HPAT Day: Get psyched up, not psyched out
9 years ago by Tom
Your HPAT scores depend on how much you know, but they also depend on how well you can apply what you know. If you are nervous, distracted, or in a bad mood during the HPAT, you may have a hard time concentrating and harnessing your knowledge. Here are some basic tips to help you control your nerves on the day of the HPAT.
Think Positively
This tip cannot be emphasized enough. Getting down on yourself during the test does more than make you feel bad during the HPAT! In fact, it is taking away your body's support system. If you are busy worrying about how well or how bad you are doing on the HPAT, then you are not busy thinking about the question in front of you. All that preparation has prepared you to do a great job on the HPAT.
Remember, you are ready for the HPAT. Just concentrate and keep moving. You'll do fine.
Keep Yourself Focused
Try not to think about anything except the question in front of you on the HPAT. If you catch yourself thinking about something else, take a deep breath and bring your focus back to the HPAT.
Concentrate on Your Own Work
The first thing some students do when they get stuck on a question, or find themselves running into a batch of tough questions in the HPAT, is to look around to see how everyone is doing. What they see is discouraging: other students busy filling in their HPAT answer sheets.
You may think to yourself, "Look at how well everyone else is doing. What is wrong with me?" If you start thinking this way, try to remember:
Everyone works at a different pace in the HPAT. Your neighbours may not be working on the same question as you. They too, might very well get stuck on that question later! Thinking about what someone else is doing on the HPAT is not going to help you answer even a single question. In fact, it is taking away your precious time!
Don't get concerned about what other people are doing on the HPAT. Just concentrate on doing the best job you can do.
Remember, You're in Control
Developing a plan for tackling the HPAT will help you feel more in control during the HPAT itself. Even if the HPAT is tomorrow, there is still time to familiarise yourself with the HPAT test directions You should also review the different question types so you won't be shocked during the HPAT.
If you are planning ahead, then there are many resources you can use to prepare for the HPAT provided by MedEntry HPAT prep.
If you're in control, you'll have the best chance of getting the best HPAT score that you deserve.
