As exams approach, it’s easy to fall into the trap of not knowing where to start and thinking: “Maybe I’ll just start from the beginning of the book again.”
The problem? We usually redo questions we already know, which feels productive but doesn’t improve our score. We avoid what we don’t know.
The solution is having a simple system to track what you know and what you don’t.
Why You Need a Simple Tracking System
- List every chapter or question set.
- Red-marked questions (Low): You don’t know them → study the solution immediately and understand why.
- Yellow-marked questions (Medium): You kind of know but need work, or you take too long.
- Green-marked questions (High): You can solve quickly and explain easily.
Focus on moving Low → Medium → High. That’s how progress happens.
Key Rules to Follow
- Don’t recheck Low/Medium questions within 24 hours.
- Record the date you reviewed them → check again within 2 days to avoid forgetting.
- Don’t fear Low questions—they’re the ones that actually improve your score.
- Only mark High when you can explain it clearly to someone else.
- Don’t rush to mark everything Green—it’s a false sense of security.
Why This Works: Spaced Repetition + Active Recall
Your brain forgets 50–80% of what you learn in a day.
Reviewing after 24 hours strengthens memory. After a few cycles, knowledge sticks long-term.
This system helps you focus effort where it matters:
- Low questions: frequent review.
- High questions: occasional review.
Instead of wasting time on what you already know, you focus on what actually levels you up.
Need a free template to track your questions? Check the comments: I’ve shared mine for free!