5 Great Ways to Study for Your Midterm Exams

Midterms can be scary. They make up a large portion of your grade, they cover half a year of material, and they can be several hours long.

However, midterms are also important. They show the progress you have made throughout the first half of the year and test your knowledge of this material.

Midterms should not be something to be scared of because while they can be challenging, it is entirely possible to do well on your midterms. Here are five ways to study for your midterm exams that will set you up for success:

1. Start Studying for Midterm Exams Early

Since midterms cover several months of material, you cannot cram for it over only a few days. Also, since you will be taking midterms for several classes, it would be impossible to only begin studying a few days before. I recommend starting to study a few weeks before the midterms begin.

While this might seem a bit early, studying does not have to be intense. It can consist of looking over notes for several minutes or doing a few problems on topics you might have forgotten. By starting early, you won’t be overwhelmed before midterms begin which will improve your confidence, which is crucial during these exams.

2. Focus on Big Topics

It’s nearly impossible to memorize or relearn several months of information in a few weeks for so many different classes. That’s why it’s important to focus on the main concepts that you know you will see on the test.

Midterms consist of the main ideas from the first half of the year. You will either be given a study guide highlighting these topics or you can ask your teacher about concepts you should prioritize. Focus on topics you spent a lot of time learning about in class. It’s likely that the exam will consist of the concepts your teacher emphasized the most.

In my experience, midterms usually consist of broader topics rather than specific facts. Therefore, it’s important to focus on the overarching ideas rather than small facts because they are not going to be as important on the exam.

3. Study with Classmates

While studying with others is not a specific tip for midterms, it is helpful reviewing with other people. More people provide more knowledge on topics that you might have forgotten. You can also ask questions and clarify topics that may be confusing.

Studying can also get tiring and boring. Being with others changes your routine and allows studying to be exciting and fun when you are surrounded by peers. 

4. Review past assessments

Past assessments are a good indicator of what will be on the midterm. Past assessments look like unit tests or quizzes taken in class. I recommend either redoing these tests completely or understanding the questions you got wrong.

Learning from past mistakes enables you to do well on upcoming exams when those skills will be tested again. Looking at past exams also reviews past topics that you learned and highlights the important ones. This is beneficial when finding big topics as previously discussed.

5. Practice Staying Focused

Midterms can last for several hours with little to no breaks in between sections. That’s why it is important to be capable of focusing for long periods of time. Be sure to find out how long each midterm exam will be so you can properly prepare yourself.

During this preparation, you should time how long you can study without losing focus. Then slowly increase this period in small increments until you can study continuously for however long your exam is for. When midterms approach you won’t be mentally exhausted and rather you will feel focused throughout the whole test.

To improve your stamina you can use the Pomodoro method which consists of studying for about 30 minutes and then taking 5-minute breaks. This increases concentration and allows you to set goals to reach those breaks. You can also improve concentration by actively studying. While reading over notes or a textbook, ask yourself questions every few paragraphs to see if you retained the information.

Also, be sure to test your knowledge after reviewing every concept by doing practice problems from past assignments or questions from the textbook.

Final Thoughts on Studying for Midterms

Being prepared for midterms is the most important way to ace these exams. This preparation comes in many forms, including reviewing important concepts and working with others. Studying helps you familiarize yourself with the material and builds your confidence going into the exam. The worst feeling is going into a test feeling unprepared, so during important tests like midterms, it is important that you feel prepared on exam day.

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