Don't just rely on your teacher's notes. Creating your own study guide is the single most effective way to prepare for a test.

Step 1: The Core Concepts. Go through your textbook chapter by chapter and write down the main concept of each section in your own words.

Step 2: The Formulas. Dedicate one page to every single formula, definition, and property you need to know. Write them from memory first.

Step 3: The 'Killer Examples.' For each concept, find one perfect 'example problem' from the homework or textbook and write out the full, annotated solution.

Step 4: The 'Mistake Zoo.' Dedicate a page to your most common mistakes. Write them down in red ink. 'I always forget the negative sign!'

Step 5: The Summary Sheet. Try to condense the entire chapter onto a single side of one piece of paper. This forces you to prioritize.

The act of creating the guide - of writing, organizing, and summarizing - is the studying.

The guide itself is just the artifact of that powerful process.

It should be messy, with your own notes, doodles, and highlights. It's a personal document.

Review this guide, and only this guide, in the days leading up to the test. You will be unstoppable.