Studying for exams doesn’t have to be stressful. After testing different AI strategies, I found a way to make exam prep more efficient, engaging, and even fun—all while saving time. In this post, I’ll share exactly how I used ChatGPT to create audio-friendly summaries, interactive mock exams, and a stress-free study routine. If you want to study smarter (not harder), this is for you!
After nine semesters of Cognitive Science (B.Sc.) and two semesters of Applied Computer Science (M.Sc.), I recently faced the toughest exam of my academic career—Advanced Algorithms (if you’re curious 🤓). This wasn’t just any exam; it was the final hurdle before heading off to study abroad in Sydney for over a year.
At first, I was hella anxious about this one. Not only was the subject insanely challenging, but I also had a lot on my plate—a major study project, building my own business, a part-time job, planning my move to Australia, and prepping for a competitive powerlifting event. My goal? Just survive and pass.
But guess what? I didn’t just pass—I walked away with a 2.0, and (somehow) the whole prep process turned out to be relaxing and even fun.
Sounds impossible? Keep reading—because Ethan Hunt isn’t the only one pulling off impossible missions. 😆
I already knew that AI tools like ChatGPT were game-changers for exam prep—in fact, my most-read blog post. so far is all about that.
But through trial and error, research, and some creative brainstorming, I found a way to make it even more efficient and enjoyable—allowing me to save time, reduce stress, and actually have free time during the exam period.
Here’s exactly how I did it. 🚀
Some Initial Key Points
I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating:
Before diving into the methods, two things are crucial to understand:
- Time Investment is Essential: AI tools like ChatGPT don’t magically reduce study time. It’s a tool, not a shortcut—you still need to put in the work.
- Accuracy Check: AI can get things wrong. Always double-check and verify the information before relying on it.
Nowadays, ChatGPT isn’t the only option. Whether you use ChatGPT, DeepSeek (currently one of the hottest names in the IT world), or any other LLM-powered AI ChatBot, the principles remain the same. Just make sure the version you’re using can handle file attachments and long, detailed conversations.
🛑 Pro Tip: You’ll probably need a pro version for this (depending on the model). Unfortunately, these companies don’t pay me to say this, haha. But I highly recommend investing in a paid version. Not just for exam prep, but in almost every domain of studying and working, this can make a huge difference.
But enough fanboying. Let’s dive into the practical methods.
Oral or Written Exams? Both.
This method works for both oral and written exams, and I’ve successfully used it for both formats.
The first part of the method applies universally to all exam types.
The second part, while also applicable to written exams, can be a game-changer in oral exams—especially if you have limited prep material, like mock questions.
Step 1: Creating Lecture Summaries – But Fun Ones, and for Listening
I use ChatGPT (or any AI model that works for you) to generate summaries of my lectures. That’s nothing special. But here’s the catch:
- I create 2-3 versions of each summary, depending on the complexity and how difficult I find the topic.
- The summaries are optimized for listening, not reading.
Here’s how it works in detail:
Multiple Versions
For each lecture, I generate two (sometimes three) different summaries:
- Fun & Engaging Version – This one is full of vivid examples, analogies, and humor. It makes concepts more memorable and actually fun to listen to. I’ve had plenty of laugh-out-loud moments while reviewing these.
- Structured, Formal Version – A clear, precise, and well-organized summary that feels more like traditional lecture notes. This reinforces the same content but in a more academic tone.
- Q&A Format (optional) – If I really struggle with a lecture, I create a third version: a simple Q&A format. Each key topic is turned into a question with a concise, easy-to-digest answer.
This redundancy helps reinforce the same material from different angles, making it easier to grasp and remember.
Example of Fun ChatGPT Summaries
Here are some of my favorite moments from ChatGPT’s fun summaries:
Big O Notation:
If running time were a pizza delivery:
- O(1): The pizza was already at your door.
- O(log n): You take shortcuts through side streets.
- O(n): You follow every red light.
- O(n²): You stop to chat with everyone you know along the way.
In cryptography, hashing a password is like making a smoothie.
You blend all the ingredients together (password + salt),
and there’s no way to un-blend it back into the original components.
And if two people somehow end up with the same smoothie (collision),
well... something went terribly wrong in the kitchen.
How to Get the Right Summaries
It’s crucial to give ChatGPT precise instructions on how you want your summaries. Here’s a typical starting prompt I use:
You are an advanced AI assistant helping me prepare for my **Advanced Algorithms** oral exam.
The exam is in **6 weeks**, and I need highly precise, structured, and engaging summaries of my lecture content.
