Best way to study for an exam when you only have a week

Hey Donald,

First off, take a day or even just a few hours to assess what you already know and what the exam covers. Go through your syllabus or notes and make a list of key topics, then rate them based on your confidence level. Prioritize the ones you're weakest in, since that's where you'll get the most bang for your buck. For example, if it's a history exam, focus on major events like World War II timelines rather than every minor detail.

Once you've got your priorities, break the week into focused study sessions. Aim for 4-6 hours a day with breaks to avoid burnout, maybe using the Pomodoro technique where you study for 25 minutes straight then take a 5-minute break. Alternate between reviewing concepts and doing practice problems. if it's math, solve at least 10 problems per topic daily to build speed. Mix in active recall by quizzing yourself without looking at notes, which really helps retention.

Towards the end of the week, dedicate time to full practice exams under timed conditions to simulate the real thing. Review your mistakes right after and reinforce those areas. Get plenty of sleep each night, as that's crucial for memory consolidation. If you're unsure about a topic's importance, quickly check with a classmate or professor rather than guessing. This approach has worked for me in cramming situations, and it keeps things efficient without overwhelming you.

I used to freak out about cramming for exams and but then I tried breaking it down into daily chunks. First, list all the key topics from the syllabus. Spend the first day reviewing notes and identifying weak areas. That way, you focus on what's important.

Next, allocate two days for in-depth study of those weak spots. Use active recall techniques, like flashcards or teaching the material to yourself. Practice problems if it's a subject like math or science. By day four, start mixing in review of stronger areas to keep everything fresh.

Finally, the last two days should be for full practice exams under timed conditions. Review mistakes immediately. Get good sleep each night. it helps retention. This method got me through my finals without pulling all-nighters.

Idk man, I just winged it last time with a loose plan and it kinda worked. Start by skimming everything quickly to get the big picture. Then dive into the stuff you suck at.

Make flashcards for quick facts. Quiz yourself daily. Mix in some breaks to avoid burnout.

End with practice tests. Time yourself. Review what you got wrong. That's basically it. kept me sane.

Honestly, pick three high yield areas and one weak spot. Skim two past papers and note the repeats. Make one simple crib sheet you can glance at morning and night.

Each day I did 90 minutes of timed questions, checked answers fast, and wrote only the misses in a tiny note. Then 45 minutes trying to teach the hardest bit out loud. After that, 20 minutes of flashcards while walking or on a break. Keep the phone in another room and set a timer. Stop at a set time and sleep.

Two days out, run a full mock, then review only the mistake list. Day before, light review and a short walk, no cramming. Idk, this kept me focused without frying my brain.

Hi Donald,

Divide your week: days 1-2 review notes. Days 3-4 practice questions. Days 5-6 full mocks and review errors. Day 7 light review and rest.

Stop trying to cover everything. List the exam topics and skim two recent past papers to see what repeats. Mark each topic A, B, or C by yield and your weakness. Run a 45 minute baseline quiz under exam rules and log misses.

Days 2 to 6 follow one loop. Morning: 60 to 90 minutes of active recall on A topics closed book. Midday: two B topics, teach-back or short problems, then a 30 minute mixed set. Evening: review the error log and a small flashcard deck you built from misses. Keep C topics to tiny fact bites only if they have easy points.

Day 7 is two timed mocks and only error log review. No new content. I overthought for years & but a single error log, a one page formula sheet, and fixed blocks removed the noise.