Last minute studying is never a good idea, whether that means pulling an all-nighter or studying an hour before the exam begins. However, even the best college students sometimes find themselves in a situation where's there's not nearly enough time to prepare sufficiently for a midterm or final.
When cramming happens, it's unlikely that it's going to result in an A. However, by getting the most out of the time available, last minute studiers can often perform surprisingly well. Here are some tips to help students cram for an exam.
Remove All Study Distractions
When cramming for an exam, there's absolutely no time to procrastinate, so remove all possible study distractions. It's time to turn off cell phones, resist the urge to Twitter or use Facebook, and stay away from video games, TV, and anything else that's more fun than studying. To maximize focus, consider studying in a quiet location, like the library, where friends and neighbors won't steal away precious study time.
Prioritize the Material
One of the most important tricks to studying at the last minute is figuring out which material is most important to study. Material that is going to appear on the exam should be the main focus. Material that probably is not going to be on the exam should be glanced over quickly, just in case.
So is there a surefire way to figure out what material to prioritize? Of course not, and to be on the safe side, it's a good idea to take at least a quick glance over all the material. However, a savvy student can look for clues on what to expect. There's a good chance that material will be on the exam if this material:
- has been covered in detail or over a long period of time.
- appears in both the reading and in class notes in some detail.
- appears on a study sheet.
- has been pointed out by the instructor as material that is especially interesting, useful, or important.
- will be used in other classes in the major, especially if the current class is a prerequisite.
Make a Study Schedule
When studying at the last minute, it may be tempting to dive into the books and notes and learn as much as possible. This strategy is too disorganized and may lead to skipping over important material. Instead, students should take a few minutes to make a study schedule. After prioritizing the material, figure out how much time can and should be spent on each section. Then stick to the schedule, difficult as this might be, to avoid missing something important.
Outline the Main Points
Another important strategy for studying at the last minute is to start by looking at the big picture, as opposed to memorizing pieces of information that relate to the main picture. By outlining the main points of the course and understanding the structure of how everything fits together, students are more likely to retain valuable information.
Big picture questions to ask include:
- What is the main point of this course, summed up into one sentence?
- What are 3-5 related big points the instructor has emphasized?
- What does the instructor hope the students learn from this course?
- What is the main point of each of the textbooks and/or other course readings?
- What is the main point of Chapter 3 (or other chapter)?
- How do the main points from each of the readings fit together?
- What is the main point of the lecture notes from March 17 (or other day)?
- How do the main points from each of the lectures fit together?
Avoid Last Minute Reading
If a student has failed to keep up with the reading throughout the semester, this is not the time to catch up. A more effective strategy is to chalk this up as a loss and focus on reviewing the material that has been completed. If the readings contain chapter summaries, headings, or subheadings, read these over as a quick primer.
Last Minute Cramming Made Easy?
There's no way to replace a reasonably long study time with a few quick hours before the exam. However, by studying smart, last minute studying can be way better than nothing. By taking the time to create a study schedule and prioritize the material, and by focusing primarily on main points, the exam may be less painful than expected.
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