Top Five Ways to Study for Exams

So, I’ve been getting back some of my midterms, and I must say… I did pretty good. I thought I would share what I do before a test, so that you guys can imitate it if you think it’s a good method.


5. Read the textbook over again … and remember it.
If a Biology Exam covers Chapters 14, 54, 55, and 56, reread them again. This may be very time consuming, but most textbooks nowadays bold the important terms and usually have a good chapter summary at the end to keep it concise. These are helpful, but they are only helpful if you can use them in problems. Don’t just glance over it, think about it in your head as you read through it, and understand it rather than memorize it. Although I personally don't need to, I know that lots of people need to make their own notes from the textbook so as not to let their attention wander away. See also #2.

4. Make some Cue Cards.
Although this doesn’t work for every course, it’s very useful in courses where memorization is key. For example, memorizing the derivatives of a logarithm, or memorizing the definition of all the terms related to Mitosis, I personally have two sets of cue cards; I have cue cards for Math and memorizing formulas and such, and I also have a set for Biology. I don’t take too many courses where memorization is necessary, but if I needed to, I'd have cue cards for all my courses.

3. Study Groups! … even if you’re a genius on your own.
Study Groups are excellent for pounding information in your head; they also make Studying a little bit less tedious and more fun. Your friends can help you answer questions you may have questions with, and if you are a genius, teaching someone how to do a problem will only further improve your genius-ness.

2. Make your own Note Sheet even if you already have Notes.
Making your own notes is something I do for almost every class (with the exception of English). I find making my own notes and writing the information in my own words helps me understand what I wrote down. There’s also something about writing with your hand, it makes an imprint on your brain of what you just wrote. (I know other people find word processing the notes better; not so good for me, but you might like to try it.) It may take awhile, but it will make a big difference. Another advantage is that leading up to the exam, you can review these notes. You're too late now for that massive textbook, and the notes you made at the actual lecture may or may not make sense to you.

1. Do your Homework.
Doing homework is the best possible way to study for anything. I find that if I keep up with Math / Physics / Chem / Bio Homework, when it comes time to study for an Exam, I think to myself, “I know this, so why am I even studying?”. Doing this homework may seem like a hassle to do every day, but in the long run, it will save you loads of time.

0. Keep your Cool
For all of the above, make sure you never get stressed or angry. Stress and Mood Swings are a big reason for people doing poorly in exams. I try to never get stressed for an exam, and stay easy going. I go into exams with confidence, thinking in my head, “I’m going to rock this exam!” and I come out usually doing so.

Hopefully these ideas will help!