Why study groups fall apart before the first session
Everyone agrees a study group is a great idea, then nobody can agree on when. Different class timetables, part-time jobs and commutes leave only a few windows when the whole group is free, and finding them by chat takes longer than the study session itself.
A poll with the realistic options — the evenings before the exam, the gaps between classes, the weekend — gets you an answer the same day.
How to set it up
Name the poll after the course and the goal, like "Bio 101 — midterm review". Add the days before the deadline and the hours you could meet, on campus or online.
Post the link in the class group chat or the course forum. Classmates answer from their phone in half a minute. Your results page shows which slot most people can make and who would miss it.
For a weekly study group, run one poll at the start of the term to choose the recurring time, then keep it.
Tips
- ✅ Plan backwards from the exam date and leave a buffer session.
- ✅ Smaller groups of three to five decide faster — run separate polls for separate groups.
- ✅ Use "if need be" for slots that clash with work but could be swapped.