6d • Study Tips
You've got your study schedule. Now what do you actually study?
Most students sit down, open their notes, and start reading. That's the wrong move. Here's the system that actually works.
Step 1️⃣ — Figure out what's on the exam
This sounds obvious but most students skip it. Before you study anything, get clear on what's actually being tested. Ask your teacher what units are covered, what types of questions to expect, and where the marks are weighted. Then build your study plan around that — not around everything you covered all semester. Don't study what isn't on the exam!
Step 2️⃣ — Master topics first, then interleave
Start by studying one unit at a time in isolation. This is called blocked practice — your brain is primed to use specific concepts because you know exactly which unit you're in. Master the techniques in that unit before moving on. Once you've worked through each unit, switch to interleaving — mixing questions from across all units randomly. This is harder, but that's the point. An exam doesn't tell you which chapter you're in. Interleaving trains you to figure that out on your own, which is exactly what separates students who studied from students who prepared.
Step 3️⃣ — Focus on what you don't know
Time is limited. There's no point reviewing material you already have down cold. Be ruthless about this:
- Struggling with a topic? Spend more time there
- Confident on a topic? Review it briefly and move on
- A topic carries more exam weight? Prioritize it
If you review your notes and genuinely don't understand something — get help immediately. Don't sit on confusion for days. Find a different resource, watch a different explanation, or book a tutoring session. You don't have time to wait it out.
Step 4️⃣ — Test yourself constantly
The single biggest mistake students make is passive studying. Reading your notes is not studying. Looking at a worked example and nodding along is not studying. Your brain needs to be forced to retrieve information, not just recognize it. The research is clear on this. Students who test themselves consistently outperform students who re-read their notes — even when the re-readers spend more time studying.
Try these active recall study methods instead:
- Brain dump — close your notes and write out everything you know about a topic. Then check what you missed
- Flashcards — formulas, definitions, key concepts
- True/false or fill-in-the-blank questions — you can use AI tools to generate these instantly
- Practice problems — closed book, written out, like it's the real thing
If you can solve a problem without looking at your notes, you know it. If you can't, you don't — no matter how many times you've read it.
The formula is simple: study closed book → evaluate your answer → identify the gap → fill it → repeat.
Do that across all your units, then interleave, and you'll walk into that exam more prepared than 90% of your class.
You've got all the tools to begin studying for exams! I will keep posting tips along the way.
Happy studying,
Gabe
1
0 comments
You've got your study schedule. Now what do you actually study?
powered by
skool.com/elite-math-support-coaching-5983
Most treat the symptom. I treat the cause. This isn't your typical math group. I find out why a student is struggling — and fix it permanently!
Suggested communities
Powered by