Study Schedule Maker

1. 1

   Count the days you actually have.

   Start from the exam date and work backwards. Take out the days you cannot study, and keep the last day before the exam for a full review rather than new material.

2. 2

   Break the material into topics.

   A topic is something you can learn in one sitting: a lecture, a chapter section, a unit. Ten small topics are easier to schedule, and to start, than three huge ones.

3. 3

   Learn everything early.

   Spread the new topics over the first half or two thirds of your time. The rest is for review, which is where most of the remembering happens.

4. 4

   Come back to each topic on a widening gap.

   Review a topic one day after you learn it, then three days later, then a week, then two weeks. Each return takes less time than the last and holds for longer. This is spaced repetition.

5. 5

   Review by answering, not rereading.

   Close the notes and test yourself: questions, flashcards, explaining it out loud. Rereading feels productive but recall is what makes material stick.

For step five, turn your notes into cards with the free flashcard maker. Or skip the typing: Orbind turns a lecture into short lessons that ask you questions instead of letting you reread, and brings every idea back on the same widening gap. Try it for $0 or see the plans.

• How do I make a study schedule for an exam?

  Write down the exam date, list the topics it covers and decide how much time you have each day. Introduce every topic in the first half of your time, review each one a day, three days, a week and two weeks after you learn it, and keep the last day for a full review. The study schedule maker above does this for you.

• How many hours a day should I study?

  Fewer, more regular sessions beat long cramming days. One to three focused hours a day is enough for most courses if you start early; if the exam is close, add time rather than skipping the reviews.

• How far ahead should I start studying for an exam?

  Two weeks is a good minimum for a midterm or final in one course: it leaves room to learn every topic and review each one several times. For a cumulative final, start three to four weeks out.

• What is spaced repetition?

  Spaced repetition means reviewing material at increasing intervals instead of all at once. Each review comes just as you are starting to forget, which makes the memory last longer than the same time spent cramming the night before.

• Is this study schedule maker free?

  Yes. There is no sign-up and nothing is sent anywhere: the plan is made in your browser, and your topics are remembered only on this device.

• Can I put my study schedule in Google Calendar?

  Yes. Press Calendar to download an .ics file, then import it in Google Calendar (Settings, Import & export), Apple Calendar or Outlook. Each study day becomes an all-day event with its topics and times.