Many students utilize Quizlet for their studying, from cramming vocabulary late at night to studying math formulas. The free platform offers a vast selection of pre-made digital flashcards for essentially all subjects, as well as the ability to make sets of your own. Quizlet is a valuable tool in most classes. However, science classes typically use these types of websites that rely heavily on memorization of concepts and vocabulary.
Quizlet recently removed features from their free plan to promote their premium plan, Quizlet Plus, for eight dollars a month. The paid version offers many essential features, such as unlimited practice. Despite needing many of the premium features, many teachers continue to assign it as regular assignments.
While it can be very helpful for students to organize their ideas and practice in an old-school flashcard method, it can also encourage students to prioritize memorization over retainable learning. Junior Robbie Kuhnen said, “I use Quizlet to study for my AP Environmental Science exams. I like the format of the website and it helps me memorize key terms.” In fact, he noted that his teacher, Lance Powell, recommended studying his class Quizlet sets to prepare for his final exam. Kuhnen added, “I don’t rely solely on Quizlet, but it has definitely helped me a lot.”
Sophomore Tessa Goldman shared similar sentiments, saying, “Quizlet has helped me a lot in my Chemistry class. There are a lot of properties and equations that I prefer to study on Quizlet than on paper. Plus, I can access Quizlet anytime and anywhere, so I can study whenever.”
That said, some teachers do not use Quizlet at all. AP Chemistry teacher Matthew Sandora shared, “I have never used Quizlet because it doesn’t follow my curriculum.”
Junior Chloe Deloulay added, “Mr. Sandora doesn’t use Quizlet, so I usually just study my notes. However, sometimes I’ll use Quizlet to reinforce my learning.” Because teachers teach topics in different orders of curriculum, it can be hard to find a Quizlet set that aligns exactly with what you’re learning. Deloulay continued, “It’s inconvenient to have to look through multiple Quizlets to study, and I don’t have time to make my own. I’m sure there are alternative websites, but I like the familiarity of Quizlet.”
AP Spanish teacher Maribel Maldonado said that she no longer uses Quizlet because it is not District approved. However, Junior Noelina Vera, a student of Nichole Barlow’s Spanish class shared, “I use Quizlet frequently to study vocabulary.”
Alternatively, some teachers, like AP Biology teacher Patrick Roisen, use different websites with similar features that help with memory-style learning. He said, “I haven’t used Quizlet, but Quizizz is good at giving kids plenty of opportunities to practice.”
Senior Kiana Gholamy said, “I like to use Quizlet, but there are many other websites like GimKit that are just as helpful and more engaging. I also feel like Quizlet just helps me memorize for the test, and then I forget what I learned.”
With 60 million active users, Quizlet dominates the digital flashcard industry. However, it does have many limitations. Finding effective studying methods is essential for high school success, and Quizlet may be a good tool to incorporate.
