How to Ace a College Exam

As another round of midterms roll around, my study habits and grind are on full mode. Over the past few years, I’ve developed different studying skills and habits that have allowed me to perform well on my college exams. In the post, I want to pass along what I’ve learned about studying in hopes that you all can use these tips to improve your studying as well! 

Starting Early 

This is probably a no-brainer by now. Do NOT procrastinate. You’ve heard this a million times, but I cannot stress enough how important this piece of advice is. Starting early and staying on top of the material will make studying so much easier once exam week rolls around. 

Attending Office Hours

Office hours are separate hours during the week where the professor or the TA open up their offices for students to walk in and ask any questions they may have. I’ve gone to office hours a lot, especially for classes that I struggled in. I’ve noticed that I understand things ten times better after getting one-on-one attention from the professor or TA. 

Creating a study guide in your own words

I always organize the material I need to know into a concise study guide. But the key to my study guide is that I write everything in my own words, because then I am able to remember everything easily! 

Group Studying

Once you have your study guide complete, you can form study groups and learn from each other. Other students’ explanations may resonate with you, and this will allow you to remember details on the exam that you otherwise may not have remembered! 

I try to do my best and follow this studying process for every class I take. And of course, it’s easier said than done, but I always try to find a good study spot or grab my favorite snack to motivate me to start early and study efficiently!