How to Help High School Students Prepare for Midterm Exams

October 22, 2024 byJulie Hersum

6 min to read

A high school student sitting at a table with a book open and writing on a piece of paper with a pen

Midterm exams are a critical juncture in almost every student’s academic journey, and support from Learning Coaches—be they parents, guardians, or tutors—can make a big difference in the student’s performance as well as their overall confidence and well-being.

But how can Learning Coaches help high school students prepare for midterm exams? By helping students develop study plans, reduce unhealthy anxiety, and build confidence, Learning Coaches can instill study habits that can serve them well throughout their academic journey.

What is the Purpose of Midterm Exams for High School Students?

Midterm exams serve several important functions in the academic world. Acknowledging them can help students view midterms less as scary obstacles to overcome and more as the opportunities for growth and learning they are. Mainly, midterm exams help teachers and students evaluate the students' grasp of material they’ve covered to that point and determine whether students have a solid foundation for learning the remaining material.

Midterms also help prepare students for the critical thinking and time management skills needed when preparing for important academic events to come, like— final exams, standardized tests, and college entrance exams.

How to Build Confidence Through Preparation and Studying

Confidence plays a pivotal role in a student’s ability to perform well, and being well-prepared creates natural confidence. A structured approach to preparation can give your student a greater chance of success. Here are some tips for helping your student structure a study plan:

Start preparing early.

Develop a regular study schedule at the beginning of the semester with your student and encourage them to begin reviewing notes at least two weeks before midterms with study methods like the spaced repetition technique. Start by studying a concept one day, review it the next day, then review again a few days later, and so on. Spacing out study sessions helps combat the "forgetting curve” and can help move information from short-term memory and into long-term memory instead, so your student is more likely to retain the information they studied come test day.

Set clear goals for each study session.

Break material down into manageable chunks. Try narrowing down your advice to a more specific action like, “Let’s review the quadratic formula” instead of the more generic “study math.” By creating specific goals for the study session, they can better measure their progress and can be more aware of what they have already reviewed and what they still may need to practice.

Reinforce material on a deeper level.

Variety can make studying more engaging and effective. Have your student vary their study routine and methods.

Try active learning activities, including exercises like making and memorizing flashcards, summarizing and retyping notes in their own words, teaching concepts to someone else, drawing diagrams, creating mind maps, watching educational videos on relevant topics, and so on.

Don’t rely on solely reading through the same material over and over. As wonderful as reading is, only reading the material can give students a false sense of familiarity. This can create an "illusion of fluency," or the “tendency to be overconfident in our abilities without sufficient evidence.”

Practice makes perfect.

Help your student become familiar with relevant exam formats and encourage them to practice managing their exam time effectively by trying practice exams at home. Try to complete these practice exams under similar conditions (e.g., use a timer) and with mock test questions. Don’t skip on this step, as test day surprises can be very stressful, especially for students who are not familiar with mid-term exams.

Consult teachers.

Encourage your student to seek additional help from their teacher as needed. There is no shame in reaching out to tutors or asking their teacher to go over a concept a second time. Often teachers offer review sessions or office hours to ask for clarification or suggestions on where to focus their studies.

Prioritize sleep.

Students need sleep in order for their brains to better process information and to keep their minds clear for the next day. Teenagers especially need to get anywhere from 9-10 hours of sleep a night, especially before an important test. Instead of staying up all night to study, encourage your child to stick with a consistent sleep schedule.

“Lack of sleep can cut learning ability by up to 40%,” says the National Institutes of Health, while sleep “helps strengthen memories formed during the day.”

Take study breaks.

Incorporate regular breaks during study sessions. Try techniques like the Pomodoro method (25 minutes of studying followed by a 5-minute break) to prevent burnout and improve focus. Don’t overload your brain in any single sitting. The human brain can only absorb so much information at a time. Your student can take a break by meditating, spending some time outside, or doing some light stretching. When they feel refocused and recharged, they may find studying to be much more effective and maybe even easier.

An online school student studying for mid-term exams

How to Identify and Prevent Test Anxiety

It’s normal to feel nervous before an exam. In fact, studies show good stress, or eustress as it’s known in the scientific world, can be a positive motivator, driving the productivity and creativity that actually improves test performance.

However, stress in the form of distress can interfere with a student’s cognitive functions. Test anxiety—an “intense fear” of performing poorly—is a form of distress that can sadly and significantly undermine a student’s performance on exams, despite how well they know the material.

Students who suffer from test anxiety will often display warning signs. Recognizing these signs gives Learning Coaches an opportunity to help their student address and overcome test anxiety early on and before exam day.

Common warning signs of test anxiety

Signs of test anxiety can vary and manifest physically, behaviorally, and cognitively.

Physical: Complaints of headaches, stomachaches, rapid heartbeat, or feeling lightheaded
Behavioral: Procrastination, avoidance of studying, increased irritability, restlessness, and sometimes even withdrawal from social activities
Cognitive: Persistent worry about performance, negative self-talk (repeatedly saying they’re going to fail or aren’t smart enough), or difficulty concentrating

Strategies for helping students overcome test anxiety

Open communication. Let your student express how they feel without judgment and empathize with their feelings. Reassure them that test anxiety is normal and manageable.
Encourage relaxation practices, like deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation.
Establish consistent study routines and schedule time specifically for helping your student manage their time. This by itself can help reduce stress.

Effective Test Day Preparation Tips

The night before the exam
Remind your student to:

Review key concepts but avoid last-minute cramming.
Prepare everything they need—pens, pencils, calculator, and even snacks—so that the morning is calm.
Get a full night’s sleep. Sleep is crucial for cognitive function and memory recall.

The day of the exam
Remind your student to:

Eat a balanced breakfast and drink plenty of water.
As time allows, partake in light activity, like walking, stretching, or breathing exercises to clear their mind.

Remember: Success is where preparation and opportunity meet

Midterm season can be stressful, but with the right preparation and mindset, it can also be an opportunity for growth and confidence-building. As a Learning Coach, your guidance can make all the difference in how your student approaches their exams.

By helping them see midterm exams as opportunities for growth, establish positive study habits, and learn ways to prepare effectively and manage anxiety, you can help set your student up with confidence and for success on their high school midterms and throughout their entire academic journey.