Middle school, high school and college students are often surprised at how much time they should spend studying for tests.

The amount of time you should study depends on three factors:

1. Your current grade in the class.
2. The grade you want to get in the class.
3. The test itself (length, time allowed for the test, amount of material covered)

For chapter tests, you should spend enough time to go through your teacher/professor’s study guide, notes from class, notes from the book, quizzes, and homework.  If you have an A in the class and the test covers one chapter, you should plan to spend at least two hours studying.  For each letter grade below this, add 30 minutes.

For comprehensive tests (midterms or finals), use this chart as a guide for the amount of time to spend studying:

For best results, spread this time out over a number of days before the test using the suggested test prep plan and avoid cramming at the last minute.

Need help applying this concept?  Call 817.421.8780 to make an appointment.

(c) 2009, Monte W. Davenport, Ph.D.