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5-Day Study Plan

Following the 5-Day Study Plan will help you organize your study materials and spread out your study sessions in a way that maximizes your learning potential and prepares you for success on your exams.

Key Concepts of the 5-Day Study Plan

  • Preparation: Figure out what you need to know
  • Review: Make sure you know it
  • Switch it up: Start in advance and switch between preparation and review

How to Create a 5 Day Study Plan

Step 1: Space out your exam preparation over a period of at least 5 days, devoting up to 2 hours each day to studying.

Step 2: Divide your materials into 4 or more sections or chunks (e.g. by chapter, topic, lecture, etc.). Each chunk of information will be either prepared or reviewed in a study session. In the example below, the chunks will be named A, B, C, and D. Chunk A might be Chapters 1-2, Chunk B is Chapter 3, etc.

Step 3: In each study session, prepare a new section of materials (say, Chunk B), followed by a review of what you studied the previous day (Chunk A, for example).

Step 4: Use study strategies to prepare and review study materials.

Step 5: Test yourself by attempting to recall information from memory. Try using flash cards.

Sample 5-Day Study Plan

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Prepare Chunk A: 1-1.5 hours*

Prepare Chunk B: 1-1.5 hours

Prepare Chunk C: 1-1.5 hours

Prepare Chunk D: 1 hour

 
 

Review Chunk A: 30 minutes

Review Chunk B: 30 minutes

Review Chunk C: 30 minutes

Review Chunk D: 25 minutes

   

Review Chunk A: 15 minutes

Review Chunk B: 15 minutes

Review Chunk C: 15 minutes

     

Review Chunk A: 15 minutes

Review Chunk B: 10 minutes

       

Review Chunk A: 10 minutes

       

Self-test on all chunks: 1 hour

*Use the Pomodoro Technique to give yourself breaks during your study sessions.