Got a big exam tomorrow? Need a really good grade? Don’t stress out. It’s never too late to start studying. Obviously, it’s better if you give yourself a few days, but don’t fret about lost time. Focus on the present and create a game plan that allows you to be as successful as possible.
Try These 5 Tips
While it may be tempting to throw in the towel when a test is quickly approaching and you feel like you’re out of time, the reality is that any progress you can make between now and test time will greatly benefit you. Here are some good study tips for when time is of the essence:
- Explain the Concepts to Yourself
Essays and open-ended questions on major topics are much more challenging than multiple-choice questions. Not only do you have to know the right answer, but you have to be capable of articulating your thoughts. One strategy to help you become better at essay questions is to verbally explain the idea to yourself.
“Trying to explain something can be a bit rough. As you try to talk through the idea, you also identify gaps in your thinking. You revise your explanation, trying to say it differently. This serves to enrich and repair your understanding,” Winston Sieck writes for Thinker Academy. “You may find that you need to look back over some of the earlier material to fully understand the idea. That’s great. You’re targeting what you don’t know. It’s how you study efficiently.”
- Use Flashcards
In an ideal world, you’d be able to sit down and study for an extended period of time without worrying about other responsibilities in your life. It rarely works out this way, though. Most of the time, you have to fit studying in where you can – like on work breaks or in between practice and dinner.
When your schedule is spotty, you need the ability to study whenever and wherever. By making flashcards with important concepts, you can quiz yourself at any time.
- Study With Other People
Similar to how explaining topics to yourself fleshes out gaps in thinking, studying with other people helps you gain clarity on topics and concepts that you don’t know a lot about. You’ll also find yourself explaining topics to other people, which helps you become even more prepared.
- Use the 50/10 Rule
Are you familiar with the 50/10 Rule? It states that you should take a 10-minute break for every 50 minutes of studying. This allows you to maximize your productivity and avoid getting burned out. Some people try a variation of this and do 25 minutes on and 5 minutes off. The key is to find a method that works for your personality and studying style.
- Be Proficient at One Thing
When you only have a limited time to study a large amount of content, you must be strategic with how you study. Rarely is it a good strategy to review all of the material. After all, what good does it do you to have a little bit of knowledge on everything?
Wouldn’t it be better to be proficient at three or four topics, than just average at everything? You might fail a couple of sections, but you’ll pass the others. This typically leads to a better grade than if you were to perform poorly on everything.
Hit the Books
What are you waiting for? Now’s the time to silence your phone, close the door, and put on a good Spotify playlist. You’ll be surprised by how much content you can cover in just a matter of hours when you utilize these proven tips and techniques. They will certainly improve your grades.