How To Remember 90% Of What You Learn [2023]

How to Remember 90% of everything you Learn. This Guide is for those in Universities, High School Students, and Candidates preparing for exams like ICAN, SAT, Jamb, Waec, Neco, BECE, Post UTME, Aptitude Tests, etc.

One of the top secrets of successful students is that they don’t read to forget. It is one thing to read and understand, it is another thing to read and remember.

The beauty of reading is the ability to remember. Now, let us find out how you can remember 90% of what you learn every day…

Remembering What You Read (Facts)

The truth is that we learn differently and remember differently. But generally, it is easier to remember what you have learned when you practice or teach others. Research Shows That…

1.  Learning in Class (5%)

Humans remember 5% of what they learn when they’ve learned from a lecture (i.e. in class).

This implies that attending only classes does not guarantee your success in any examination. You still have a 95% task to remember what you have read.

Classes will not make you remember everything you have been taught. However, it makes it easier for you to read and understand. No matter how good the teacher is, you will still need to do your part to be successful.

2.  Learning From Books (10%)

We recall 10% of what we learn from books.

According to the same research, when you read 100 pages, it is only 10 pages you will remember. We are humans and we forget too. You can only remember more when you read the book over and over again.

3. Learning From Videos (20%)

We take note of 20% of what we learn when we watch Videos.

You learn a whole lot by watching videos. It is easier to remember what you watch than what you just read in books. Videos enable you to take note of up to 20% of the information passed.

Understanding is different from remembering. You can watch a video and understand almost everything explained. If I pause the video and ask you to repeat everything you have learned, can you?

4. Learning From Demonstrations (30%)

Humans remember 30% of what they learn when they see a demonstration.

As you already know, Seeing is believing. Show me what you are teaching me and I will understand you. So, humans remember 30% of what they learn when they see a demonstration.

5.  Learning From Group Discussion (50%)

You recall 50% of what you learn when you engage in a group discussion.

The role of group discussion in remembering what you have read cannot be overemphasized. No wonder many teachers organize group discussions so that students can learn faster.

Research shows that you can remember up to 50% of what you learn when you engage in group discussions.

6. Practice What You Learn (75%)

Human beings remember 75% of what they learn when they practice what they learned.

Practice makes perfect. This is what we call practical. It is easy for you to remember what you have read when you practicalize it.

7. Learning by Teaching Others (90%)

Humans remember 90% of what they learn when they teach others.

This is the “ogakpatakpata” of them all. Give and it shall be given unto to you in good measure; this is the beauty of giving. You learn more when you teach others.

A candle loses nothing by lighting up other candles. Do you see your fellow students/candidates who organize tutorials or teach others? They learn more as they teach and they remember what they have been taught in the process.

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You can now see that passive methods cannot make you remember much. Relying on what you have been taught in class is the worst decision you can take as a student.

You can’t just sit for a lecture and expect to remember everything. In fact, many students forget what they have been taught immediately. Also, we do not remember everything read in books or watched on television.

Engaging in group discussions is a very good way to study. After class or on a special arrangement, you can fix yourself in a group and shed more light on a particularly difficult topic being taught. This can help you remember a lot.

A better method to remember what you study is practice. The efficiency of constant practice cannot be overemphasized. Practice makes perfect. Do not delay, time is different from money.

No matter who we are, where we are in the world, or how much we strive for efficiency, there are only 24 hours in each day. Every single minute is unique, and once it’s gone, it can never be regained, unlike money.

So, if we all have 24 hours in a day, how do we explain the success stories of young millionaires that started from nothing, or a full-time students going from beginner to conversation fluency in Spanish after just 3.5 months? They learned how to maximize effectiveness instead of only efficiency.

What does that tell you? Effective study is a function of time. You have to spend quality time practicing what has been taught.

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Best Method To Learn & Remember (90%)

Active learning is the best method of learning. It helps you remember 90% of what you have learned. Active learning is a learning pattern in which you are 100% involved.

It is easy to remember up to 90% of what you are 100% involved in. We can conclude that teaching others is the best way to remember what you learn. If you don’t have someone present, assume the audience and start teaching them.

You may not know everything, but at least you know something. This is the strength of scholars in your class. They teach others and stay ahead of them.

Let’s say LUKE spent one hour learning a language and retained 90% of what he learned. And JOHN spent nine hours learning and retained 90% of what he learned. JOHN spent 9x more time learning than LUKE, only to retain the same amount of information.

Your mindset matters in learning. The more focused and open-minded you are, the more you are able to learn within a short time. Focus your mind on the things that matter more and less on the things that matter less.

I hope you found this guide helpful. Feel free to share with others using the share buttons and don’t fail to let me know how you feel using the comment box.

See Also: How to study for long hours without losing concentration