Are Your Students Still Cramming for Exams?

The research is undeniable. Students cram for exams. One reason is that, for many of them, it worked in undergraduate studies. But we all know that, given master's-level education and our PA curriculum cramming, it can be problematic. 

First, let's unpack what is meant by "cramming." This term refers to waiting until the last minute to study. It does not include studying along the way and then doing intense studying just before the exam. Some of the most common reasons students cram are procrastination, poor planning, and prioritizing other activities over studying (Chew, 2026). Unfortunately, due to prior success, research consistently shows that many students believe cramming is a useful study strategy (Chew, 2026; Hora & Oleson, 2017; Theobald et al., 2021). 

Although most faculty believe cramming is not an effective study method, that's actually only partly true. Studies repeatedly show that cramming is effective for short-term learning of uncomplicated material (Chew, 2026). To better understand this, we first need to look at massed vs. spaced practice, as this is where the evidence lies. 

Cramming is a form of massed practice. It refers to concentrating all your studying at once, like the night before the exam. Spaced or distributed practice is an evidence-based strategy where studying is spread out over time. This approach is highly effective for improving recall, academic performance, and long-term retention, and it combats the forgetting curve (Furst, 2021). The forgetting curve refers to how quickly we forget what we learn when there is no reinforcement of that new learning (Beachboard, 2025; Radvansky et al., 2022; Smolen et al., 2016). 

Many studies have looked at massed versus spaced practice. The results consistently show that in the short term, the retention rates are fairly equivalent, with massed slightly higher. However, in terms of long-term learning and retention, spaced practice is decisively better (Chew, 2026; Carpenter et al., 2012). Rohrer & Taylor's (2006) study showed that the mean recall after one week from the exam was 70% in the spaced practice study group and 75% in the massed practice study group. However, after four weeks, the massed practice group recall dropped to 32%, whereas the spaced practice group was at 64%. 

So, why do students still cram? Cramming limits the unpleasantness of studying to a short period, giving students more time to do other, more enjoyable things, and past experiences tell them they can pass the test by studying this way. 

Even if we tell them that this approach isn't good for long-term retention, something they need to be a clinician, they still believe it is an effective method (Chew, 2026). All that matters is they pass the test. And research on student study methods also shows that students don't like to change (Gurung, 2023). They tend to keep using the same approach, even when it isn't working. This may be because they simply don't know of other ways to study. 

There are inherent problems with cramming. Students commonly underestimate the time needed to study the material in the one night they have. This results in skimming or not having the chance to ensure they fully understand the material. They go into the test hoping they remember enough to pass. Cramming is also problematic because it usually results in a lack of sleep, which research shows significantly affects attention and working memory. Lack of sleep the night before a test is one of the most detrimental factors affecting performance, and it is completely avoidable.  

Part of our work as teachers is to help students become better learners. The truth is, unlike when I started teaching decades ago, we could say with some amount of certainty what the future was going to look like and what skills would be needed. That is not the case today. So, our students need to be flexible and adaptable learners, and to know how best to consume, navigate, discern, and retain information. In today's environment, we have to teach them that and help them use effective learning and studying habits. It can be helpful to share that the curriculum is intentionally designed to build on prior knowledge and that our goal is retention. I have found that when students understand the underpinning of what we are deliberately doing, they are more likely to engage. 

The truth is, students are still going to cram for any number of reasons. But if we can impress upon them the problem with this approach in relation to their future careers, perhaps they will do it less. 

Here are two articles if you are interested in learning more about evidence-based study strategies.

Study Strategies 1

Study Strategies 2 

References

Beachboard, C. (2025, June 13). 3 ways to help students overcome the forgetting curve. Edutopia.https://www.edutopia.org/article/helping-students-overcome-forgetting-curve/ 

Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H. K., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369–378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-012-9205-z 

Chew, S. (2026, March 16). The allure and risks of cramming for exams. The Teaching Professor. https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/student-learning/study-strategies/the-allure-and-risks-of-cramming-for-exams/

Furst, E. (2021, March 2). Spaced practice and its role in supporting learning and retention. The Education Hub. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/spaced-practice-and-its-role-in-supporting-learning-and-retention/ 

Gurung, R. A. R. (2023). Give your students tools for effective learning. The Teaching Professor. https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/student-learning/study-strategies/give-your-students-     tools-for-effective-learning/ 

Hora, M. T., & Oleson, A. K. (2017). Examining study habits in undergraduate STEM courses from a situative perspective. International Journal of STEM Education, 4(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-017-0055-6 

Radvansky, G. A., Doolen, A. C., Pettijohn, K. A., & Ritchey, M. (2022). A new look at memory retention and forgetting. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 48(11), 1698–1723. https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0001110 

Rohrer, D., & Taylor, K. (2006). The effects of overlearning and distributed practice on the retention of mathematics knowledge. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 20(9), 1209–1224. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1266 

Smolen, P., Zhang, Y., Byrne, & J. H. (2016, January 25). The right time to learn: Mechanisms and optimization of spaced learning. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 17(2), 77–88. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2015.18 

Theobald, M., Bellhäuser, H., & Imhof, M. (2021). Deadlines don't prevent cramming: Course instruction and individual differences predict learning strategy use and exam performance. Learning and Individual Differences, 87. Article 101994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2021.101994