How to study effectively one week before an exam

Re-reading your notes gives a false sense of mastery — you recognize the material, but you haven't necessarily practiced it. In math, only active practice truly reveals what you've mastered.

Day 1-2: identify your weak spots. Take a practice exam or a varied set of exercises without looking at your notes, and note precisely where you get stuck. That's the map that will guide the rest of your week.

Day 3-5: focus on those weak spots, not on what you already master. This is counter-intuitive — we tend to prefer practicing what we're already good at, because it feels better — but it won't move your grade.

Day 6: take a full practice exam under real conditions (timed, no notes). Compare it with the first one to measure your progress and spot what's still shaky.

Day 7: light review only — key formulas, the frequent mistakes you identified. No new learning the day before; your brain needs to consolidate, not accumulate.

The key to this whole week: working through problems, not re-reading theory. It's the only way to know if you're truly ready.