Some students have access to huge files of old tests for their classes from previous semesters. Is studying those tests considered cheating? That varies with the school and even the prof. Find out what your college’s stance is on old tests before you try to get any old tests to study, of course.
I’m aware of one health-profession school setting where second year students are encouraged to provide old notes, books, and even tests for first year students. The hope is that the professors will not use the same test each year, obviously, but that studying the tests will help the students to gauge how well they know the material as they study.
Studying old tests not only helps you to see how much of the information you know, it may help you to think in a different way if needed. If all you’ve been doing for a neuroanatomy class is to simply memorize each nerve and what parts of the body it controls or gets sensation from, you may not be ready for a test question that tells you a theoretical patient’s deficits then asks what part of the brain or spinal cord is probably injured. In fact, such a question might take a long time to figure out if you’re not used to thinking that way.
Don’t cheat; don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your professor to know about! But if studying old tests is considered legitimate, definitely get your hands on some – preferably from someone who made an A so the answers will be correct! Ask your study partner or group if they have anything. You’ll do a lot better in your classes if you don’t try to “reinvent the wheel” all by yourself.
Photo credit: Or Hiltch