Studying for the Earth Science Regents Exam starts early. Cramming doesn’t work—you should prepare for the test by studying throughout the year. Make your daily homework and schoolwork part of your Regents test preparation. Think of your daily coursework as small milestones that eventually lead you to success on the Regents exam.
Below are some Regents test strategies to help you maximize your chances of success on the Earth Science Regents Exam. If you employ them, not only will you likely score well on the Regents Exam, but you’ll also gain a solid understanding of earth science that you’ll retain even after the test.
Don’t forget the bigger picture.
Look at all the different aspects of earth science and determine the areas where you struggle the most. Gaining a broad overview of the course material will help you craft an effective study plan to focus on the most important and most difficult areas.
Formulate a study plan to motivate you and help you fall into a routine. Make sure it’s detailed, realistic, and something you can actually stick to.
Manage your time wisely.
You’ll need a lot of time to prepare for the Earth Science Regents Exam—use it wisely. With proper time management, you can work more efficiently, limit your stress levels, and still have time for leisure activities.
Keep track of the time you spend studying with a study planner. Study planners are also useful for staying up to date on deadlines, test dates, and more. Alternatively, you can keep a diary where you log how you spend your Earth Science Regents Exam prep time as well as your free time. This can help you develop more efficient study habits and reduce time-consuming activities, allowing you to have ample time to study for the Regents exam without neglecting the other responsibilities in your life. Prioritize studying, and plan other activities around it.
Know how you learn best.
Everyone learns differently, and to best prepare for the Earth Science Regents Exam, you have to know your style. Are you a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner? Take this test to figure out your learning type, and build your study method around it.
Studying with your best learning style while managing your time properly will ensure you prepare efficiently and effectively for the Regents exam. Do what works well for you, not others. Your earth science performance will undoubtedly improve if you adopt a study method based on your learning style.
Keep the details in mind.
In order to pass the Earth Science Regents Exam, you have to balance the big picture with the small details. Paying attention to the small details means making time for each topic (even the less important ones), determining how much time is necessary to dedicate to preparation outside of class, and staying ahead of the class by maintaining an effective study routine.
Take notes.
Notes are a keystone of studying, offering bite-sized pieces of information that can help refresh your mind. Taking notes in class keeps your mind working, and writing down information helps solidify it for you. Then, reviewing your notes is helpful during study sessions. You can use old-school pen and paper or use more modern solutions such as the Evernote app to take your earth science notes.
Focus on studying.
Eliminate distractions. Lock yourself in your room, turn off your phone, disable your Wi-Fi—do whatever you need to concentrate. Proper concentration allows you to cover far more ground in far less time, so it can even be considered a form of time management. Passing the Earth Science Regents Exam isn’t easy, so you will need proper concentration to truly internalize the material. Don’t waste your time with inefficient, distracted studying. The most important study tip is to concentrate deeply.
Do mock tests.
Find Regents exams from past years to give yourself mock tests. Simulate the test environment to the best of your ability and set yourself a timer. Not only will this allow you to get accustomed to the test format and give you practice retrieving your earth science knowledge under time pressure, but it’ll also reinforce your knowledge and skills as well as boost your confidence, which is an important aspect of test-taking.
Preparation can make the difference between passing and failing the Earth Science Regents Exam. While you can go a long way preparing on your own, it’s also a worthwhile investment to hire a private Regents tutor to assist you. A professional Regents tutor can help you determine the most effective study plan and help you enhance your skills in your weakest areas of earth science, propelling you toward success on the test.