Q&A for How to Create a Study Schedule to Prepare for Final Exams

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  • Question
    How many hours should I study for a final exam?
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Expert Answer
    Ideally, you should spend a couple of hours each week during the semester to review the material you covered in class that week. Then, as finals approach, try to begin studying for that final exam at least two weeks out.
  • Question
    How can I prepare for my final exams?
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Expert Answer
    Creating a study schedule is a great place to start. From there, review your notes, make a study guide, create flashcards, and take practice exams to help prepare yourself.
  • Question
    How can I study for an exam in a small amount of time?
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Expert Answer
    Cramming for a test is proven to be an ineffective test taking strategy. If you don't have much time to prepare for an exam, find a quiet place where you can focus, create a study guide or review for the course, and try taking a practice test.
  • Question
    How should I study for exam time?
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Expert Answer
    Testing yourself (whether through flashcards or taking practice tests) is the most effective method for exam prep.
  • Question
    How do I not get distracted while studying for exams?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Find a quiet, neat place to study. This might mean a coffee shop or somewhere on campus that's free of your normal distractions. You should also put any electronics away - smartphones, mp3 players, tablets - anything that's easy to pick up and fiddle with when you should be studying.
  • Question
    I have only 18 days before final exams, can you give me some tips to study?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Make a study schedule to follow for the remaining days before exams. Allocate enough time to each subject, but give more time to the subjects you have a harder time with.
  • Question
    What if I am having anxiety and can't study?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Take a deep breath, relax, and surround yourself with calming, pleasant things. Think positive. Tell yourself that you will pass your exams. Don't worry about anything, and try not to think about what grades you might get or whether or not you will be able to finish studying.
  • Question
    How can I concentrate only on my work?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Avoid all kinds of distractions. Focus on your main aim or objective of studying. Always keep in mind why you are studying.
  • Question
    How do I know how much time to give to each subject?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Plan on spending more time studying the subjects you find most difficult and less time with the subjects you find easier. Try breaking it up into blocks of one hour for a difficult subject, followed by a half hour for an easier subject, see how that works for you, and adjust accordingly.
  • Question
    How do I make a timetable?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
  • Question
    How to prepare if I have more material left than the days?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Prioritize the things you're least prepared for. Study the things that are hardest for you or that you are behind on first. If there's time left, then go over the easier things.
  • Question
    How can I study late at night?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    In a perfect world, you shouldn't, but that's not always possible. Make sure you schedule times where you can sleep during the day or early morning. When you start your study session, drink something with caffeine, like coffee or some tea. (Not too much, or else you won't be able to sleep later.) Make sure you have adequate lighting -- not just your computer screen. Besides that, apply good study habits such as organization, flash cards, etc.
  • Question
    What are some tips on studying one subject in a month?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try to split up the time evenly among several days. For example, study for at least 15 minutes each day, depending on the complexity of the subject, how well your understand it, and how much time you have to study.
  • Question
    How should I do this if I have two months before exams?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Start with practice tests for all subjects. Once you've done those, you will be able to tell which topics are still a problem for you. Figure out how much time you have each week to study, and prioritize the hardest topics/subjects. Take notes for topics you struggle with, and review those notes on a very regular basis (every other day is a good place to start).
  • Question
    How can I stop procrastinating?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Just tell yourself that you have to get it done. Be firm with yourself. Realize that if you procrastinate, you will not only waste valuable study time, you will also be in a mad scramble at the last minute trying to prepare for your finals. Remember, after finals, you will be on a break. Just remember to get it done so that you can feel good about studying and feel confident in the material you study. It will make it so much easier for your final exams to get your work and start studying a bit early so that you are confident and will get better grades than when you try to cram everything in your brain last minute.
  • Question
    Should I eat a good meal and sleep well before the exam?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Absolutely. Research shows that the quality of your sleep the night before an exam can affect memory consolidation and exam performance. Eat healthy, well-balanced meals, and avoid heavy foods that make you groggy or lethargic. Avoid caffeine and sugary foods going into the exam as well. They leave you vulnerable to unpredictable crashes, and you could suddenly find yourself feeling very poorly right when you need to be at your best.
  • Question
    How can I avoid watching TV and using phones and develop interest in my studies?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Either work in a quiet place where you cannot access a television, like a library, or disconnect your television so that if you have the urge to turn it on, it will not turn on. Put your phone downstairs or in another room when you're at home studying, or put it in your bag and turn off notifications so you're not distracted by it.
  • Question
    During finals, I feel very stressed. How much rest do I need if I study for 2 hours?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Sleeping 8 hours should be sufficient. If you get tired, plan for a 20-30 minute mid-day nap.
  • Question
    How can I make a study plan that will get me to the top of my class in a short period of time?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Getting to the top of your class is a long term goal; you need to study a lot every single day. Talk to the other people at the top of the class and ask for advice. Ask the teacher for help if you need it, and take advantage of any extra credit opportunities. Use a planner and record every upcoming test, assignment, project, etc. so you always know what is due and when.
  • Question
    How do I keep songs out of my head when I'm studying?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Listen to the whole song before you study or just take a short break to listen to that song in order to get rid of it in your head. A song is often stuck in your head because you can only remember certain lines and not the entire lyrics. Your brain is struggling to finish the thought, and listening to the whole song can help.
  • Question
    How do I study as efficiently as possible?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Try various methods to find a couple that work best for you. Lots of people find mindmaps, flashcards, charts, and diagrams useful. If you find your best methods for learning, then you'll be on your way to efficient studying!
  • Question
    What do I do if I have exams and I don't know anything?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You should probably start by taking some practice tests. It is also good to ask a couple of classmates to meet up for a study session and review with them. Try looking over all the notes and sheets your teacher/professor has provided you with. This should help you understand and learn the material as much as you can before the exam. If none of this works, you should go to your professor/teacher and let them know, and chances are they will have some advice for you or some extra study materials.
  • Question
    How do I study something with full concentration?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Find a quiet place with no distractions. Don't listen to music, for as a general rule, it tends to distract you, although classical music can help some people. Get rid of distractions in your working area, like other papers or general clutter. Get rid of your phone while you are studying - put it on silent and in your bag, or if you can, in another room. Try to make sure there is nothing in your study area that will divide your attention when studying.
  • Question
    What do I do if I study for my exams, but I give the wrong answers?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You will have done your best, and that's what counts. If you have studied and revised hard, then it's not your fault; you've tried hard and done your best.
  • Question
    I have a science exam tomorrow, I studied all chapters, but I’m stuck with the hard ones. I can't concentrate as well as I have a big family. Are there any tips that I should know about?
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    I_l1ke_gam3s
    Community Answer
    Try to block out all noises if possible, and in the worst case, go to a different place.
  • Question
    How many hours should an 11th-grade student study?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    An 11th-grader should study three or four hours a day, focusing on a balanced approach to cover all subjects.
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