Midterm Study Schedule

Natalie Harkins • December 22, 2025

With winter break approaching fast, so many events are coming up. The holidays, yes, but also the end of the second quarter. With that comes the end of semester one, and everyone’s favorite time of the year: midterms! Here’s how you can use your time effectively and best prepare yourself for your tests this year.

Week One: December 22 - 28

This is a hectic week, we still have school, and it is the busiest bulk of the winter holidays. With that in mind, it is still entirely possible to start setting yourself up for midterms. Over this week, take some time to familiarize yourself with what will be on your midterm for each of your classes. Make lists of all the topics you have learned as well as the kind of questions you will be asked. Creating this guideline will give you a solid foundation and understanding of what you will need to study later on.

Week Two: December 29 - January 4

This week is New Years week, so again, it will be very busy. That’s why this week does not require too much detailed studying. Use your guideline that you made last week for this! For each class, go through your list of topics and lessons that you have done this year. For each item, write down every single thing you can remember without help. That means no notes, no extra assignments, just your memory. Repeat this for each of your classes so you understand what you personally will need more work on.

Week Three: January 5 - 11

Midterms are nearing now, so it is time to get more serious! Now is when you start getting detailed. Review your notes you made last week on what you remember. Your next step allows you to look back on resources to help. Using your notes and/or other class materials, go through what you remembered on your own and add everything you didn’t. It might be useful to notate these differently so there’s more emphasis on what you need to focus on. 

Week Four: January 12 - 18

We are in the home stretch now! You’ve already gone over the material and assessed what you knew and what you didn’t, so now it’s time to apply it! Revisit the other list you made during week one: the list of the kinds of questions you will be asked on the test. This could vary from multiple choice to open response to everything in between! Use websites like Quizlet or Knowt and take some practice tests. Make sure you set up your tests to match the topics you will be tested on so you don’t get any unnecessary questions. 

Week Five: January 19 - 23

It has finally arrived: midterms week! It may feel as if you have already studied everything there is to study. You’ve already reviewed material and completed practice questions. However, it is very important to hold onto this information and not forget about it while you focus on your exams. In the days leading up to your scheduled exam for each class, look at your topics and do some vocab or simple concept review. It doesn’t need to be too heavy, just some activities to keep the knowledge in your mind and help you remember all you have worked for. Best of luck on your exams!

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