Making an Exam Study Plan

On This Page: Why Cramming Fails | Build Your Plan | Choose Priorities | Sample Plan | Study Session | Adjust Your Plan | Exam is Close | Downloads | First Study Block

Turn “I Need to Study” into a Clear Plan

Knowing that you need to study is not the same as knowing what to do next.

A useful exam study plan identifies:

• What you need to learn or practice

• How much time you have

• Which topics need the most attention

• What you will do during each study session

• When you will check your progress

• How you will adjust if your schedule changes

Your plan does not need to be perfect. It needs to be realistic, specific, and flexible enough to help you keep moving forward.

On this page, you will learn:

• Why cramming does not work well

• How to build a simple study plan

• How to choose what to study first

• How to plan individual study sessions

• How to adjust your plan when life happens

• Study-planning downloads and resources

Cramming often creates the feeling that you are working hard because you are spending many hours with the material. However, one long study session gives you fewer opportunities to practice, forget, remember, check your understanding, and return to difficult ideas.

A better approach is to divide your work across several shorter sessions. Each session should have a specific purpose.

For example:

• Session 1: Identify the topics on the exam.

• Session 2: Practice the topics that feel most difficult.

• Session 3: Correct mistakes and ask questions.

• Session 4: Mix several types of problems together.

• Session 5: Complete a practice exam without notes.

• Session 6: Review the results and focus on remaining weaknesses.

Academic learning centers commonly recommend distributing exam preparation across several sessions and assigning a specific goal to each study block.

Quick Reflection

Think about your most recent exam.

• When did you begin studying?

• Did you study in one long session or several shorter sessions?

• What worked well?

• What would you change for your next exam?

Try It Now

Write down the date of your next exam.

Exam date: ______________________________

Number of days remaining: _______________

Date I will begin preparing: ______________

Even if the exam is close, begin with the time you have rather than focusing on the time you have lost.

A study plan does not need to be complicated. Begin with five questions.

Question 1: What Will Be on the Exam?

Gather the information you have about the exam:

• The exam date, time, and location

• The chapters, units, or lessons included

• The types of questions you may see

• Whether notes, calculators, formulas, or other resources are allowed

• Study guides or review sheets

• Previous homework, quizzes, or exams

• Information emphasized by your instructor

Do not assume that every topic requires the same amount of study time.

Question 2: What Do I Already Know?

List the topics that may appear on the exam and rate your current confidence.

Use this scale:

• 3 - Ready: I can complete this independently.

• 2 - Almost ready: I can do this with a reminder or example.

• 1 - Needs attention: I am unsure how to begin or regularly make mistakes.

Begin by giving more time to topics rated 1 or 2.

A confidence rating is only a starting point. Test your rating by trying a representative problem without notes.

Related download: Topic Confidence Checklist

Question 3: How Much Time Do I Have?

Look at the days between now and the exam.

Mark:

• Classes

• Work hours

• Family responsibilities

• Appointments

• Travel time

• Meals

• Sleep

• Other assignments and exams

• Times when you can realistically study

Avoid creating a plan that assumes every open minute will become study time. Leave room for breaks, unexpected events, and tasks that take longer than expected.

UNC’s final-exam planning guidance recommends placing exam times on a calendar, estimating the work needed, distributing study time, and including meals, breaks, and specific goals.

Question 4: What Will I Do During Each Session?

“Study Chapter 4” is too broad.

A useful study-session goal names a topic, an action, and a way to check your learning.

Broad Goal

Study equations.

More Useful Goal

Solve eight linear equations without notes. Check each answer by substituting it into the original equation. Correct any mistakes and write down questions to bring to tutoring.

Possible study-session activities include:

• Solve practice problems without notes

• Create a one-page summary from memory

• Complete a short practice quiz

• Explain a process aloud

• Correct missed homework or quiz problems

• Create and answer your own questions

• Mix several problem types together

• Teach a concept to a classmate

• Attend tutoring or office hours

• Complete a timed practice set

For a problem-solving exam, students benefit from practicing the kinds of problems they expect to encounter, analyzing their solution processes, and simulating exam conditions.

Related download: Active Study Menu

Question 5: How Will I Know Whether the Plan Is Working?

At the end of each session, ask:

• What can I now do without help?

• What still feels difficult?

• What mistakes am I repeating?

• Do I need more practice, a new explanation, or outside help?

• What should I work on during my next session?

A study plan should change as you learn more about your preparation.

When time is limited, prioritize rather than trying to give every topic equal attention.

Start with topics that are:

1. Likely to be important on the exam

2. Difficult for you

3. Connected to several other skills

4. Necessary for completing later problems

5. Causing repeated mistakes

Avoid spending most of your study time on the easiest material simply because it feels comfortable.

