Hi, what opinions do you have on condensed studying vs spreading time over a longer period? How would you recommend based on your experiences with students?

I'm learning to study smart - by analyzing things, error logs, asking questions, etc and by not cramming too. I can usually put in about 7hrs in a day if studying is the primary agenda item. This ensures 8hrs sleep, time for breaks, exercise, eat properly, etc.

However, I'm wondering if spending say a 5-7 straight days of these complete study days is more/less/equally effective than spending the same 35-49hrs spread over a few weeks of ~12hrs/week studying?

I'm leaning towards going for condensed, effective studying rather than extended studying, but want to get some insight into effectiveness. I've already put in about 70hrs of self studying going through the books so wondering now for a push to the finish line.

Is it a personal preference thing or is it actually better to have the information "soak in" over longer periods of time?

Another great question – and congratulations, first of all, on blocking out time to study for this test! Sort of independent from your question but important nonetheless, any study is better than no study, and action is better than procrastination, so by committing yourself to a study plan at all you’ve taken a huge step toward success.

And one more tangential-to-your-question suggestion – the next biggest step is to heed the famous advice “never mistake activity for achievement”, which is to say that the number of hours spent or the number of problems completed is far less important than what you learn from those sessions. It’s much more productive to spend 15-20 minutes at the end of each session summarizing what you’ve learned and what you need to work on (like you mentioned your error logs, asking questions, analysis) than just grinding out the hours. So make sure that you place your emphasis on learning and not merely on time spent (and it sounds like you’re on the right track).

So with that said, most people find that slightly smaller doses of study over a longer period tends to work better for them so that they can digest what they’ve learned, let it filter through their subconscious while they drive/exercise/walk, and then come back for more. So for most students we’d recommend a few hours a day a few times per week over a couple months. But everyone is (and everyone’s schedules are) different, so a lot of that decision comes down to the individual. Your proposed condensed plan may be ideal for those who have an unpredictable schedule and who need to just take advantage of downtime while they have it. And some people prefer to dive in completely with a singular focus for intensive periods. So it’s tough to give a one-size-fits-all recommendation, but hopefully with this background you can make the decision that’s best for you.

Best,

The Veritas Prep Team