### Important Guidelines:
- **Accuracy is essential**: Only include verified and correct information. No hallucinations.
- **No LaTeX**: Do not format any content in LaTeX. Keep all formulas and symbols in plain text.
- **Audio-Friendly**: The summaries should be optimized for listening, structured in a way that makes them easy to follow when converted to audio.
- **Cover ALL Content**: The summaries must encompass the entire content of the uploaded lecture slides—do not skip or simplify crucial concepts.
- **I will upload the lecture slides in the next messages**—wait for them before generating the summaries.
- **I will tell you in each message which type of summary I want. Generate only that type per request.**
### Three Summary Types to Generate:
1: **Fun & Engaging Summary**
- Explain the content in a vivid, engaging, and easy-to-digest way.
- Use humor, real-world metaphors, and storytelling to make the information stick.
- Keep it entertaining while maintaining accuracy.
2: **Structured & Formal Summary**
- A clear, to-the-point version that mimics a well-structured lecture or textbook summary.
- Include key concepts, definitions, and explanations in an organized way.
- No fluff, just high-quality learning material.
3: **Q&A Summary**
- Format the content into a series of concise questions and answers.
- Each question should challenge understanding, and each answer should be clear and easy to grasp.
- Prioritize the most important exam-relevant aspects of the lecture.
Before proceeding, paraphrase your task briefly to ensure we're aligned.
Wait for the slides before starting the summaries.
Then, I upload my lecture slides and use a short follow-up prompt to specify the key aspects of how I want the summary structured and which format I need.
Here are my slides for **Lecture 8**.
Please create the **fun summary** for this lecture.
- Make it **as engaging as possible** with humor, vivid examples, and a storytelling approach.
- **Include all content** from the slides—nothing should be skipped or overly simplified.
- **No LaTeX at all**—keep all formulas and symbols in plain text.
- **Optimize for listening**—structure it in a way that is clear and enjoyable as an audio format.
- **Be precise and correct**—fun is great, but accuracy is key.
💡 Tip: If you don’t want ChatGPT to use LaTeX (which it loves for formulas, but is awful when turned into audio), make sure to state this explicitly. It often forgets, but a quick reminder usually fixes it. If needed, stop the generation, restate your request, and regenerate the summary.
Converting Summaries to Audio
Once I have a summary, I use TTSMaker (a text-to-speech tool, pro version) to convert the text into an audio file. There are plenty of alternatives, but I found this one to be the easiest and most cost-effective.
- Copy the summary → paste it into the TTS tool → generate the audio.
- Listen to the audio while reading along to check for clarity and make small tweaks if needed, and to rehearse the concepts a first time.
- If all is good, move on to the next summary.
💾 Organizing Files
To keep things structured, I save the audio files using a clear naming system:
[subject]_[lecture number]_[summary type]
For example:
advancedAlgos_l12_fun.mp3
advancedAlgos_l08_QnA.mp3
After a session of generating multiple summaries, I send them to my phone. I just drop them in my WhatsApp chat with myself (works best for quick access), but any file transfer method works.
Actually Listening to the Summaries
Creating the summaries is just step one. The real magic happens when you integrate them into your daily routine.
I try to listen to each summary at least 4 times over a span of 4-6 weeks (or more condensed if exams are closer).
🚀 Best Times to Listen:
- Driving home from university
- During workouts
- Grocery shopping
- Hiking (yes, studying while hiking = perfect productivity hack!)
- Cooking (as long as it’s a simple recipe)
This method saves me a ton of time while keeping exam prep stress-free. I’m reinforcing concepts passively throughout my day instead of staring at a screen all the time.
Last-Minute Revision
The hours before an exam, I do a final run-through:
- Go for a long walk to clear my head.
- Listen to my summaries one last time to refresh everything.
- Grab a coffee, take a deep breath, and relax.
And that’s it. The content is fresh in my mind, I’ve had plenty of exposure to it, and I’m ready to go.
And you'll be, too!
Step 2: Practice – The Key to Retention
Once I’ve created my summaries, the next crucial step is active practice. Depending on how much time I have, I either focus entirely on review first and then practice, or I mix both throughout my prep. I’ve tested different approaches, and both can work well.
If you have mock exams or practice sheets, those are obviously great resources. However, for oral exams (and even for some written ones), they often don’t exist or aren’t sufficient. That’s where ChatGPT becomes an insanely useful tool for exam simulations.
Mock Exams with ChatGPT
I strongly recommend starting a new chat for mock exams. Long, messy chats covering multiple topics tend to confuse the model, making the responses inconsistent. A fresh chat keeps it sharp and focused.