A Simple Priority System

High Priority

• Important exam topic

• Low confidence

• Frequent mistakes

• Need instructor or tutor help

Medium Priority

• Some understanding

• Can complete basic problems

• Need more independent practice

Lower Priority

• Can complete problems correctly without assistance

• Can explain why the process works

• Can recognize when to use the skill

Lower priority does not mean “never review.” It means the topic may need a shorter check rather than an entire study session.

Seven Days Before the Exam

• Identify what the exam covers.

• Gather notes, assignments, quizzes, and review materials.

• Complete the Topic Confidence Checklist.

• Choose your three highest-priority topics.

Six Days Before the Exam

• Practice Priority Topic 1.

• Work without notes for part of the session.

• Record mistakes and questions.

Five Days Before the Exam

• Practice Priority Topic 2.

• Correct earlier mistakes.

• Ask your instructor or tutor for help if needed.

Four Days Before the Exam

• Practice Priority Topic 3.

• Mix in a few problems from Topics 1 and 2.

• Update your confidence ratings.

Three Days Before the Exam

• Complete a mixed practice set.

• Practice identifying which strategy each problem requires.

• Review formulas, vocabulary, or key ideas from memory.

Two Days Before the Exam

• Complete a practice exam or timed problem set without notes.

• Check your work.

• Identify the final topics that need attention.

One Day Before the Exam

• Complete a brief review of the most important ideas.

• Correct one or two remaining mistakes.

• Organize permitted materials.

• Confirm the exam time and location.

• Avoid trying to relearn the entire course in one evening.

This example can be shortened, expanded, or rearranged to fit the amount of time available.

Each study block should have a beginning, middle, and end.

Before You Begin

Write down:

Topic: ______________________________________

What I will do: _______________________________

How long I will work: _________________________

How I will check myself: _______________________

During the Session

A sample 40-minute study block could include:

• 5 minutes: Recall important ideas without notes.

• 20 minutes: Solve problems or complete another active task.

• 10 minutes: Check, correct, and analyze your work.

• 5 minutes: Record questions and choose the next step.

Shorter sessions are also useful. Choose a length during which you can remain focused and productive.

At the End

Complete these statements:

• Today I improved at __________________________________.

• I still need to practice _______________________________.

• One question I have is ________________________________.

• My next study task will be _____________________________.

A missed study session does not mean your entire plan has failed.

Schedules change. Work runs late. Family responsibilities arise. Assignments take longer than expected. You may also discover that a topic requires more time than you originally planned.

The goal is not to follow the original plan perfectly. The goal is to make a useful next decision.

When a Session Is Missed

1. Look at the time remaining before the exam.

2. Identify the most important unfinished task.

3. Move, shorten, combine, or replace lower-priority tasks.

4. Schedule the revised task at a specific time.

5. Continue with the new plan.

Ask These Questions

• Which task is most important now?

• Which task can be shortened?

• Which task can be combined with another session?

• Which lower-priority task can be removed?

• Is there a small task I can complete today?

• Do I need to ask for help?

Avoid the “I’ll Do Everything Tomorrow” Trap

Moving several unfinished tasks to the same future day usually creates another unrealistic plan.

Instead, decide what is essential and choose a manageable next action.

Even with limited time, a plan can help you use the remaining time more intentionally.

If You Have Three Days

Day 1

• Identify the exam topics.

• Rate your confidence.

• Focus on the most difficult and important material.

Day 2

• Practice several problem types.

• Correct mistakes.

• Get help with questions you cannot resolve.

Day 3

• Complete a mixed or timed practice set.

• Review the results.

• Complete a brief final review.

If You Have One Day

• Identify the highest-priority topics.

• Practice representative problems rather than rereading everything.

• Check and correct your work.

• Review essential formulas and procedures from memory.

• Prepare permitted materials.

• Protect time for sleep.

A short plan cannot replace preparation over time, but it can help you avoid spending the remaining time on low-priority activities.

• Exam Study Plan - Use this worksheet to identify exam topics, set priorities, and schedule several study sessions.

• Topic Confidence Checklist - Rate your readiness for each exam topic and identify the areas that need the most attention.

• Active Study Menu - Choose a specific study activity when you are unsure what to do during a study session.

• Practice Problem Tracker - Record what you practiced, your accuracy, recurring errors, and your next step.

• Mistake Analysis Sheet - Examine one missed problem closely, correct it, explain the error, and try a similar problem.

Before leaving this page, schedule one study session.

Date: ________________________________________

Start time: ___________________________________

Topic: ________________________________________

Activity: ______________________________________

How I will check my learning: ___________________

You do not need to plan every detail before beginning. Choose one meaningful next step, place it on your schedule, and begin there.