Top Study Tip #1: Study in the Same Location
Study location significantly impacts memory retention and test performance due to context-dependent memory, the brain's tendency to recall information better in environments similar to where learning occurred.
Key findings about study environment and memory:
Routine location improves retention: Studying in the same location consistently enhances memory recall
Environment matching boosts performance: Study conditions that mirror test conditions (quiet, organized, classroom-like) improve test scores
Avoid headphones while studying: Since tests don't allow music, studying in silence creates better context matching for memory retrieval
Context-dependent memory principle: Your brain associates learned information with environmental cues present during study sessions
Best study environment for test preparation:
Quiet spaces without music or distractions
Organized, classroom-like settings
Consistent location for repeated study sessions
Conditions that replicate actual testing environment
Why does this work? Environmental cues (sounds, visuals, atmosphere) become linked to learned material. When you recreate similar conditions during a test, these cues trigger better memory recall. This is why studying in silent, organized spaces similar to test rooms produces better academic performance than studying with headphones in varied locations.
PEOPLE LEARN BETTER IN A ROUTINE LOCATION
You can actually remember better if you learn something in the same location. Your environment plays a huge role in what you remember and how you remember.
PEOPLE REMEMBER BETTER WHEN THE STUDY ENVIRONMENT IS SIMILAR TO TEST CONDITIONS
This tidbit was another fun fact. We remember better if our study environment is similar to our testing environment. So quiet places that are organized and appear much like a classroom are more likely to help us remember and perform better on a test. That also means ditching the headphones and the music. You won't be able to sit with headphones on the test. Since you remember things similarly to how you study, you need to approximate study conditions--that means quiet!
Why-you-should-study-for-the-psat. When you think about standardized tests, your mind probably jumps right to the SAT and the ACT, and perhaps the ISEE if you have a younger student. But there’s another exam that, while it doesn’t directly factor into admissions decisions, is very important for a variety of reasons: the PSAT.