Can any of you ace exams with minimal studying or do you know someone that can?

[Exiled Martian]

I'm the kind of guy who does exceedingly well under pressure... a 100 metre as opposed to a marathon type approach to studying......which is why I always did well at exams as opposed to coursework/project type modules & assignments where you get accredited as you go along).... basically I'd let the intensity of the revision workload build up to the point where I felt compelled to pull a couple all nighters out of the hat with serious tunnel vision just before exam time... I know this approach is heavily preached against, but for some reason I never failed to fail academically using this methodology

 

[concise]

Does actually doing your homework count as studying?

 

[TheReal_Broke_88m3_13]

Does actually doing your homework count as studying?

No


only if you're doing it before it's assigned

 

[acri1]

I was kind of like this in high school and college, to some degree.

Obviously if it was something like foreign language or Chemistry that required lots of rote memorization, I'd have to study. But stuff that involved logic/reading comprehension/etc was pretty easy. I don't really have any tricks, I think it was because I tended to read a lot as a kid.

 

[unit321]

I want to know what your secrets are
I'm not saying I don't want to study... just that I don't really think the way I study is all that efficient.

Depends on the subject.
There's the cram method. Going over everything again and again days before and up to the exam. This doesn't work that well but it can help me to pass.

Then, there's the review method. You do your homework during the semester so that you know the material. When it comes time for the major exam, you just review the things the day before. This method is better because you aren't forcing yourself to absorb a lot of material in a short amount of time. This style applies well to math or foreign language. In math courses, material taught in the beginning is used throughout the semester and is used with new material.
This is more easy to do than say a history type class.

Then, there's gym class. You don't have to study. Just attend class and you can get an easy A. I love physical fitness so this was easy, but it did not count towards my GPA.

 

[Brown_Pride]

I know a person that can but he's extremely intelligent. If you know you can you're already doing it. If you can't then you can't. Go study.

more or less.
But if you're not doing it because of shyt study habits then you can improve.

I used to study minimally and get B+ and A's. When I wanted to solidify an A I would put in more effort.

Depending on the subject i had different strategies.
Typically for English and History i'd create a web linking ideas and events. I figured since memory is based on linking it would help...and it did.

Math:
If you can teach someone else you're good to go. I do this now at work. If I have to try to figure something out i'll try "teaching" someone first, typically I'm able to find where i'm screwing up, but once you can explain the process or idea you generally have a good grasp on it, particularly for things like calculus and algebra IMHO you can practice till you're blue in the face but if you don't understand the concept well you're can fuk up.

Science:
I hated things like Chem and such and just didn't have an affinity for it so I jdgaf and got Cs. But things like physics (math) I was ok with.

 

[Kritic]

you can try speed reading but don't count on it.

if reading wasnt a habit you developed from when you were a kid it's gonna be hard to adapt to it instantly. it can still be done by changing your lifestyle and completely dedicating yourself to book life. first one in the library, last one out.
also change your friends and stop hanging around ppl up to no good.

pull ahead of the game on friday, saturday and sunday. when ppl worried about sports games and fuccin bytches in college you should be thinking of reading your books.

these are things that will set you apart from the pack even if college doesn't work out for you.

 

[Dat Migo]

In high school yeah, tried it my couple semesters in college and did terrible.

 

[Kritic]

there are no shortcuts. the students acing exams are putting in work outside class. you can get away with fooling tests by cheating and whatnot but by the end of the semester your effort will speak for itself.

the president's list and up out the gate from day 1 were on top of their books...
the dean's list

anything under dean's list you should even have friends like those in college. should drop any "friends" you have outside college.

 

[godkiller]

there are no shortcuts. the students acing exams are putting in work outside class. you can get away with fooling tests by cheating and whatnot but by the end of the semester your effort will speak for itself.

the president's list and up out the gate from day 1 were on top of their books...
the dean's list

anything under dean's list you should even have friends like those in college. should drop any "friends" you have outside college.

Yup. In one of another the students acing exams are putting in extra work. The smartest kids I know generally know the material before it's presented or have mastered a part of it beforehand. There's no shortcuts, OP. Put in the work or fail.

 

[Raava]

Depends on the subject and how often I went to class. I am an auditory and an I guess instrumental? If I listened to the lecture, took notes, or not I didn't have to study. The subject was important because if it interested me, I was either already familiar with it or it held my attention better in class so I didn't have to study.

I was never able to never go to the class and not study.

 

[ltheghost]

Well I this is what I always have done. You ever notice that when you watch a movie for the first time it seems like it is shorter the second time you have seen it? Well, it is for me. So what I started doing was before I would read a book or a chapter for homework, I would first read the Table of Contents. Know the page numbers by heart and the titles of each chapter. Next, skim through the entire book. Only reading the first title page of each chapter, but keeping track of how long each chapter was, then when I was finished with the entire book, go back and read chapter one. Knowing how to manipulate the knowledge in a book makes exams a lot easier. This always worked for me.

 

[TLOL is back]

Any advice you get here regarding "minimal" studying is useless.

The truth is, some people can review material the minimum amount, and it will latch into their memory, and they are done. They may think it is because they used a certain tactic, but the truth is they have an ability that the rest of us don't have, and it is biological.

The rest of us have to actually study for real. I get As on all my exams, and score around the 96th percentile on standardized tests, but I do study my ass off.

 

[MR. SNIFLES]

MY MEMORY IS POOR SO I HAVE TO LEARN BY UNDERSTANDING. ONCE I UNDERSTAND SOMETHING I USUALLY DON'T EVER FORGET IT. THAT'S WHY I SUCK AT SOCIAL STUDIES AND I'M GOOD WITH MATH AND SCIENCE.

 

[DF is BUSY]

real talk not to brag but thats exactly me

i done minimal studying as in
-never dedicated long periods of time at home to study
-skim, glance over notes and textbook an 30-45 mins before exam

still get pretty impressive marks


pro tip?
-pay attention in class, like seriously idgaf how boring it is learn how to always keep an ear open and listen to lectures
-doing homework is pretty goat way of "studying"
-dont overstudy and pull "all-nighters" = WOAT, inefficient and will actually fukk you more
-do not take 10 page notes, learn to make shortcut notes that makes you glance at it once or twice and know exactly what the fukk it means
-you will do 100% better on exams on subjects you actually have interest it so learn it love everything.................. for now