Using AI Effectively to Study for Exams

Joshua Neudel, Head of Upper School

As students head into assessment week, I wanted to share some helpful reminders for students who are preparing for exams as well as offering tips for using AI as an effective study tool.
 
Do’s for preparing for exams
  • Do prepare in advance! Students should not wait until the weekend before to start studying for the upcoming assessments. Encourage your student to take time this weekend to begin to review material and reach out to teachers or peer tutors for help.
  • Do set aside some time every day for preparation, rotating between different subject areas.
  • Do pull out old tests, quizzes, and worksheets, in addition to any review guides, for extra practice.
  • Do study with a friend or classmate! Students shouldn’t feel isolated when preparing, and studying with classmates can be a tremendous help and provide time to socialize while being productive with studying.
  • Do keep in mind that exams are not high-stakes. While they can impact a student’s grade, they are not weighted in a way that can be severely impactful on a grade.
  • For papers and projects, do keep academic integrity in mind. When students feel the additional pressure of work and do not plan in advance, some may make poor decisions. 
This is also a great opportunity to think about ways that generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT) can be used as an effective study tool. Study tools like Quizlet and Khan Academy have developed AI tools to help students target their studying. In addition, AI Chatbots, like ChatGPT, have continued to become more sophisticated. Students can use ChatGPT as a tutor or study partner.
 
A few helpful tips for leveraging generative AI in this way:
  • Be specific and detailed with your request by including information about the course, grade level, and topics.
  • Be specific with the type of help you are looking for: key terms and definitions, a certain number of practice problems or prompts, types of problems (multiple choice, short answer, matching, etc), or essay prompts on a specific topic.
  • Giving examples of problems that have been assigned in the past can help guide ChatGPT to create similar questions.
  • ChatGPT can be used to create a study guide and practice problems. You can also ask it to provide an answer key.
  • If a student's answer is not correct according to GPT, ask it why their answer isn’t correct. This is an opportunity to get an explanation and for a student to learn, and it could reveal that the AI had the incorrect answer (it is not always right).
  • Think of the interaction with AI as a conversation: ask questions, give it feedback, and refine what you are looking for from the chatbot.
  • Use a Google search to confirm facts.

Brimmer and May School

69 Middlesex Road
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462
As an inclusive private school community, Brimmer welcomes students who will increase the diversity of our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law, in the administration of our educational policies, admissions practices, financial aid decisions, and athletic and other school-administered programs.