read each question with lack of focus and then question and second guess yourself when selecting answers later. You may also go back and change answers out of self-doubt, and, if the exam is more than a few minutes long, you will grow physically and mentally exhausted in the process.

In the end, you will fail. After that first failure, your confidence will suffer even more, and the second time around with that test is not likely to go any better. So you must become confident. That is the absolute first and most important requirement for building mental toughness in preparation for a test.

During World War II, the Marine Corps was engaged in what is often termed the island-hopping campaign. This was essentially the systematic attacking and seizing of several strategic Japanese islands containing military strongholds. One of those islands was Tarawa. Tarawa was an island that was really nothing more than the top of a volcano sticking out of the Pacific. It was made up of solid volcanic rock and housed thousands of Japanese fighting positions dug deep into the rock going up a steep uphill grade. Inside those fighting positions were thousands of Japanese soldiers armed with machine guns and mortars, all of whom were ready to fight to the death, without exception.

When US Army strategists studied the Island, they concluded that it could not be taken (using their terms) "by a million men in a million years." Despite that expert opinion, the Marine Corps took Tarawa with a single reinforced US Marine division in seventy-six hours! They accomplished the impossible. By all standards, it was impossible. However, the taking of Tarawa was made possible by preparation and training, but above all, it was made possible by confidence. When the Marines landed, they were confident. Truth be told, they were likely scared out of their minds for very good reason, but they were confident in their ability to accomplish the mission, and they did, plain and simple.

When taking a multiple-choice test, you need to approach it the same way. You should not take the test; you should attack the test. So how do we gain confidence in addition to preparing for the test through studying the material to be tested? We begin by eliminating fear.

C. Eliminating Fear.

Fear is a very devastating emotion. Fear is frequently irrational and always detrimental to accomplishing the mission. To really eliminate fear, one must understand it. Fear is a reaction to the perception of danger. It is a self-preservation mechanism inherent in all creatures, both highly developed ones like humans and far less developed ones like insects.

When fear is triggered in humans, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in as previously discussed. If danger truly exists, the resulting physical reactions are certainly a plus. But when preparing for and taking a test, they are useless, counterproductive, and occasionally devastating. In addition to robbing valuable blood and oxygen flow from the brain, where you most need it, the eventual ceasing of the adrenaline flow creates a crash and then exhaustion.

So if we have established that fear is bad, then how do we eliminate it? The first step is to analyze and rationalize the reason for the fear. In the case of a multiple-choice test, the fear is almost always irrational.

For example, if failed or poorly performed on, the vast majority of multiple-choice tests can simply be retaken. Many others are less significant in and of themselves, as they may be weighed against other tests or other nontesting factors. For example, academic aptitude tests, such as the ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT, are also heavily counterbalanced by grade point average and/or other factors. Multiple-choice tests can also frequently be retaken with a combined score average. So typically fear in advance of or during an exam is irrational and illogical and should be eliminated. Let's begin by analyzing the psychology of fear.

All three of my sons were high school wrestlers. My oldest son, Ronnie Thompson, started wrestling as a high school freshman. Weighing about eighty pounds and having zero experience, he began his wrestling career as a perpetual nervous wreck. I remember watching him pace nervously back and forth on the mat prior to every match. While other kids were busy stretching and warming up for their matches, Ronnie was biting his nails and worrying. When it came time to wrestle, he was already exhausted and had mentally lost the match before the first whistle blew.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Attacking the Standardized Examby Ronald S. Thompson Copyright © 2011 by Ronald S. Thompson. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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