Midterm season is over- and students are sharing their favorite study methods for getting through exams. 

Some, like freshman Mapi Rodriguez, like to review the study guides their teachers give them. Rodriguez recommends this strategy, saying that it is a reliable method for studying as “the material on the study guides we receive is guaranteed to be relevant for the midterm because the teachers chose to put it on there.” 

Others, like fellow freshman Jaya Perle, prefer different methods of studying for different types of midterms. Says Perle, “To get ready for my math exams, I like to do many practice problems. For subjects like history and science, I prefer to review my notes and make flashcards to study the most effectively.” 

Both Rodriguez and Perle prefer to study alone, not together with friends and classmates. Rodriguez cited distraction as her reason behind this, saying that “studying with friends is more fun, but it’s more efficient to study alone.” 

During midterm preparation, teachers have also incorporated different strategies for helping students ready to take their exams. 

Mitchell Krien, a Biology Honors teacher, believes study guide references and additional assignments to help his students review for midterms go a long way in ensuring their success. Krien likes to review conceptual information, saying, “I think the best way to prepare students for midterms is to explain the material that we have learned and why we learn it.” 

 Other teachers, like Jamie Siwinski, who teaches World Literature Honors, like to help students rehearse what they will have to do on their midterm exams. 

Siwinski says, “I am more than happy to look at drafts of the essays my students will write during their midterms. I help them work through the ideas that they have to analyze as a rehearsal for what they’ll have to do on test day.” 

“Ultimately”, he adds, “it comes down to how prepared they are, but I try to give my students the necessary tools they’ll need to succeed on their exams.”