If you’re taking a very rigorous class or high-volume (like in med school) class where there’s just no way to cover all of the material within the day or two before the exam, a very easy way to narrow it down is to only study the material you don’t know!
I used to think I had to go over every page of my notes as many times as possible before a test, but as I progressed through college I finally realized that with the increasing volume and difficulty of the classes I was taking I needed to focus only on the items I didn’t know or know well. If there was a page in my notes that I could practically recite from memory, then I’d put a big checkmark at the top of it that would signify, “MOVE ON!” Likewise, as it got closer to test time, there were always a few stubborn items I just couldn’t seem to remember. Those would get a big red circle – so they’d be the very few things I’d hit even at the very last hour.
Sure, read all of your notes and book the first time through, but as exam day approaches, hit those weak spots hard. It’s not fun, but it’s effective!
Photo credit: ralphunden