I have a confession to make -- I wasn't always Professor Cram.

Once I was a college student, like you. I partied too much, skipped too many classes, failed a few courses, and passed others by a hair. Over those years I learned some very important lessons, and that's what landed me the Professor Cram gig.

You're only as smart as the people you know, and I know some pretty smart ones. They're the ones who prepared the Cramlets, so if you've used the Cramlets then it's like you know them too. Hey, that makes you as smart as me!

We have all been in the situation where we honestly didn't prepare adequately for a test. There are a myriad of reasons for this, some good and some not so good. Unfortunately, this doesn't change the fact that you're still sitting there with the exam in front of you.

Don't panic! Panicking is the worst thing you can do. Stop, take a deep breath, and put a smile on your face. I am here to help. I have learned a few things through my years in college, and I can help you with this situation.

First, as soon as the test is handed out, don't read it -- turn the paper over. (If the test is printed on both sides, ask your instructor if you can use a blank piece of paper.) Jot down on the back of the test the facts you have been studying. These could be the formulas required for the test, dates and historical facts, rules, laws, and even graphs. Remember, do this before you have even looked at the test.

I was reading through the daily news relating to education, specifically concerning Algebra. It seems Algebra has become a major hurdle to college students even though it is considered to be developmental math. Students are struggling to understand the basic concepts and arithmetic necessary for the mastery of Algebra.

Every College Algebra textbook tries to explain how to factor trinomials, but they fail miserably. Why? Because there isn't a specific step-by-step way to do it.