In exam week, what matters is not the number of hours you study but the structure determines the outcome. These are the three techniques whose effectiveness is best established in the cognitive psychology literature.
Active recall
Instead of rereading your notes, close them and try to recall. The effort of recall fixes information in long-term memory far better than passive reading.
Spaced repetition
Instead of studying one subject for six hours in one go, spread it over six days, an hour at a time. Working against the forgetting curve, this method multiplies retention.
Pomodoro
25 minutes of uninterrupted work plus a 5-minute break. After the fourth cycle, take a 20-minute break. Leave your phone in another room.
Choosing your space
Working in the study hall makes concentration easier, thanks to the quiet accountability a shared environment creates. Our study halls are open 24 hours during exam periods.
Sleep and nutrition
A sleepless night leaves much of that day’s work unconsolidated. Giving up a night’s sleep before an exam usually costs more marks than it wins.
