How to Study for End-of-Year Exams

Seniors+Camila+Torres+and+Melanie+Ezquezabal+using+their+study+plans+to+study+for+biology.+

Adriana Castro

Seniors Camila Torres and Melanie Ezquezabal using their study plans to study for biology.

Adriana Castro, Staff Writer

With end-of-year exams fast approaching, some study methods are always a good idea to learn about and incorporate in order to do well. There are many different things one can do to ensure that you are successful in all of your exams as they are very important especially for many upperclassmen. While there are certain methods that work for some people and not for others, these are all foolproof and can be incorporated in different ways to fit each person’s learning style.

First off, the most important thing to do is prepare to study for each of your upcoming exams. In order to do this, it is essential to come up with a study plan. This is crucial because many people are taking several exams including advanced placement, International Baccalaureate (IB) exams and End of Course (EOC) exams. Thus, it is not easy to keep up with studying for all of these exams. It is usually helpful to first create a template for your study plan and then fill it out day by day stating when you are going to dedicate time for each of the exams and include some days where you will take a break. Make sure to spread out the different exams you want to study for and not overload yourself so that you can continue to work through this study time and eventually come out successful.

A really good study method is to create your own study guide. Most of the time, there are teachers who create a study guide or template from which you can base off all the things you need to study. However, it is more effective when you create your own guide because you are able to put the information in your own words and thus are studying while you create it. It has been shown that the act of writing this out and then repeating it by studying increases your retention of this information.

“I always create my own study guides to study because through trial and error I have found it to be the most effective study method for me,” senior Kaylin Yudice said.

Finally, another really effective method to study is to organize group study sessions. It is crucial to make sure that you choose a motivated and focused group of individuals who will ensure everyone remains on the topic of studying for the exam. Sometimes it is easy to get distracted with a group but if you overcome that difficulty, many people can learn a lot from their friends. This is especially true because if one person understands a section well and then teaches it to the rest of the group, they will ultimately remember that section more because they taught it.

Pullquote Photo

I made sure to start studying ahead of time so that I could create a study plan and stick to it through testing month.

— Arlett Bouza

No matter what method you choose, it is imperative to remain focused toward your goals of doing well on these exams. Using one of these methods will also keep you organized and on track with your studying. Through trial and error, it will be simple to eventually understand which methods are the most effective for you.