It turns out that we learn more effectively when we give our brains a little time to forget what we just learned and then review and/or recall the material at a point in the near future. This process is referred to as “spaced-repetition,” and it has been shown to improve learning considerably.
Let’s use the topic of units digit patterns as an example. Study units digit patterns for a preset time, say, one hour. Then, after the hour, move on to a new topic, for example, subject verb agreement. Continue to move through a few dissimilar GMAT topics during that study session. Over the course of a day or so, you’ll start to forget some things that you learned about units digit patterns. Now is the perfect time to restudy that topic. Sit down for a study session and work again on units digit patterns.
You’ll find that you more quickly and easily attain the same level of competence that you attained in your earlier session. In fact, you’ll probably get some new insights that you didn’t get in your previous session, as you add to your knowledge base. You can continue to use spaced-repetition throughout the course of your preparation. You could study units digit patterns five, six, or even seven different times, utilizing the process of spaced-repetition to enhance your learning.
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep
