The Biggest Lies You’ve Been Told About Learning

For decades, students have been told to study in ways that feel productive, but those methods are actually harming student’s testing scores. The result? Hours of effort, a false sense of confidence, and disappointing test scores.

At the core of the problem are two of the most widespread learning myths in education today:

The Learning Styles Myth — the idea that students learn best only when information is tailored to their “style” (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.). Despite its popularity, research shows it does little to improve learning and can even hold students back.

The Confidence Trap — the belief that simply reviewing material over and over guarantees mastery, when in reality it tricks you into thinking you’re ready without building lasting understanding.

These myths persist because they sound intuitive and are deeply ingrained in schools, tutoring, and study culture. But once you understand why they don’t work—and what to do instead—you can unlock the kind of learning that lasts, saves time, and actually improves your scores.