Traditional exam reviews are passive and face many challenges to prepare students for exams. In this study, we proposed the “Tab-meta key” model, which emphasizes five major factors (Time, Accountability, Big picture, Key concepts, and Metacognition) and is supported by prior literature. We also designed an exam review based on the “Tab-meta key” model. This exam review is scientifically optimized regarding review contents, activity design, time management, and synergistic effects among different pedagogy. We also evaluated the effectiveness of the “Tab-meta key”-based exam review in an Introductory Biology I course. Our results demonstrated statistically significant improvement on students’ academic performances as well as positive students’ perceptions. The “Tab-meta key” model proposed in this study can be implemented in other STEM courses.