B W P Theme (2025)

FAQs

Is 2 days enough to study for an exam? ›

In general, plan to start about 7-10 days in advance to make sure you maximize your study time. Remember, it is better to space your studying out over a period of days rather than clustering your studying just before the exam. Ten hours of studying over 5 days is better than 10 hours of studying over 2 days!

You might be wondering, “Is three days even enough time to study for an exam?” Generally, the earlier you start studying the better. Having an adequate amount of time to prepare can lead to great success. But if you're getting a late start, 3 days can do the trick!

Contrary to popular belief, cramming doesn't work. In fact, it can cause more harm than help. It's better to plan everything ahead of time and spread out your study periods for at least one week before the exam. In this way, you will have enough time to develop a deeper understanding of the subject.

The general rule of thumb regarding college studying is, that for each class, students should spend approximately 2-3 hours of study time for each hour that they spend in class. Non-science courses: For every 1 unit you are enrolled, you are recommended to spend approximately two hours outside of class studying.

You can study effectively from 30 minutes to six hours per day when you space out learning over a long period and integrate proven learning methods into your study time. Such methods include interleaved learning, retrieval practice, transforming notes into different formats, and self-explanation.

You can use a combination of good test-taking techniques, such as reading the exam carefully, answering easy questions first, and using special strategies to tackle the multiple choice and true/false sections of the exam. It is also important to go into the exam well-rested, fed, and relaxed!

When it comes to understanding how many hours should you study for an exam, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. It really depends on your needs and how tricky the subject is. But as a friendly guideline, consider spending 2-3 hours studying on your own for every hour you spend in class.

How to study the night before an exam? ›

A good rule of thumb is to focus for 30- to 45-minute increments followed by 5-minute breaks. If you try to cram in all the information the night before the test, your brain will overload and you'll have to work to regain your focus on studying.

Start Early:

Thus you will perform better on an exam if you spend one hour studying each day for 20 days than if you spend 10 hours studying for two days before an exam. Adjust your studying according to difficulty or amount of content to be covered or reviewed.

"At some point, waiting too long [between sessions] could have a negative effect [on learning]," Kornell says. "However, most of us space far too little. Practically speaking, too much spacing is not really a danger anyone should worry about."

The first thing you need to realize is that you can't possibly study everything in the course in one day. That's simply impossible and would require way more time than you have. Think of your study session as a type of "triage," where you only concentrate on the most important concepts, terms, and ideas in the course.

It can be as low as 20 hours per week and as high as 70 hours per week. For example, at Ivy League schools such as Yale, some top students spend about 50 hours per week studying. However, there are top students who spend 30 hours (or less) per week studying.