Being that I will be taking my second set of final exams at Purdue, I thought it would be wise to share the study tips that have helped me boost my test grades and have overall helped me become more effective learning. Hope they help!
Start Early
DON'T wait until the night (or two) before to begin your studies because then your mind will be to stressed trying to learn and remember all the information and the overwhelmingness of it all will prevent you from studying effectively. Instead, start studying a week or two in advance so your mind can start retaining information well in advance.
Review Notes/Powerpoints
Notes and powerpoints are often the most helpful tools when studying because they hold all the information professors are testing their students on. Reread your notes and expand on areas of confusion, then refer to the powerpoint slides to clear up any confusion.
Do Practice Problems
The only way to truly test your comprehension of a topic is by doing practice problems. Practice problems of all sorts are available online on sites such as Khan Academy, Clutchprep, YouTube, and many more. Pick 10 problems that best challenge and relate to the problems you performed in class and work through them until you build a solid understanding. Remember, if you get stuck refer to notes, powerpoints, and videos before you reference the answer key!
Find Your Place To Study
Study locations often don't seem that important when preparing for exams, but they can often impact how effectively we study without us even noticing. Quiet, secluded areas are often the most beneficial because there are little to no distractions present that keep students from focusing on their work. Find the location that's best for you and make the most use of it!
Take Breaks
While studying for hours on end might seem like a good idea, it often does more harm than good. Studying for multiple hours without taking breaks tires our brain and usually leads us to gather little to no information about the topic being studied. Rather than study for multiple hours with no breaks, study for short blitzes of time and take a break between each so your mind can rest and fully process the information it took in.
