Students' Cramming: Advantages and Disadvantages

Ashley Eunixia Asor

Princess Llames
Analyn Joy Linas
Aubrey Rish Mendoza
Klien Nazareno
Nishna Anica Ruiz
Sophia A. Renos

June 14, 2022

 Abstract

This study focused on the causes and effects of cramming, which is a method of doing a
massive review before an examination that later determined to be the last resort for
students seeking higher marks. This paper will provide you with an overview of the
benefits and drawbacks of cramming for students aimed at those who typically study the
day before an exam. As a result, this research indicated that cramming is harmful to
students' health. Furthermore, it will increase stress, anxiety and exhaustion, especially
if the student studies late and pressures himself to remember everything read before an
exam.

Keywords: Cramming, method, last resort, advantages and disadvantages, examination

 Introduction

The notions that most youth believe are the following: Y.O.L.O. or "You Only
Live Once" and that "life is short," which is why most students cultivate the ‘Cramming
Habit’. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, cramming is the method of
studying extensively in order to absorb massive amounts of information in a brief period
of time. Cramming is essentially trying to stuff a load of information into your
short-term memory in time for an upcoming exam. (Lane, 2021). "Cramming can have
pretty dramatic effects on the exam. It will work in the sense of performance on an
exam administered right at the end of cramming. Students get an impression that it
really works, but it just works on the short term. It's accompanied by a dramatic
forgetting rate after that." ( Bjork, 1978)". This paper seeks to address the following
questions:

● What are the reasons for students resorting to cramming in their studies?
● What are the advantages and disadvantages of cramming?
● How does cramming affect students' academic performance?

The purpose of this study is to somehow give a definite answer to the countless
questions of students regarding the power of Cramming to the students. This will also
enlighten the students on the advantages and disadvantages of cramming not only in
their studies but also in their daily lives. As this study goes over the advantages and
disadvantages of cramming, it will also show the effectiveness of cramming in both the
short and long term memory of students. In that case, this study can be a guide to help
students tide over the cramming habit.
 Discussion

Cramming usually happens when students need to pass their paper works until
the last possible second of their deadline. The reason why students resort to cramming
in their studies is that they believe that cramming is the best strategy to finish their
tasks immediately. Some of the students think that they need to cram, to ensure a
greater chance to succeed before the deadline. As claimed by Argual and Bain (2019),
Cramming also helps the students in recalling their studies in the short term, even if
they do not develop a full understanding of what they have studied. However, cramming
is such a broad phenomenon among students that it cannot be attributed to a single
cause.

According to Devon Price, cramming is classified into two types: either fear of
failure or confusion. “Procrastination is more likely when the task is meaningful and the
individual cares about doing it well (Price, 2018).” Students who cram/procrastinate can
stare at their assignments for ages paralyzed by fear of answering, which is why they
frequently take a long break until they're ready to answer it or they will deprive
themselves to do something that relaxes them thinking it would help them answer their
assignments.

An additional reason for student cramming is fear of criticism as stated by Joseph

Ferrari. He discovered that many students self-sabotage to blame poor grades on
deadlines rather than their abilities. As students were frightened of damaging their
public image, as well as their egos. They choose situations where they can hide their
poor performance and show that deadlines are the reason for their shortcomings.” Once
again, procrastination was a coping mechanism—in this case, to protect the students’
self-esteem and perceptions of their identity.” (Ferrari, 2010

Moreover, as quoted by one of the participants in Academic Procrastination and

Online Learning During the Covid-19 Pandemic Research, “I’ve become so unstructured
when I get home because now it’s all up to me.” (CENTERIS, 2021), students acquire
cramming as a result of the pressure of being self-sufficient when accomplishing their
activities at home. Because of the said thought, they delay their tasks which led to their
habit of cramming. Students who resort to cramming often have issues organizing their
time management and finding the motivation to complete tasks.

