Taking Admission Tests: 4 Tips for Studying Over Winter Break

By Ian Acosta on December 27, 2016

You just finished up fall semester. Time to pack some clothes and head home for a few weeks. A nice relaxing break of not doing anything at all awaits. Sounds great, right? WRONG!

It’s time to study and prepare for admission tests! The GRE, GMAT, MCAT and LSAT are not going to study for themselves! On a more serious note, winter break is a good time to utilize studying. In a time where some schools actually offer winter break courses, students are encouraged to fully utilize all the time available to further their educational careers.

To help you study for these daunting admission tests while on winter break, here are four tips to increase studying effectiveness.

1. Create a schedule.

Most students have about three to four weeks for winter break usually — some shorter or some longer, but more or less around that range. To stay organized, create a schedule or calendar detailing when and how long to study for each section. This will allow you to create a self-study schedule and stick to it.

For example, if there are four sections you’d really like to go over, spend a week on each and about 5-6 hours per day. Five to six hours guarantees you have plenty of time to not only learn the section but also to go over the practice quiz that comes with it. At the end of each week, take a quiz on the section you go over and a cumulative quiz to keep everything fresh in your mind.

So for example at the end of week 3, take a quiz on section 3 and then a separate quiz on topics from sections 1-3 combined. A structured study schedule will help make the most of the short winter break time available.

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2. Study with a friend.

As I am sure many of you know, studying by yourself can get dry and monotonous. Find a friend or classmate from your major and see if they would be interested in forming a study group to study for the specific test for which you are studying. This is a great way to change up the study routine, and a way to ask any questions you might have related to a specific topic.

Furthermore, having a study group will allow you each to share ideas with each other and think of new strategies to attack a certain topic. Take a break from the solo routine and it will definitely pay dividends in the long run.

3. Buy prep books.

Winter break is a perfect time to ask for gifts. One of those can be a set of prep books for the test you’re taking. As some of you know, prep books can get kind of pricey. What better gift to ask for than for more study materials? Check out Amazon to see if there are any deals around the holidays on prep book sets to help get a leg up on studying.

Many people I know said prep books of all kinds made a significant difference in getting a better test score and in some cases acing the exam. If Amazon is a bit too pricey, split the cost with a friend or study group. That will allow everyone to keep the cost down while simultaneously benefiting from the study materials.

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4. Take time to relax.

While studying for a graduate level admission exam is obviously a major time commitment and serious goal that should not be taken lightly, everyone needs to make time for a break or two. After all, it is winter break. Going straight from finals in fall semester to throwing yourself into studying for major tests such as these can be overwhelming and hurt more than help.

Sleep in, take a couple personal days, go see a movie, hang out with friends, go shopping, have a spa day, watch some sports — i.e. do SOMETHING to relax and take your mind off school for once. It is a break, you deserve it. Take the time to enjoy it. A well planned out study schedule will leave in time for breaks. The perfect balance of work and play will help you ace the upcoming admission exam.

Studying requires an immense amount of time and effort. The requirement for studying for these exams requires even more preparation and practice, upwards of a couple months to a year. Winter break is a perfect time to catch up on studying, but remember to take some time for yourself. Make a schedule, study with a friend or classmate, order a set of prep books, and go at it from there. You will be getting into graduate school in no time. Happy studying!

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