5 Proven Study Techniques for the Regents (Backed by Science)
Most students study by re-reading notes and highlighting — and research shows those are among the least effective methods. The techniques that actually build lasting memory are different, and once you know them you'll get far more out of every study hour. Here are five that work.
1. Active recall
Instead of re-reading, close the book and try to remember the material. Quiz yourself, answer practice questions, explain a concept out loud. The act of pulling information out of your brain strengthens the memory far more than passively putting it back in. This is why doing practice exams beats reviewing notes.
2. Spaced repetition
Don't study everything once and hope it sticks. Review material across multiple days with growing gaps between sessions. Spacing your practice forces your brain to re-retrieve and re-strengthen each memory, which dramatically improves long-term retention. A little every day beats a marathon once.
3. Interleaving
Rather than drilling one topic for hours, mix different topics in a single session. Switching between, say, quadratics and statistics feels harder, but it trains your brain to choose the right approach for each problem — exactly what the exam demands.
4. Practice testing
Taking real past exams under test-like conditions is the single best predictor of exam performance. It builds recall, reveals your weak spots, and makes the real test feel familiar. Treat practice exams as the core of your prep, not an afterthought.
5. Learn from your mistakes
Every wrong answer is a free lesson. Don't just check the score — read the explanation, understand why you missed it, and note the pattern. Students who review their mistakes improve far faster than those who just rack up practice questions.
Regentify is built around these principles: active recall through real questions, spaced daily practice via streaks, mixed topics, full past exams, and an explanation for every question you miss. The science of studying, turned into a free app.