HSAT Support

Studying Tips

When you study for the PreACT 9, it’s important to know how to study. In general, there are two ways of studying: Passive studying and active studying. While both of these are ways to study, its important to know the differences between them and when to use them.

Active studying forces your brain to retrieve and apply information, which ultimately helps store the information into your long-term memory.

One way to use active studying strategies is by taking a practice test. When you take your practice test, try to simulate the real testing environment you will see yourself in. This includes timing yourself, removing distractions, and adhering to the actual rules of the testing environment. This will also help you mentally prepare to take a test of the same length. After you finish your practice test and get your results, don’t just look at the correct answer right away, go back and try to figure out what the correct answer is. Additionally, you can also keep notes of all the questions you get wrong on your practice test, look into why that mistake occurred. For every concept you got wrong, try taking notes and doing additional practice problems on the concept.

Passive studying involves consuming knowledge thats already in front of you.

Re-reading notes, watching youtube videos, and writing down the exact word of a lecture are examples of what passive studying can look like. When you study passively, you simply go through the motions of exposing yourself to the information, you don’t allow for the information to actually be processed in your brain. Although passive studying can be harmful, as it can give you a false sense of confidence, it can also be useful in your studying journey.

The key to studying the most effective way is to find a balance between passive and active studying, and figure out when to use each one.

For active studying, you should carve out time that is just dedicated to active studying. This could mean setting aside a few hours for a practice test, or for studying modules on a concept you aren’t very familiarized with. The important thing is to eliminate distractions so that you can fully process the information in front of you and practice taking a test.

For passive studying, it can be useful for keeping your information in mind while you do something else. Maybe you have a free moment in the day, take a few minutes to just look over your notes. Or, if you need to fold laundry or do the dishes, you can have a youtube video in the background that covers a certain topic.

This article from Johns Hopkins University helps explain how study material in a passive and active way:

https://academicsupport.jhu.edu/study-aids/active-versus-passive-learning

Although the article is directed at students attending the university, here are some highlights that are useful to any student:

Material to study	Passive strategy	Active Strategy
Lecture notes	Write down exact words that the professor says during class. Look through notes a few times before the exam.	Summarize key points in your own words during class. Write questions you have in the margins and go to office hours asap to clarify. Re-write the same concepts in different words when reviewing.
Readings and articles	Highlight headings and topic sentences as you read.	Change chapter headings and topic sentences into questions and look for key points throughout the paragraph that address those questions. Summarize each paragraph in 1-2 sentences in your own words. Discuss the reading with a classmate and ask each other questions.