Cramming is associated with a high level of perceived stress, depressiveness,

anxiety, fatigue, and reduced life satisfaction across a whole range of domains (Ulrich S.
Tran, 2016). Based at Jamestown Community College, A student's responsibility is to
study, which occurs when students take an active role in their learning by recognizing
they are liable for their academic success. Students had enough time to learn, but
students sometimes couldn't consume all the pieces of information taught by their
educators. They sometimes tend to forget what their professors taught them. That's why
students study last minute, especially for an exam. A process that's called Cramming.
Most of the students have done it: either forgetting that they have an exam or
procrastinating so much that they wind up in a massive rush to learn all the new
information before their exam the next day. When things like this happen, cramming for
exams often feels like the only logical step.

According to a 2011 study conducted by Time.com, students who cram for tests
and exams typically only pass their examinations with an average score. Additionally,
most of the information gained through cramming sessions becomes forgotten either
over a short period or during the actual test itself.

Advantages of Cramming
Cramming is one of the best ways to push oneself to be industrious. A
much-needed life skill that we can all use in the workplace is what cramming can give.
These teach students to manage stress and to work under pressure. So when it comes to
tight deadlines in the workplace, you know how to cope with the small amount of time
you have given effectively. Cramming can also teach us how to be hardworking and
multitaskers when at the last minute we can answer all of the school work and we can
understand multiple subjects to be answered.

It cannot be denied that cramming is students' best friend. Procrastination is

very important before the exams for the majority of students. It is their routine to stay
alert all night to study. It looks to be easier to stay awake and cram all night; because of
the belief that if you can identify the question, ruling out different options for the
answers becomes easy.

Cramming does have a lot of disadvantages though cramming gives plenty of

advantages too. "Our Brain" remembers the information overnight. It indicates that one
may study something just before going to sleep, and still, the brain works to understand
every detail of it. The effectiveness of cramming to students is that cramming just
before an exam or other school activity can (in theory) allow the brain to remember
information in the short term and enable it to take in enough information.

Disadvantages of Cramming
Many high school students are cramming because they don't budget their time,
lack discipline, or procrastinate until there's no other choice. Research found out that
even though it doesn't hurt to review material the night before, cramming a bunch of
information in the final hours isn't usually the best strategy for achieving good grades in
school work. Cramming does have disadvantages. One of those is a short-term benefit.
Students who cram particularly tend to forget the information within a day or two,
according to (Muskingum College, 2019). In short, when you revise for an exam, you are
renting information rather than owning it for long periods. High anxiety is also one of
the disadvantages of cramming for students. When you are cramming for a test or any
school work just hours or minutes before you take it can lead to anxiety and fear. It
results in high-stress levels before, during, and after.

As stated by (Muskingum College,2019), cramming is an activity that wastes our

time. Attention span and concentration level drop off drastically after 20 to 30 minutes
of studying, which means you most likely won't be able to recall complex equations,
theorems, difficult vocabulary words, historical dates, or important details. To mention
cramming for school work usually results in reduced sleep time as students either go to
sleep or wake up in the early hour of the morning to maximize their last-minute revision
time. These can often lead to poor academic performance due to less concentration.

Cramming has been a strategy that is being used by students. The effectiveness
or ineffectiveness of cramming is based on how it affects students' academic
performance.  According to Tom Stafford (2014), cramming has an effect on students'
memory. "Cramming has left a lingering glow of activity in sensory and memory
systems, a glow that allows our brain to swiftly tag our study notes as "something that
I've seen before". But being able to recognise something isn't the same as being able to
recall it." (Stafford, 2014).

As a result, cramming can allow one to occasionally squeeze through classes

you’d normally fail. The problem is that the knowledge is rapidly forgotten, so by the
next class taken, it’s mostly forgotten and even further behind than before (Young, 2018).
“When the brain is overworked too much, too often, it increases feelings of anxiety, frustration,
fatigue and even confusion.” (Ph.D. Candidate Eryilmaz)

The author explained that delaying students benefit from distance learning
because all exam study materials are easily available. The study's findings revealed that
procrastinators suffer from distance learning environments. (Yilmaz, 2017). It has
negative and positive effects just like one can do work in a short period of time, which
has positive effects because only a short period of time is used. The negative effects of it
are a chance not to understand what is being studied or answered. Sometimes, the
student may get high scores and often low scores. And when a low grade is received,
academic performance will be affected. When this is always done, the student will get
used to it and academic performance will not be as good.