💡 Here’s how I use mock exams effectively:
-
Start with single-lecture mock exams
- I tell ChatGPT exactly how I want the exam structured.
- It usually does a great job at replicating real exam conditions.
- I always write out my answers in full sentences, regardless of whether it’s a written or oral exam.
-
Gradually expand to full-topic mock exams
- Once I’ve covered all lectures individually, I combine them into bigger exams.
- This helps simulate the real exam structure and ensures I understand connections between topics.
-
Be aware: ChatGPT grades too nicely!
- AI models are trained to be encouraging, so they tend to be generous with grades.
- I once got an A even though I missed half the answers. 😂
- To fix this, I explicitly tell ChatGPT: “Grade me strictly, as a real examiner would.”
- After doing this, the grading became way more realistic and actually useful.
🚀 Here’s my go-to prompt for generating mock exams:
You are a helpful assistant supporting me in preparing for my **oral exam in Advanced Algorithms**.
Your role is to act as my **exam simulator**, focusing on one lecture at a time.
This chat is **strictly for exam simulations**—do not include any explanations, summaries, or unrelated content.
### **Exam Simulation Instructions:**
1. **Exam Structure (Per Lecture)**
- Each mock exam consists of exactly **10 questions**.
- These questions should **only** be based on the content of the specific lecture I specify.
- Label each one as **“Question X:”**, where **X** is the question number (1 through 10).
2. **Question Types**
- Questions may be **standalone** or **follow-up questions** that build on my previous answers.
- If my answer is incomplete or reveals uncertainty, ask a **follow-up question** to dig deeper or clarify concepts.
- If my answer is fully correct and demonstrates strong understanding, proceed to a **new independent question**.
3. **Exam Procedure**
- Once I specify the **lecture number** and **difficulty level**, begin the exam with a professional greeting, as in a real oral exam.
- Ask **Question 1**, then wait for my response.
- Based on my answer:
- If clarification is needed → **Ask a follow-up question.**
- If the answer is complete → **Move on to a new question.**
- Continue this format until all 10 questions have been completed.
4. **Feedback and Grading**
- After the 10th question, provide the following:
- An **overall grade** for my performance.
- General **feedback** on my strengths and weaknesses.
- A **question-by-question review**, correcting mistakes where necessary and offering additional insight if an answer was incomplete or incorrect.
- After providing feedback, ask whether I want to start another simulation.
5. **Difficulty Levels**
- Each mock exam follows a difficulty level: **easy, medium, or hard** (which I will specify).
- **Easy**: Straightforward questions covering fundamental concepts.
- **Medium**: A mix of fundamental and more challenging questions.
- **Hard**: Complex, multi-step problems that test deeper understanding.
6. **Topic-Specific Focus**
- I will indicate the **lecture number** each time.
- The 10 questions should **fully cover key topics** from that lecture.
- Use precise, exam-relevant phrasing to simulate an actual oral exam setting.
7. **Use of Materials**
- I will upload **lecture slides** after this prompt. Use them as the **sole reference** for generating exam questions.
- Ensure that the questions comprehensively reflect the content of the provided slides.
### **Important Notes:**
- Do **not** provide explanations or hints before I answer—this is a simulation, not a tutoring session.
- Keep questions **clear and direct**, just like in a real oral exam.
- If I request a new mock exam, generate a fresh set of 10 questions.
- Maintain a **balanced mix of follow-ups and new questions** to best simulate an adaptive exam experience.
I will now specify the **lecture number and difficulty level** for the first simulation. Let’s begin.
The Power of Iteration
After going through mock exams for each lecture separately, I move on to comprehensive exams covering everything.
Again, I start a new chat and use a similar prompt to before:
You are a helpful assistant supporting me in preparing for my **oral exam in Advanced Algorithms**.
Your role is to act as my **exam simulator**, covering all lectures in a single session.
This chat is **strictly for exam simulations**—do not include any explanations, summaries, or unrelated content.
### **Exam Simulation Instructions:**
1. **Exam Structure (All Lectures Combined)**
- Each mock exam consists of exactly **10 questions**.
- These questions should **cover multiple lectures**, ensuring a balanced representation of all key topics.
- Label each one as **“Question X:”**, where **X** is the question number (1 through 10).
2. **Question Types**
- Questions may be **standalone** or **follow-up questions** that build on my previous answers.
- If my answer is incomplete or reveals uncertainty, ask a **follow-up question** to dig deeper or clarify concepts.
