Spaced Repetition Guide for Entrance Exams

Cramming for an entrance test by studying 12 hours a day during the final week creates an illusion of competence. While short-term memory may retain snippets of information for a day or two, rapid decay occurs immediately after. Spaced repetition replaces cramming with systematically timed reviews that convert fragile short-term memories into durable long-term storage.

The Science of Spaced Intervals

Hermann Ebbinghaus first quantified memory decay through the *forgetting curve*. His research demonstrated that memory loss occurs exponentially unless reinforced at strategic moments.

Practical Implementation for Exam Preparation

To implement spaced repetition across comprehensive exam syllabi like the TOLC-I or Bocconi MSc test:

1. Schedule Systemic Re-Testing: Rather than re-reading old notes, complete 5 to 10 practice questions on topics studied earlier in the month.
2. Categorize by Difficulty: Mark topics as *easy*, *medium*, or *hard*. Review hard topics every 2 days, medium topics every 5 days, and easy topics every 14 days.
3. Combine with Timed Drills: Use subject drills on Weprepuni TOLC-I to test retrieval speed under realistic section conditions.