We have all been there. The school year starts slowly and exams seem far away. Then time flies, the exam period draws near and you feel far from ready. How do you study for an exam without panicking? Here are 5 practical tips to study well and pass your exams, in secondary school as well as in higher education.
1. Find the study method that suits you
Everyone studies in their own way. Some like background music, others need complete silence. Some work best in the morning, others in the afternoon or evening.
There is no foolproof technique. The best method is the one that fits your personality, your needs and the subject. To find it, ask yourself three questions:
- When are you most productive? Early in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening?
- Where do you study best? At home, at the library, alone or with others?
- How do you prefer to work? On paper or on screen, with summaries, diagrams or your class notes?
Try out several approaches, ideally before the exam period, then keep the one that works for you. Your method will also change from one course to another: even if you dislike summaries, a dense course will probably call for one.
After each exam period, take stock. What worked well? What gave you trouble? This short review helps you improve the way you study from one exam period to the next.
2. Manage your time with a study schedule
Lots of material, little time: you quickly lose control if you do not start early. Begin with a to-do list for each course, and cross off each task once it is done. Watching the list shrink is very motivating.
The secret is precise tasks. Compare:
- Precise: “study chapter 1”, “do the exercises for chapter 1”, “redo last year’s exam under timed conditions”;
- Too vague: “study the book”, “do the exercises”.
Then build a day by day study schedule with realistic goals. Put difficult tasks at your most productive hours and easier tasks for when your energy drops.
Plan breaks and downtime too. A well known method called Pomodoro alternates 25 minutes of work with a 5 minute break: it helps many students stay focused. And do not put off the course you dread: it is often the one that needs the most time.
3. Organise your workspace
Your concentration partly depends on your surroundings. Before you start, take a few minutes to set up your study corner:
- a tidy desk, with only the material for today’s course;
- a well lit room, with natural light if possible;
- a comfortable chair at the right height;
- your phone in another room, or at least on silent.
Notifications break your concentration far more than you think. Social media in particular can swallow a whole afternoon of study without you noticing.
If you can, also keep your work space separate from your relaxation space: the desk for studying, the bed for resting. Your brain gradually links each place to an activity, which helps you focus during the day and fall asleep at night.
4. Study effectively, not just for long hours
Studying a lot is not enough, you also need to study effectively. To save time during the exam period, keep your notes and summaries up to date throughout the year.
Rereading your course several times or highlighting it feels like mastery, but you remember less than you think. Research in the psychology of learning shows that two techniques work better:
- Testing yourself: closing the course and trying to recall the material, answering questions, redoing exercises without looking at the solution;
- Spacing out your study: reviewing the same chapter several times, a few days apart, rather than in one long block.
Learning by heart alone is rarely enough. Your teachers also expect you to understand the material and to make links between the parts of the course. Before the exam, ask yourself what questions you might be asked, from the most precise to the most general.
Adapt your preparation to the type of exam as well. For an oral exam, practise out loud. For a written exam that requires argument, write out your reasoning. If you can get hold of past exams, sit them under real conditions, with the same time limit and the same tools.
Finally, try explaining the material to someone else. If you get stuck while explaining, you know exactly what you still need to review.
5. Avoid unpleasant surprises
Your teachers often communicate by email or through an online platform. Check them regularly, and download important documents as soon as possible: course outline, required reading, assessment methods.
Write down the date, time and room of each exam as soon as they are announced. An exam can be moved: always check the details the day before.
And look after yourself during the exam period. Sleep helps your memory consolidate what you have studied: an all nighter before an exam usually does more harm than good.
The most important thing: consistency
To pass your exams, regular work beats one huge, isolated effort. What is the point of studying ten hours straight on the first day if you do nothing afterwards? Stick to your schedule, and do not get discouraged if you fall a little behind: adjust it and keep going.
If you find it hard to get organised or to know how to study, you can get help. At My Sherpa, an educational advisor chooses a coach who helps you build your study method or get back on track in a difficult subject, with private lessons at home anywhere in Belgium or online. Students in higher education can also get support during their study leave before exams.
Good luck with your exams!
