Showing up for class is half the battle. Attend every class. Attending class enables students to ask questions, participate in class discussions and glean tips from their teacher that are not written in the text book. In class, students see, hear and write down instruction. This promotes audio, video and kinesthetic learning styles.
Read the textbook and listen to the instructor's lecture. The instructor often can't cover everything in the textbook, even if this material will be on a future test.
Ask questions. If students do not feel comfortable asking a question during class, then wait until after class to approach the instructor. If a college course provides a syllabus, then try to read new material before it is presented in class. When the teacher teaches the material students will have a reference point instead of going into class with no prior knowledge.
Write down any questions that arise during class, in study groups or while studying alone. Make sure to ask the instructor these questions in person, by phone or by email.
Homework is not meant to be torture, but to make sure students understand the material. In college courses, attempt homework problems well in advance of their due date. Answers to odd-number problems are usually located in the back of the text book. Students can use these answers to verify that they are on the right track while working through the homework.
Students should jot down notes on problems they did not understand. Seek out the instructor and fellow students to go over the homework. The homework problems are often parallel to questions on upcoming tests.
Review material that will be covered on the test a week or more before the test. Work through the problems in past homework assignments and exercises discussed in class lectures. Create a review sheet by detailing each problem type that may be on the test. Verify that students understand key math concepts and how to apply them to a variety of problems.
Remain calm during the test. If students have memorized any formulas or concepts, write them on the back of the test once they receive it. This information dump will allow students to focus on the test and refer to this information as needed. Attempt each problem. If students become stuck, go to the next problem. Students should return to an unfinished problem if they have time. Many instructors offer partial credit so work through each problem as far as possible.