There are circumstances when cramming is a smart option, but it is typically

riskier than students realize. Numerous students take full advantage of this opportunity
to cram and still pass exams, and they have a record of success in doing so effectively.
According to Stephen Chew, even though students can learn to succeed through
cramming, it's still a risky and stressful strategy. Students often underestimate how
quickly they can read or complete an assignment. Students hope they've read enough
relevant information to pass the exam when all they do is skim the material. Because
they are waiting to study until the last minute, there is little chance to check their
understanding of materials, correct any misconceptions or answer any questions they
might have.

The misconceptions of these knowledge gaps may result in failing grades. The
most at-risk students for failing are those students who are already struggling to simply
pass the exam due to poor cramming. These students can only hope they have studied
enough to pass, and hope is the worst test preparation strategy there is.
 Conclusion

Cramming is the method of studying extensively to absorb massive amounts of

information in a short period of time, which often becomes the last resort for students.
There are factors or reasons why students cram. First, they believe it's the best strategy
to ensure that they have a chance of completing the work on time. Second, is the fear of
criticism, as stated by Joseph Ferarri. Students who stay to cram frequently struggle
with time management and finding the motivation to complete assignments.

In addition, cramming has advantages and disadvantages. As per the studies,

cramming doesn't work because it increases the students' stress and anxiety level.
Students that take their cramming to the extremes by doing this regularly whenever
midterm and finals roll around also put themselves at risk health-wise. If a student is up
late, it is highly unlikely that they’re getting enough sleep. Over time, this bad behavior
takes its toll on the body, leading to exhaustion. But, according to other studies,  it also
seems to be an effective way for students to prepare for a test. It is stated to be their
routine to stay alert all night to study. But revising or reading the textbook until you fall
asleep at your desk from sheer exhaustion is probably not the best way to prepare for an
exam. 

Students should understand that it takes proper time management to successfully

study-not cram for a test or exam. Not only will it lead to a healthier outlook, but in the
long run, it will result in better grades and the ability to recall information much more
uncomplicated and promote confidence while doing schoolwork or taking an exam. 
 References

Agarwal, P. K., & Bain, P. M. (2019). Powerful teaching : unleash the science of learning.

Jossey-Bass.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333030397_Powerful_Teaching_Unlea

sh_the_Science_of_Learning

Beutel, M. E., Klein, E. M., Aufenanger, S., Brähler, E., Dreier, M., Müller, K. W., Quiring, O.,

Reinecke, L., Schmutzer, G., Stark, B., & Wölfling, K. (2016). Procrastination, Distress and

Life Satisfaction across the Age Range – A German Representative Community Study. PLOS

ONE, 11(2), e0148054. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148054

Bjork, E. L., Bjork, R., Roediger, H. L., Iii, K. B., Mcdermott, M. A., & Mcdaniel. (2010). Making

Things Hard on Yourself, But in a Good Way: Creating Desirable Difficulties to Enhance

Learning Using Testing to Improve Learning and Memory.

https://bjorklab.psych.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/04/EBjork_RBjork_2011.p

df

Brinthaupt, T. M., & Chin, C. M. (2001). The relationship of academic cramming to flow experience.

Jewlscholar.mtsu.edu.

https://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/items/28277ff2-6c34-4edc-936a-c13422dec7a2

Das, A. (2015, August 24). Paragraph on Effects of Cramming For an Examination- by Anand. Short

Paragraph.

https://www.shortparagraph.com/paragraphs/paragraph-on-effects-of-cramming-for-an-exami

nation-by-anand/3285?fbclid=IwAR3EfKYkfHx2RezfozOMdtv_IhpNf6BPfZ3eVDiSyGqk4

0_W5ssJebVdRuo

Does Cramming for Tests Work? | GradePower Learning. (2017, May 30). GradePower Learning.

https://gradepowerlearning.com/does-cramming-work/

Donovan, C., Figlio, D., & Rush, M. (2006). Cramming: The effects of school accountability on

college-bound. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED509660.pdf
Eryilmaz, S. B. (n.d.). Sukru Burc Eryilmaz | Stanford University. Web.stanford.edu. Retrieved June

