Exam preparation strategies and concerns of university students: gender and open access vs regulated system effects

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify test preparation strategies and concerns of university students in the open and regulated education system. We surveyed 294 students (55.10% male, 44.90% female), 60.54% from the open access system, and 39. 46% from the regulated access system, four dimensions are measured: students' and parents' concerns about university education, constraints to effective academic performance, exam preparation strategies and factors affecting academic performance. The results show three main student concerns in both training systems: self-development, seeking new learning (84.35%) and graduation (73.13%). On the other hand, about half of the students (49.32%) feel that their parents are preoccupied with their studies and are stressed or bothered (31.29%) by their incessant advice. We have identified 15 types of difficulties that are sources of constraint on the efficiency of university student performance, grouped into three categories:  cognitive difficulties (32.64%), teaching methods difficulties (30.57%) and organization difficulties of the training program (36.79%). One-fifth of students review every day, every course, and thus spend an average of half an hour to an hour (41%) per review day. However, female students spent significantly more time per day (+3 hours, p