What Is My Learning Style? Quiz

Most people don’t struggle with learning, they struggle with how they’re learning. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that how you learn can impact how well you retain and apply information.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re putting in effort but not seeing results, it might not be the subject — it might be your approach. Understanding your learning style can help you study more effectively and make learning feel a lot less frustrating.

At Forage, we help students explore real-world roles at top companies, taking different learning styles into account. That’s why we’ve created this quiz, to help you figure out how you learn best and use it to your advantage.

Jump to What Is My Learning Style? Quiz

What Are Learning Styles?

Learning styles are simply the ways you prefer to take in and process information. There are many models, but this quiz focuses on the VARK model, which breaks learning into four main types:

• Visual: learning through charts, diagrams, and visuals
• Aural: learning through listening and discussion
• Read/Write: learning through text and written notes
• Kinesthetic: learning through hands-on experience

Some people may prefer more than one style — this is known as being multimodal.

>>MORE: What is lifelong learning?

Why Is it Important to Know Your Learning Style?

Understanding how you learn best can make a huge difference in how effective your studying is. When you align your study habits with your learning style, you can:

• learn faster and retain information longer
• feel less frustrated while studying
• perform better on exams and assignments
• better understand your strengths and weaknesses

It also helps beyond school. Knowing how you learn best is a skill you’ll use in internships, jobs, and real-world projects.

>>MORE: Take our “What Should I Go to College For?” quiz to learn what major could be right for you.

What Is My Learning Style? Quiz

Curious about your learning style? Take the learning style quiz below and sign up to find out which learning style you prefer and which study strategies are compatible with that style.

InstagramThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.1. You're working at a coffee shop as a barista. You need to do twenty different things to close up shop at the end of a closing shift. How would you remember all of them? a. write them down and keep a reference sheet with a bulleted list b. do them in the same order each time and remember the motions c. make a diagram of the shop and label the location for each thing you need to do d. ask your trainer to talk you through each task 2. You're learning about the Krebs cycle in biology class. How do you prefer to take notes on this topic? a. draw a diagram b. write out the steps of the cycle in an ordered list c. make index cards for each step you can arrange in front of you d. remember how the professor described it in the lecture 3. You plan to read a novel with a complicated family tree of characters. What's your plan to remember how they're all related? a. bookmark the page where each character first appears to reference later b. draw out a family tree as you go c. listen to the audiobook d. use examples of what characters do together in the book to remember how they’re related 4. You're going on a three-week trip where you can only bring a carry-on. How would you plan out the clothes you're going to pack? a. talk to your friend who’s going about what they’re bringing b. try on each outfit c. lay everything out on the bed in the order you’d wear it on the trip d. write down each outfit and its components 5. If you were testifying in court and needed to remember which entree you had at a restaurant two weeks ago, which memory would be most helpful to you? a. what the food looked like on your plate b. what the server said and what you said when you placed your order c. the descriptions of the food on the menu d. how the food tasted 6. When working on a group presentation, which task are you most comfortable leading? a. outlining what the presentation will cover b. designing the slides c. speaking during the presentation d. doing a demo during the presentation 7. Which of these strategies is most effective for you when trying to remember a complicated dream? a. picturing the different scenes from the dream b. remembering what you and others said in the dream c. recalling what actions you were taking in the dream d. writing down a description of what happened 8. When taking an online course, in which type of task would you perform the best? a. recording a five-minute talk b. making a flowchart c. writing a summary of the key points from an academic article d. completing a virtual role-play exercise with other students 9. You're learning to be a commercial truck driver. Which would be most helpful to you? a. going for a test drive with an experienced driver in the passenger seat b. reading the owner’s manual for the truck c. looking over diagrams of the dashboard and controls d. talking with a truck driver about how they learned 10. Think of one of your favorite teachers. Which modes of instruction did they use most often? a. delivering engaging lectures b. showing helpful diagrams c. providing detailed outlines of course topics d. teaching through examples, like labs, case studies, or immersive activities 11. You're in charge of occupying six kindergarteners for half an hour. Which activity would you prefer to do with them? a. learning a dance routine b. reading a book aloud to them c. drawing d. reciting a call-and-response nursery rhyme Submit

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Other Psychological Concepts to Help Your Study Habits

Our learning style is just one piece of the puzzle. A few other factors can make a big difference too.

Self-Efficacy (Confidence)

Your belief in your ability to learn matters more than you think. When you feel confident that you can succeed, you’re more likely to stay consistent and perform better.

>>MORE: Learn how to ask for feedback at work.

Learning With Others

Studying doesn’t have to be a solo activity. Working with others, like in study groups, can improve understanding, motivation, and even your sense of belonging.

Attention Span

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you have trouble focusing for extended periods. Instead, plan to study in small increments with frequent breaks. The Pomodoro technique is a popular approach!

>>MORE: Read tips for making the most out of college.

What This Means for You

There’s no single “perfect” way to learn. Your preferences can change depending on the subject, environment, or even your mood. The goal isn’t to lock yourself into one style but to understand what works best and use that to your advantage.

Now that you understand how you learn best, the next step is to apply it in real-world situations.

Use your learning style to explore careers that fit →

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