14, 2022, from

https://web.stanford.edu/~eryilmaz/cramming_is_ineffective.html?fbclid=IwAR1LAAy5mD

MYraRwEfjxnaRJxQakC0uH085bSZBU7rXLo1DdD78BstvXYAM

Essay On Effects Of Cramming - 815 Words | 123 Help Me. (n.d.). Www.123helpme.com. Retrieved

June 14, 2022, from

https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Essay-On-Effects-Of-Cramming-730320

Gilraine, M., & Penney, J. (2021, August). Cramming: Short-and long-run effects. Edworkingpapers.

https://doi.org/10.26300/94pe-5j18

Jones, I. S., & Blankenship, D. C. (2021, January 1). Year Two: Effect of Procrastination on

Academic Performance of Undergraduate Online Students. Research in Higher Education

Journal.

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1293903&fbclid=IwAR1EjLJ3adiKy8SNPO8ZyD9oVXDp4Vfb5h

1d2Iy29i2zgjV3zNke5_59_js

Klingsieck, K., Grund, A., Schmid, S., & Fries, S. (2013, July). Why Students Procrastinate: A

Qualitative Approach. Researchgate.net.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265925050_Why_Students_Procrastinate_A_Qualit

ative_Approach

Lane, C. (2020, January). Does Cramming for Your exams Actually Work? Does Cramming for Your

Exams Actually Work?

https://www.topuniversities.com/blog/does-cramming-your-exams-actually-work

Magher, M. (2021, November). Disadvantages of Cramming for Tests. Education - Seattle PI.

https://education.seattlepi.com/disadvantages-cramming-tests-2665.html

Melgaard, J., Monir, R., Lasrado, L. A., & Fagerstrøm, A. (2022). Academic procrastination and

online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Procedia Computer Science.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.11.080

News, A. B. C. (2012, August 21). Cramming May Be Damning for Your Grades. ABC News.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/cramming-hurt-kids-grades-study-suggests/story?id=1704513
 3&fbclid=IwAR3aQNUSzphexjIPKJP48shpuTgA4HzK7l6A1zvs302XOPX6P8zX0mXQ3b

Positive and Negative Effects of Cramming and Procrastination Free Essay Sample on

Samploon.com. (2020, September 5). Samploon.com.

https://samploon.com/positive-and-negative-effects-of-cramming/

Robinson, T. (2021, October 21). Is cramming for exams worth it? Shield Media.

https://www.shieldmedia.org/post/is-cramming-for-exams-worth-it?fbclid=IwAR3EfKYkfHx

2RezfozOMdtv_IhpNf6BPfZ3eVDiSyGqk40_W5ssJebVdRuo#:~:text=Students%20who%2

0depend%20on%20cramming

Seo, E. H. (2012). Cramming, Active Procrastination, and Academic Achievement. Social Behavior

and Personality: An International Journal, 40(8), 1333–1340.

https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2012.40.8.1333

Stafford, T. (2014, November 18). Memory: Why cramming for tests often fails. Bbc.com.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140917-the-worst-way-to-learn

targetstudy.com. (2018). Cramming in Exam Times | Procedure | Advantages | Disadvantages.

Targetstudy.com. https://targetstudy.com/articles/cramming-for-exams-pros-and-cons.html

Tucker, K. (2019). Disadvantages of cramming for tests. The Classroom | Empowering Students in

Their College Journey.

https://www.theclassroom.com/disadvantages-cramming-tests-3960.html

Whitney Ph.D, C. W. (2019, March 27). Why Cramming Is the Worst Way to Study. HowStuffWorks.

https://people.howstuffworks.com/why-cramming-is-worst-way-to-study.htm

Young, S. H. (2018, December 24). Why you cram for exams (and how to stop). Scott H Young.

https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2018/12/24/why-cram/?fbclid=IwAR1ZEJ8IcWo-DSLr_

yyDfPsXvbsXxAQ4p-ZRT2UQEGgr3DBLUoQcBL_PKOc