Past Student Tips
"Find a nighttime routine a few weeks before and stick to that. Do not change it the night before the exam. No iPhone/iPad/computer in bed so that your mind is always cleared when going to bed. Don't take any sleep aids before the exam because you may be drowsy in the morning."
Thought from Jill: Read the last two lines again. This is really solid advice. Your Learning Specialist can talk you through that plan if you are interested.
Thoughts from Nyk:
Wake up every day at the same time that you’ll need to wake up on test day.
Make time for exercise to keep your heart and brain happy / keep stress levels down, though not so rigorous that you’re going to be sore on test day.
Drive to the test site once or twice so you're familiar with the route to get there.
Past Student Tips
“Don't study the day before the test. Don't drink any caffeine after 2pm. Spend the day with friends. If you're prone to anxiety, try meditation or a hot bath or something that relaxes you. Normal sleep hygiene stuff.”
“Exercise the day before.”
“I don’t eat anything the night before that you think may cause you GI distress the next day.”
Faculty Tips
Take the day before the exam away from studying. Give your brain a nice rest before it has to do the heavy lifting on test day.
Spend time doing what you love and/or with the people and pets you love to give you a mood boost and keep stress down. (Caveat, avoid overly strenuous or possibly dangerous activities. You don't want to be exhausted or hurt on test day.)
Prioritize getting enough sleep.
Stick to "safe" foods that you know won't cause any gastric distress. This may not be the best time to try out a new restaurant.
Lay out your clothes and have everything you'll need the next day ready to go: car keys, ID, snacks, etc. Making decisions and performing tasks ahead of test day will reduce cognitive load day of, giving you more brain power for the test.
Past Student Tips on: Social Media
"Whether from force of habit, dopamine seeking, or fear of lack, continuous checking of text messages and social media create added responsibility. Give yourself permission to check these entertainments minimally. Turning them off lightens your stress."
"Turning them completely off the day before and of the exam is important."
Thought from Jill: Turn off your cell phone. Use it when you want to call someone, everything else can wait until you finish the test.
Past Student Tips on: Facilities
"I used a locker and put my own mug of coffee in there during breaks. That was helpful."
"The front desk will help you do this when you arrive (Plan to get there early - 45 mins to an hour!). You will be assigned a small locker where you can store your water bottle and your lunchbox that you can access during breaks."
"Yes, I brought lots of different types of food (snacks, sandwich, nuts) as well as water and coffee."
Thought from Jill: Find a thermos or two and use it for hot /cold. Prepare a bagged lunch in advance and place a reminder note on your car review mirror. Don’t leave home without it.
Past Student Tips on: Breaks
"I took every break, even if only for 5 minutes. I think it's good to step away from the computer, slow down so you can then re-focus on the next block."
"I took one small break after each section (~5min.) I may have skipped one at the very beginning as I was getting into a rhythm. I never took a break longer than 10-15 minutes."
"I would only take a break if you feel like you need one or if your hunger is distracting you. I took a break between block 5 and 6 for lunch and I'm certain that the 6th block was by far my worst one. This may not be good universal advice, but I think too long of a break may be counterproductive. I think if I did it again, I would take short breaks and snack each time rather than taking a long break which broke my concentration."
"Multiple breaks for mental sanity. It helped me to go outside and get some fresh air."
"I think this test is most easily consumed in bite-size pieces. As I’m sure the students know, if you skip the 15-minute tutorial at the beginning of your exam this is added to your total break time. I set up my breaks:
Complete Block 1 + Block 2 – Break
Complete Block 3 + Block 4 – Longer Lunch Break
Complete Block 5 – Break (I know it may seem silly to take that extra break between 5 and 6 but this is the endurance part of the exam and it helped me stay focused)
Complete Block 6 – Break
Complete Block 7"
Thought from Jill: Have a plan for your breaks and practice it during study times each day one week before exam day.
Past Student Tips on: Coffee/Caffeine
"Yes. I had coffee (in small amounts so I wouldn't get too amped up) and water in between blocks."
"What I ended up doing was had a little coffee the morning before the exam and then left my cup in my locker and took some sips during my breaks."
"I never wanted to drink too much at a time, that way I wouldn't be forced to go to the bathroom at a point where I wasn't planning on taking a break. I also did the same with water."
Thought from Jill: No surprises…no caffeine fasting or overindulgence on the day of the exam.
Past Student Tips on: Nutrition
“Ate lunch, definitely recommend for people who eat smaller frequent meals.”
“This is absolutely essential. This is a long full-day exam, and you need to take a break and consume some good calories (I did a turkey sandwich, an apple, and a mix of walnuts/pecans. No sugar!! Avoid that crash later in the day)”
“I ate some granola bars, few bites of a sandwich, and nuts. You may not be hungry because of your nerves, but you need to snack on something early in the day so that you don't bonk later in the afternoon. It's a very long exam, and to keep focus you need some calories.”
Thought from Jill: Avocados, eggs, clean protein, are excellent exam foods. Figs and nuts are more stabilizing than quick fixes. Fat and protein are needed, sugars give glycemic spikes.
Faculty Tips
Get up early so you have plenty of time.
Do your usual morning thing.
Have your usual breakfast.
Look in the mirror. Realize how far you’ve come. How well prepared you are. Say to the amazing person looking back at you, “You’ve got this.”
This page last updated 10/22/2025.