Exam preparation: best study plan used by top 1% of students

Exam preparation in nutshell:

✔️ Step 1: Strategies for taking notes and being active in class

✔️ Step 2: Organize your study in a few simple steps

✔️ Step 3: Top tips for a more productive and engaging study

✔️ Step 4: How to best review your study material

✔️ Step 5: Dos and don’ts the day before exam

How to study efficiently for a test? It’s all about working smarter, not harder. With the right approach, you can make the most of your study time and pass exams without stress.

Step 1: follow the lectures and take notes

At first, it’s essential to attend lectures, make notes and start studying step by step. Here are 3 tried-and-true tips to help you ace that test without feeling overwhelmed.

Be active in class

Let’s talk about the power of active participation in class. You know, it’s not just about being physically present and jotting down notes—it’s about truly engaging with the material. 

When you actively participate in discussions, ask questions, and share your thoughts with your peers, you’re not just learning, you’re mastering the material. 

Think about it: when you’re actively involved, you’re not just memorizing facts, you’re understanding concepts, seeing connections, and gaining valuable insights. 

But how to actually be active in class?

• Speak up: don’t be shy! Share your thoughts, ask questions, and join discussions. Your voice matters!
• Stay engaged: take active notes, participate in activities, and stay focused. Active involvement leads to better understanding.
• Prepare beforehand: come ready to learn by reviewing materials, bringing necessary supplies, and being mentally present. Preparation sets the stage for active participation!

Take notes

Taking notes in class it’s not just a routine task; it’s an integral part of effective learning. When we capture key points during lectures, we’re essentially creating our own personalized study resource. Having our notes handy can be a total lifesaver when it comes to studying for tests or tackling assignments. 

Here are some tips to take effective notes:

1. Stay organized: use a system that works for you, whether it’s outlining, bullet points, or conceptual maps. Keep your notes structured and easy to follow.
2. Capture key information: focus on recording essential concepts, definitions, and examples rather than trying to transcribe everything word-for-word.
3. Use abbreviations and symbols: develop your own shorthand to speed up the note-taking process without sacrificing clarity.
4. Stay engaged: don’t just passively write down information—ask questions, participate in discussions, and connect new ideas to what you already know.

Also, with dende, you can take our notes to the next level by transforming them into interactive quizzes and flashcards. This allows you to learn step by step, actively engaging with the material. Additionally, you have the opportunity to supplement our notes with missing information as you review them.

Make a conceptual map of lessons

Making diagrams and concept maps of lessons is super important because they help us wrap our heads around tricky stuff. Instead of just reading boring text, we get to see the info laid out in a clear and organized way. 

Here are some ideas for studying visually:

1. Hierarchy concept map: this concept map organizes information in a hierarchical structure, with the main concept or topic at the top and subtopics branching out below. Each level of the hierarchy represents a different level of detail or specificity.
2. Spider concept map: the spider concept map starts with a central idea or topic in the center of the map, and branches outwards like spokes on a wheel. Each branch represents a different aspect or subtopic related to the central idea, with additional branches extending from these subtopics as needed. 
3. Flowchart concept map: these map represents a sequence of steps or processes in a visual format, using symbols and arrows to indicate the flow of information or actions. Each step in the flowchart is represented by a different shape, such as a rectangle for a process or action, a diamond for a decision point, or an oval for the start or end of the flowchart.

These methods make it way easier to understand, especially if you learn better when you can see things visually. 

Step 2: Focus on your study plan

Create a study plan (and stick to it)

I know, planning isn’t always fun, but trust me, it works. A well-structured study plan is essential for efficient test preparation. Start by determining the amount of material you need to cover. Make sure to allocate enough time for each topic based on its difficulty level and your familiarity with it. 

Divide your study time into smaller chunks and review regularly to help remember information and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Don’t forget to mix things up with different study methods, like making flashcards or explaining concepts to a friend. 

Additionally, set specific goals for each study session and track your progress to stay motivated and accountable. By creating a clear and organized study plan, you can maximize your study time and minimize distractions.

Set up your study space

Now that you have your study plan, you can deal with where you study. Imagine this: you’ve got your textbooks, notes, and dende’s quizzes ready to roll, but your study space is a total chaos. Your study space can make a huge difference in how well you focus.

Find a cozy spot that’s free from distractions (yes, that means saying sayonara to your phone for a bit!). Keep your study area tidy and organized, with all your study materials readily accessible.

Step 3: Find your way to study and retain information

Exam preparation can be intimidating, but with the right study techniques and tools, it’s possible to face even the most difficult tests with confidence. 

AI study tools superpower

Let’s face it: technology is pretty amazing. And when it comes to studying, AI-powered tools can be a game-changer. Platforms like dende, Jenni AI or ChatGPT use advanced algorithms to personalize your learning experience.

