Sleep or Study?

[cianestro]

I'm a college student. I always cram the night before an exam. Is it better to spend those extra few hours before the exam asleep or to use them to study more? On one hand sleeping allows you to be more alert during the exam but less prepared than if you had studied more. (I understand it's best not to put yourself in this position.)

[psyklic]

If you have not reviewed some of the material and definitely do not know it, you should cram more. Otherwise, you will miss these parts for sure, right?

[cianestro → psyklic]

There seems to be a parabolic decrease in mental fitness past a relative threshold of studying. Assuming topics are studied from most to least relevant, the more time spent after the threshold will come at too great a cost to overall memory recall during a test. This is why I cram all the most important topics first, sleep, then cram the subjects least likely to appear on the test an hour before in the morning.

[cianestro]

Also I understand there is a limit of exhaustion where further studying is fruitless. So my question pertains to before that limit has been reached.

[pacomerh]

do 25% at night, the rest in the morning