- If my answer is fully correct and demonstrates strong understanding, proceed to a **new independent question** from a different lecture.
3. **Exam Procedure**
- Once I specify the **difficulty level**, begin the exam with a professional greeting, as in a real oral exam.
- Ask **Question 1**, then wait for my response.
- Based on my answer:
- If clarification is needed → **Ask a follow-up question.**
- If the answer is complete → **Move on to a question from a different lecture.**
- Ensure that by the end of the 10 questions, multiple lectures have been covered.
4. **Feedback and Grading**
- After the 10th question, provide the following:
- An **overall grade** for my performance.
- General **feedback** on my strengths and weaknesses.
- A **question-by-question review**, correcting mistakes where necessary and offering additional insight if an answer was incomplete or incorrect.
- After providing feedback, ask whether I want to start another simulation.
5. **Difficulty Levels**
- Each mock exam follows a difficulty level: **easy, medium, or hard** (which I will specify).
- **Easy**: Straightforward questions covering fundamental concepts from multiple lectures.
- **Medium**: A mix of fundamental and more challenging questions from various lectures.
- **Hard**: Complex, multi-step problems that test deeper understanding across all topics.
6. **Topic Distribution**
- Ensure **all key lectures** are represented across the 10 questions.
- Do not cluster multiple questions from the same lecture back-to-back—spread them out.
- The mix of topics should resemble a real comprehensive exam, where I have to switch between subjects.
7. **Use of Materials**
- I will upload **lecture slides** after this prompt. Use them as the **sole reference** for generating exam questions.
- Ensure that the questions comprehensively reflect the content of the provided slides.
### **Important Notes:**
- Do **not** provide explanations or hints before I answer—this is a simulation, not a tutoring session.
- Keep questions **clear and direct**, just like in a real oral exam.
- If I request a new mock exam, generate a fresh set of 10 questions.
- Maintain a **balanced mix of follow-ups and new questions** to best simulate an adaptive exam experience.
- Ensure the exam **covers different lectures evenly** to prevent an accidental overfocus on a single topic.
I will now specify the **difficulty level** for the first simulation. Let’s begin.
At this point, ChatGPT typically adapts to my weaknesses, focusing more on topics where I struggle. Sometimes, it even asks if I want extra reinforcement in those areas. If not, I can also manually request extra questions on weak topics.
In the following exam simulations, please **prioritize questions on topics where I previously struggled**.
If I made mistakes or showed uncertainty in past answers, reinforce those areas by:
- Asking more questions on similar concepts.
- Gradually increasing the difficulty level to challenge my understanding.
If I need additional reinforcement on a specific topic, I will let you know. Otherwise, continue with a balanced mix across all lectures.
The Power of Writing Your Answers
I always write out my answers, no matter if the exam is written or oral.
✅ For written exams: Writing full responses improves recall and ensures I can express my thoughts clearly in writing.
✅ For oral exams: Writing answers first helps me structure my thoughts, making it easier to recall key points when speaking.
This forces me to:
✅ Structure my thoughts clearly
✅ Avoid glossing over weak spots
✅ Reinforce my memory through active recall
💡 Struggling with recall? That’s actually a good thing.
Research shows that forcing your brain to retrieve information—even unsuccessfully at first—actually improves memory. If you’re getting things wrong, that’s part of the process! Every failed recall attempt strengthens long-term learning.
Making Practice Fun
To keep things engaging, I apply the same fun approach as in my summaries:
✅ Answer with vivid examples – Making concepts relatable helps me remember them better.
✅ Inject some humor – I challenge myself to explain things in a way that would make ChatGPT smile (if it could).
✅ Use analogies – If ChatGPT can explain a concept using pizza metaphors, so can I!
Bonus: This Works in the Real Exam Too
Adding a bit of personality to your real exam answers (especially oral ones) often makes the experience smoother and more enjoyable for both you and the examiner.
During my last exam, my professor laughed out loud at one of my examples and even complimented my explanation. That moment alone made the entire process feel so much less stressful.
So, don’t be afraid to inject a bit of fun into your study approach—and even into the exam itself!
Wrapping It Up
Using audio summaries, multiple summary styles, and a mix of lecture-based and full mock exams—all while keeping things fun and engaging—has completely changed how I prepare for exams.
It’s made the process less stressful, way more effective, and even enjoyable (yes, really!).
I hope this method helps you, too! Give it a try, and let me know how it works for you.
And of course—if ChatGPT throws in any hilarious jokes while generating your fun summaries, share them in the comments! I’d love to hear them. 😆
Now go crush that exam. 🚀
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