In the last couple of years, I read over 100 articles on How To Study Effectively For Exams from people like Ali Abdaal and Thomas Frank and dozens of books about how to study.
There were quite a few tips that many people are familiar with, like being consistent with studying, getting enough sleep, etc.
However, I wanted to discover uncommon techniques, no one else knows.
How To Study Effectively For Exams: 4 Advanced Methods You (Probably) Haven't Heard Of
💱 If you have just understood a topic, switch to another, similar one.
When learning addition, it does not make sense to practice 10 similar examples where you just switch the numbers you are adding. By challenging our brains and switching to subtraction as soon as we have understood addition we are forcing our brains to make an effort. Also, this already simulates the structure of an exam. At the exam, the questions are not divided into topics.
📝 Do the mock exam in the beginning, not in the end.
Most people wait until one day before the exam till doing the mock exam. However, the advantage of answering it at the beginning is that your brain already knows the style of the questions your professor is asking. You are now able to focus on what is important while reading the study slides.
Do I have to focus on understanding, or does he ask for the exact definition? Should I focus on details or the getting a basic understanding?
🔗 Connect your knowledge with other areas of your life.
I know this may sound hard. Especially when talking about subjects like maths or history. I gave it a try and was surprised by what answers I came up with. These are some example questions, students of a nearby university told me:
How can I use what I have learned to achieve a goal I set for myself? Why will this information help me in the future? How can I use this information to solve a problem I currently have?
🗺 End the day with a quick 10-minute mind map of the most important things you have learned today.
Until I heard this method I used to consume as much information as I could, until the very last minute of my study sessions. However, it is way more beneficial to summarize and structure the information you have consumed today. 🧠 The brain learns and builds stronger connections by generating output and searching for information that is needed at the moment.
Did you already know some of the techniques? Or do you have something to add? I would be very interested.
Check out more articles on How To Study Effectively For Exams here:
Lukas
Lukas
Lukas