Preparing for Midterm Exams Without Last-Minute Cramming

Unlike a quiz covering a recent chapter or unit, midterms may require you to revisit weeks (or even months) of material. And yes, it is already time to start thinking about midterms.

If you haven’t started thinking about midterms yet, now is a good time to put them on your radar. A little planning now gives you time to figure out what needs the most work and spread your studying over the days and weeks ahead.

Step 1: Figure Out What You Actually Need to Study

Before opening your textbook to page one and starting over, figure out what will actually be on the exam.

Look at the study guide if your teacher provided one. Review the syllabus, previous assignments, quizzes, tests, and class notes. Make a list of the major topics you expect the exam to cover. Then sort those topics into three simple categories:

I know this well.
I need to review this.
I don’t understand this yet.

For example, maybe your algebra midterm covers five major concepts. You’re confident in solving linear equations, need a refresher on systems of equations, and still don’t really understand quadratic equations. Now you have a much better starting point than simply saying, “I need to study algebra.”

Step 2: Work Backward From Your Exam Dates

Once you know what you need to study, look at how much time you actually have. Start by putting all of your midterm dates in your calendar. Then add the other things that will compete for your time: regular homework, projects, sports practices, rehearsals, work, family commitments, and anything else already on your schedule. Now you can see the time you actually have available to study.

Next, turn “study for midterms” into smaller tasks. If your biology exam is two weeks away, your plan might look something like this:

Monday: Review Chapters 1–2 and identify anything you don’t understand.
Tuesday: Review Chapters 3–4 and create flashcards for important vocabulary.
Wednesday: Practice labeling diagrams without looking at your notes.
Thursday: Answer practice questions from Chapters 1–4.
Friday: Review the questions you missed.
Weekend: Quiz yourself on the major concepts from the week.

Then continue building your plan until you’ve covered all the material, ideally leaving some time before the exam to revisit the areas that are still giving you trouble.

“Review Chapters 1–2” is much easier to start than “study biology.”

Step 3: Decide Which Classes Need the Most Attention

You probably don’t need to spend the same amount of time preparing for every midterm. Suppose you have three exams next week. You’re comfortable with the material in English, somewhat unsure about biology, and struggling in algebra. Spending two hours on each subject might feel fair, but it probably isn’t the best use of your six hours.

You might spend a shorter block reviewing English, more time practicing biology concepts, and your largest block working through algebra problems.

This doesn’t mean ignore subjects you’re doing well in. Give each exam the preparation it needs, but put more time towards the subjects and concepts that are more challenging.

Also, be realistic about your schedule. Planning four hours of studying after a two-hour soccer practice and a full day of school probably isn’t going to work. You’ll have more success with a shorter, but focused study session than one that goes into the middle of the night.

Step 4: Make Your Study Time Active

Once you’ve made a schedule, make the time you spend studying count. It’s easy to spend an hour rereading notes and feel productive because everything looks familiar. But recognizing something when it’s sitting in front of you isn’t the same as being able to remember it on your own.

Try putting the material away and seeing what you can do without it. Depending on the subject, you might:

Answer practice questions without looking at your notes.
Solve math problems from previous assignments.
Create flashcards and test yourself.
Explain a concept aloud as though you’re teaching someone else.
Draw and label a diagram from memory, then check it for accuracy.
Write possible essay questions and practice outlining your responses.

For example, after reviewing a section of your history notes, close your notebook and write down the major events you remember. Then reopen your notes and compare. What did you remember? What did you leave out? What did you misunderstand? Now you know what to review next.

Step 5: Let Your Mistakes Tell You What to Study

Old quizzes, tests, homework assignments, and practice questions can be some of your best midterm study materials. Don’t just look at the grade. Go back to the questions you missed—this might mean asking your teacher if you can take a look at your last quiz or test.

Let’s say you got six questions wrong on your last chemistry test. Try those questions again without looking at the answers. If you can solve five of them now, great! You probably don’t need to spend much more time on those concepts. If you’re still stuck on three of the questions, you’ve identified something you need to study.

Also ask yourself why you’re getting questions wrong. Are you missing the same type of math problem repeatedly? Do you know your history facts but have trouble explaining why events were important? Are you losing points because you misread questions or rush through calculations?

The more specific you can make the problem, the easier it becomes to decide what to do about it.

Step 6: Ask for Help While There’s Still Time

Imagine you’re reviewing algebra a week before your midterm and realize you never fully understood a concept from the beginning of the semester. That’s frustrating, but you still have options. You can ask your teacher a question, attend office hours, work with a classmate, or meet with a tutor.

Discovering the same problem at 10 p.m. the night before the exam doesn’t give you the same options.

Along those lines, while you’re studying, try not to wait until you feel completely lost to get help. If you’ve reviewed something several times and it still isn’t making sense, that’s a sign that you may need someone to explain it differently.

Step 7: Take Care of Yourself The Night Before

If you’ve been preparing over several days or weeks, the night before your exam should feel fairly manageable. Use your final study session to revisit a few areas you’ve identified as difficult, quiz yourself on important concepts, or work through a few practice problems.

Then, give yourself permission to be done studying. Pack what you’ll need for the next day, set your alarm, and take some time to wind down before bed. Getting a good night’s sleep can support memory and concentration, while also helping you feel more rested and ready to take the exam.

Start Preparing Now

If your midterms are coming up in the next few weeks, you still have time to put these strategies into practice.

Start by finding out when your exams are and what each one will cover. From there, identify the subjects and concepts that need the most attention and break your studying into smaller tasks you can spread across the time you have available.

Taking 15 or 20 minutes to look ahead at your exam schedule, organize your materials, and decide what you’ll review first can make it much easier to start preparing for midterms.

If you could use some extra support, Hodis Learning & Music is here to help! We have expert tutors available for all subjects who can help you work through difficult course material while also developing study strategies and organization habits you can use throughout the school year.

Call us at (626) 227-1149 or submit a contact form to learn more about tutoring before midterms!