Exam Preparation LONG-TERM GOAL: Prepare Students for University or College. 4U1 Two Exams. Four after-school exam-prep sessions.

The University of Waterloo This school takes five percent off a mark from a credit that was not taken at the day school such as EHSS. Why? They have completed extensive research and have determined that students who take English in summer school do not succeed at the same level as day-school students, and are more likely to drop out. In addition to the deductions of marks, they interview students and ask them why they chose to avoid the more rigorous program of day school.

University of Toronto Like Waterloo, U of T has developed policies that will help them get the best students. Their Rottman School of Business and their top-notch engineering program will no longer take you if you enroll in summer/private/edu-travel courses. They too have learned that these students often end up as a failed investment.

Opting Out Early Some students decide that they will take summer school English for their Grade 11 credit, because they do not want to face the amount of reading and writing that are required in ENG3U1. Once students take this plan they tend to be too ill-equipped to take Grade 12 English with us.

Exam Prep: The School Year At this point in the year, if your son or daughter has done all the reading, they have put themselves in a strong position. If they are in the practice of taking rich in-class notes, they are in an even healthier position. Now they can concentrate on creating study notes, condensing the big themes and ideas with literary terms and devices.

Pre- Exam Go in confident: Know your material. Review the essays and stories (grades 9 and 10) that you’ve studied in class. The focus of the reading material in the junior grades is the short story, while in the senior grades it is the essay.

Pre- Exam Write several written responses to various stories you are reviewing in class. Try to apply the literature you have studied in your grade to these stories. Your knowledge will impress your teacher.

DAY-OF THE EXAM Bring in highlighters and two good blue or black ink pens. Be ready to carve up your exam paper.

EXPECT ANXIETY Be mentally prepared not understand the story or essay the first time you read it; do not become anxious if there isn’t instant clarity. Remember that some of the stories or essays that you have already studied took a few readings.

DAY-OF THE EXAM Read over the exam questions before you begin; this way you’ll have some idea what to look for as you read the story or essay.

DAY-OF THE EXAM As you read over the story or essay, mark it up; write notes in the margins. Mark the paper up as much as you want. We only mark your final answers.

ANXIETY Mouth the words quietly to yourself if this helps you understand them better.

DAY-OF THE EXAM You don’t have to answer the questions in the order that they’re written. Don’t get paralyzed by a question that is confusing. Move on to the next question and return to the difficult one later.

DAY-OF THE EXAM Work in point form before you begin to write an answer – it’s much easier to revise and plan your answer in point form than it is after you’ve written a few sentences.

DAY-OF THE EXAM Be concise and specific in your answers; just answer the questions directly – your teacher will appreciate it.

Good Luck