Come to the test prepared. Don't cram the night before. Get at least eight hours of sleep and face the day relaxed and refreshed. Eat a healthy, filling breakfast. Don't consume too much caffeine to avoid feeling jittery and unable to focus. Use the bathroom just before the test so that you can be comfortable and concentrate.
Arrive early. Choose the seat in which you feel most comfortable.
Read the directions carefully (more than once if necessary). Ask the test administrator if you have questions.
Know the material. Find out what will be on the test beforehand, and study rigorously. Find out whether the test will be fill in the blank, multiple choice or essay. Begin studying as far in advance as the material warrants. For a high school history test, give yourself two or three nights to study. For a standardized college admissions test, give yourself two or three months.
Pace yourself. Decide how much time you can spend on each question to allow yourself time to finish the test. If a difficult question takes too much time, finish the rest of the test and return to the troublesome question. If time permits, double check all answers before turning in your test.
Read each question carefully, more than once if necessary. Seemingly minor misreadings can cause confusion and hurt your score.
Avoid losing vital points because you filled in outside the test bubble and the scorer can't tell which answer you meant, or because you were rushing and your essay answer is illegible.