2 answers
Konstantinos
Student
New Lenox, Illinois
1
Question
Asked
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Best way to study for finals?
Hey everyone! I’m a senior in highschool right now, and I will be going to college to study accounting and international business!
I have a question - what is the best way to study for finals and midterms in college?
#Fall25
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2 answers
Noah FW
Consultant
7
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Noah’s Answer
Hi Konstantinos,
I think this is a question that everyone has asked (or still asks) themselves. The truth is there is no "right" answer and it is very dependent on the person.
When thinking about studying, I think "What's the best way to study for exams in college?" breaks down into the following main sub-questions:
- How do I stay focused while studying?
- How do I ensure that I retain what I study?
- How do I ensure that I am studying the right things?
My attempt at answering each below based on my experience:
-- How do I stay focused while studying? --
This is something we all struggle with, whether it's procrastination or distractions. For distractions, I think the main issue most of us encounter is our phones. For me, it was helpful to put my phone in another room or drawer to help with this.
Your environment also matters a lot -- I need really quiet places to study (e.g., dorm room, library) while I had friends who focused really well in noisier places like coffee shops or dinning halls. This depends on you! It's worth exploring different working environments and reflecting on how well you were able to focus.
-- How do I ensure that I retain what I study? --
Everyone has probably experienced that moment where they read something and instantly forget what they read. The best way to retain what you study is active recall -- trying to reproduce the thing you are trying to remember. Whether this is doing practice tests (more on this below), testing yourself without looking at the book or flashcards, try to find some way where you are constantly "testing" yourself on what you read. It could even be helpful to use an AI tool like ChatGPT to help ask mock test questions based on what you are studying.
-- How do I ensure that I am studying the right things? --
I think people usually overlook this step, but it's important. You're going to be busy in college, so you need to be really targeted with your study time. Two key things are helpful:
(1) Align on what is / isn't included on the exam -- professors will usually be very clear on what topics are on the exam (e.g., midterm) you're taking. If they don't, it's worth asking if they can give a clear list of topics that will be tested
(2) Practice tests -- Professors frequently provide practice tests / questions. USE THESE!! They both help you test yourself and give you a sense of the type / difficulty of questions to expect on the exam. These are probably the most useful study resources in many cases, so make sure you don't go through all of them at once (i.e., don't do all the practice questions at the beginning when you haven't studied) and use them strategically over your study period to test yourself.
As stated above -- this is just a subset of possible strategies, and will depend heavily on the person. Overall, you will figure out what works best for you as you try different strategies. Hope this is helpful!
I think this is a question that everyone has asked (or still asks) themselves. The truth is there is no "right" answer and it is very dependent on the person.
When thinking about studying, I think "What's the best way to study for exams in college?" breaks down into the following main sub-questions:
- How do I stay focused while studying?
- How do I ensure that I retain what I study?
- How do I ensure that I am studying the right things?
My attempt at answering each below based on my experience:
-- How do I stay focused while studying? --
This is something we all struggle with, whether it's procrastination or distractions. For distractions, I think the main issue most of us encounter is our phones. For me, it was helpful to put my phone in another room or drawer to help with this.
Your environment also matters a lot -- I need really quiet places to study (e.g., dorm room, library) while I had friends who focused really well in noisier places like coffee shops or dinning halls. This depends on you! It's worth exploring different working environments and reflecting on how well you were able to focus.
-- How do I ensure that I retain what I study? --
Everyone has probably experienced that moment where they read something and instantly forget what they read. The best way to retain what you study is active recall -- trying to reproduce the thing you are trying to remember. Whether this is doing practice tests (more on this below), testing yourself without looking at the book or flashcards, try to find some way where you are constantly "testing" yourself on what you read. It could even be helpful to use an AI tool like ChatGPT to help ask mock test questions based on what you are studying.
-- How do I ensure that I am studying the right things? --
I think people usually overlook this step, but it's important. You're going to be busy in college, so you need to be really targeted with your study time. Two key things are helpful:
(1) Align on what is / isn't included on the exam -- professors will usually be very clear on what topics are on the exam (e.g., midterm) you're taking. If they don't, it's worth asking if they can give a clear list of topics that will be tested
(2) Practice tests -- Professors frequently provide practice tests / questions. USE THESE!! They both help you test yourself and give you a sense of the type / difficulty of questions to expect on the exam. These are probably the most useful study resources in many cases, so make sure you don't go through all of them at once (i.e., don't do all the practice questions at the beginning when you haven't studied) and use them strategically over your study period to test yourself.
As stated above -- this is just a subset of possible strategies, and will depend heavily on the person. Overall, you will figure out what works best for you as you try different strategies. Hope this is helpful!
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hi Konstantinos. Studying for finals in college can feel very different from studying in high school. As a lecturer who teaches accounting and business courses, I've seen many students struggle not because they are unable to learn, but because they aren't using the right study methods for the type of exam they are preparing for.
One of the best ways to study for any college exam is to start early. Many students wait until the week before, or even the night before, to begin reviewing. This makes studying stressful and less effective. Instead, try to review a little bit each week. When you review regularly, you are reinforcing what you've already learned.
For accounting and business courses specifically, practice is the most important part. These subjects often require more than memorizing definitions, they require understanding rules, applying formulas, and analyzing scenarios. I always tell my accounting students that the best study method is doing as many practice problems as possible. Work through old homework questions, extra textbook problems, and any sample exams your professor provides. When you get something wrong, don't just move on. Take a minute to figure out what step confused you. This helps you avoid repeating the same mistake on the exam.
For business courses that are more theory-based such as management, marketing, or international business, active recall works best. This means testing yourself instead of rereading notes. You can do this by explaining concepts out loud, making flashcards, or turning headings from your textbook into questions. Teaching the material to yourself or to a friend is also a powerful way to check your understanding. If you can explain an idea clearly, you truly understand it. Hope this helps. All the best.
One of the best ways to study for any college exam is to start early. Many students wait until the week before, or even the night before, to begin reviewing. This makes studying stressful and less effective. Instead, try to review a little bit each week. When you review regularly, you are reinforcing what you've already learned.
For accounting and business courses specifically, practice is the most important part. These subjects often require more than memorizing definitions, they require understanding rules, applying formulas, and analyzing scenarios. I always tell my accounting students that the best study method is doing as many practice problems as possible. Work through old homework questions, extra textbook problems, and any sample exams your professor provides. When you get something wrong, don't just move on. Take a minute to figure out what step confused you. This helps you avoid repeating the same mistake on the exam.
For business courses that are more theory-based such as management, marketing, or international business, active recall works best. This means testing yourself instead of rereading notes. You can do this by explaining concepts out loud, making flashcards, or turning headings from your textbook into questions. Teaching the material to yourself or to a friend is also a powerful way to check your understanding. If you can explain an idea clearly, you truly understand it. Hope this helps. All the best.