Picture this: you’re gearing up for a biology exam, and the topic of cell structure has you feeling overwhelmed. That’s where dende’s AI study tools come in to save the day. Simply upload your biology textbook PDF, and in a flash, dende generates personalized quizzes tailored to the material. No more tedious hours crafting questions or flipping through pages. 

Plus, dende makes studying more engaging and interactive, which can help you stay motivated and focused. So why not take advantage of these high-tech study tools?

Study with flashcards

Flashcards are a classic study tool for a reason—they’re simple, effective, and versatile. Whether you’re quizzing yourself on vocabulary words, equations, or historical dates, flashcards can help you drill down on key concepts and test your knowledge in bite-sized chunks. 

Plus, they’re portable, so you can study anytime, anywhere—whether you’re waiting for the bus or taking a study break at the coffee shop.

Multiple choice tests

Multiple choice tests are a common format for exams. But instead of just passively answering questions, why not use them as a study tool?

With dende you can create your own multiple choice quizzes based on your study material and challenge yourself to think critically and apply what you’ve learned. 

dende gives you immediate feedback on your answer 

Not only will this help you identify areas where you need more practice, but it’ll also familiarize you with the format of the exam. And hey, who knows—maybe you’ll even start to enjoy multiple choice questions!

Step 4: Review your weak areas

The exam is approaching, you have been studying for weeks: now is the time to review. And to do it best, there are some review techniques you absolutely must know.

Spaced repetition

Ever feel like you’ve studied something only to forget it the next day? That’s where spaced repetition comes in. This technique involves reviewing material at increasing intervals over time, allowing you to reinforce your learning and commit information to long-term memory.

Utilize dende’s AI flashcard maker to leverage the benefits of the spaced repetition algorithm. 

Through spaced practice, questions or flashcards are presented to you at intervals optimized for memory retention, allowing your brain to absorb the concepts effectively and recall them effortlessly.

By revisiting the material at strategic intervals, you’ll strengthen your retention and recall, making it easier to retrieve information come exam day. 

An example? Let’s say you’re learning vocabulary words in a foreign language. With spaced repetition, instead of cramming all the words into your brain in one study session, you spread out your practice over time.

• First, you start by learning a set of new vocabulary words. You might use flashcards to review the words and their meanings.
• Next, you practice recalling these words at specific intervals. For example, you might review the words again after one day, then three days later, then one week later, and so on.

Each time you review the words, you focus more on the ones you struggled with or forgot, while spending less time on the ones you remembered easily.

Active recall

Forget mindlessly rereading your notes—active recall is where it’s at. Active recall is another indispensable study technique that pairs perfectly with spaced repetition and flashcards. 

This technique involves actively retrieving information from memory, rather than simply reviewing it passively. Quiz yourself, explain concepts out loud, or teach the material to a study buddy.

As mentioned before, through personalized flashcards generated from study materials, dende facilitates regular practice testing, enhancing active retrieval of information. With instant feedback, you can track progress and target weak areas. 

By incorporating active recall into your study routine alongside spaced repetition and flashcards, you create a dynamic approach that optimizes learning and boosts exam performance.

Step 5: What to do the day before an exam (dos and don’ts)

The day before a big exam is super important for getting ready, but you also have to find a balance between getting stuff done and chilling out. 

Here are some things you should and shouldn’t do to make sure you’re totally ready when the big day arrives:

Dos:

• Review key concepts: spend some time reviewing key concepts, formulas, or vocabulary relevant to the exam. Focus on areas where you feel less confident and aim to reinforce your understanding.
• Stay calm and manage stress: it’s natural to feel nervous before an exam, but try to keep your stress levels in check. Maybe get some distraction, rest your mind and do something you enjoy. Remind yourself that you’ve prepared as best as you can and trust in your abilities.
• Get a good night’s sleep: aim for at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep the night before the exam. A good rest is crucial for cognitive function, memory consolidation, and overall performance.

Don’ts:

• Study all night: avoid the temptation to pull an all-nighter cramming for the exam. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can impair cognitive function and memory, ultimately hindering your performance.
• Introduce new material: resist the urge to try to learn new material the day before the exam. Focus on reviewing what you already know rather than trying to cram in last-minute information, which can lead to confusion and overwhelm.
• Stress over perfection: strive for your best performance, but remember that perfection is unrealistic. Putting too much pressure on yourself can backfire and increase anxiety levels, so aim for progress rather than perfection.

To sum it up, nailing your exam preparation isn’t just about absorbing info—it’s about using smart strategies to learn and remember what you need. By trying out tips like active recall, spaced repetition, and using tools like Dende,  . So, don’t stress, study smart, and ace that test!