Tests!!!!!
Everybody has to take them. Doesn't matter what major you are, what year you are, or what class you are taking. Everybody takes tests.
So if tests are inevitable, why not learn how to best deal with them?
There are many different approaches to studying for test, but in my own opinion, the 5 day study plan works best.
The 5 day study plan
How it works
The five day study plan is designed to help students progress in their preparedness for the test each day leading up to it. The plan involves learning new material every day and then reviewing it at the end of the session.
The 5 day study plan for a sample test looks something like this:
- Day 1: read chapter 1, create 2 hours of study material on chapter 1
- Day 2: read chapter 2, create 2 hours of study material on chapter 2, then review chapter 1 for 30 minutes
- Day 3: read chapter 3, create 2 hours of study material on chapter 3, then review chapter 1 for 10 minutes and chapter 2 for 30 minutes
- Day 4: read chapter 4, create 2 hours of study material on chapter 4, then review chapter 1 for 10 minutes, chapter 2 for 10 minutes, and chapter 3 for 30 minutes.
- Day 5; read each chapter overview, review chapter 1 for 15 minutes, review chapter 2 for 15 minutes, review chapter 3 for 15 minutes and review chapter 4 for 45 minutes
Stop! Your head isn't going to explode!
While the 5 day study plan looks like a lot of work at first, it starts to become more and more reasonable as you study it. This strategy is better than the cramming strategy because you learn the material over 5 days and constantly review it until the test.
It's Time Sensitive
For anyone who thinks that the 5 day study plan is too daunting, break it down and see how much work there really is each day. The 5 day study plan never requires a student to sit down for more than 3 hours a day. 3 hours?!? People who cram for tests will spend 4x as much time at the library the night before to get a good grade.
The Exhibit
I decided to use the five day study plan leading up to my last business law test and it worked wonderfully. Every night I would do exactly as the five day study plan instructed for as long as it took. By the end of the five days I felt so well educated on the subject that I would have published a book on it given the chance. The five day study plan boosted my grade by an entire letter.
The first test I spent cramming information into my brain one and two nights before. As a result I did not retain much of it and got a D on my test. The next test I took, I used the five day study plan. I started the studying process much earlier and as a result I got a B.
Reflection
I think that this technique has helped me more than anything else we have learned over the semester. Being able to ease my test anxiety and increase the effectiveness of my study hours has allowed me to get better grades and stay less stressed about it.
This semester of learning how to manage time, goals, etc. has helped me translate what I am learning into my other classes. I believe that the 5 day study plan will remain with me throughout the rest of my college career and into my professional life. In my professional life I hope to use as much of what I learned in this class as possible. Translating the 5 day study plan can be useful when managing deadlines or preparing a sales pitch or presentation. This is why it is so effective in school and practical everywhere else.
Credits:
Created with images by Hermann - "books education school" • eslfuntaiwan - "quiz test exam" • obpia30 - "clock time stand by" • jarmoluk - "library book britannica"