MINNEAPOLIS — An important deadline is approaching, and we're not talking about Christmas shopping. End of semester exams are coming up for students of all ages. Finals exams are just hours away.

This is a good starting point. You can’t just wing it. Most successful candidates suggest dedicating a good chunk of study time—think anywhere from 200 to 300 hours. That might sound like a lot, but ...

Mr. Willingham is a psychologist at the University of Virginia and the author, most recently, of “Outsmart Your Brain: Why Learning Is Hard and How You Can Make It Easy.” Picture your preschooler’s ...