Page 254 - Keys to College Success

HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR
final exams?

Studying for final exams, which usually take place the last week of the term, is a
major commitment. Avoid thinking that you can approach them as you would any other
test. Because a final exam typically requires you to recall information from the entire
scope of the course, it requires efforts above and beyond your regular exam preparation.

Manage Your Schedule

Studying for finals requires careful time management. Your college may schedule study
days (also called a “reading period”) between the end of classes and the beginning of
finals. Lasting from a day or two to a couple of weeks, these days give you time to pre-
pare for exams and finish papers. As tempting as it may be to blow off work for a por-
tion of your reading period, try to take advantage of this precious study time. With no
class meetings in your calendar, you have that much more time to work and prepare,
and you will benefit from the extra effort.
Plan out your reading period at least a week before it starts, beginning with a look
at your final exam schedule. Generally, all finals will take place within one week, and
each final happens on a specific day and at a specific time (often a different day and
time from when the course usually meets). Note exactly when each final takes place,
and plan several study sessions in the days before each final exam time, setting aside
blocks of time assigned to specific subject areas. If you have a day when you are taking
more than one final, make sure you factor that into your study plan for the days lead-
ing up to it. Finally, as you would with challenging material, devote more time to
courses that are tougher for you.
Scheduling your study time may require location flexibility. Libraries are often packed,
and students may need to find alternative locations. Consider outdoor settings (if weather
permits), smaller libraries (many departments have their own libraries), and empty class-
rooms. Set up times and places that will provide the atmosphere you need to focus well. 8

Use Targeted Strategies

Use these finals-specific versions of test preparation strategies to get ready for final
exam success.

Know what to study. Some finals cover the entire term’s material, some cover from Test Taking
midterm on, and some address a particular topic that was part of the course coverage.
Get a clear answer from your instructor on what the final will cover so that you can
target your study time.

Take advantage of review sessions and study groups. If your instructor offers
them, review sessions are certain to focus you on what you need to know. If studying in
a group works for you and with the course material, get together with classmates to go
over material.

Start early and start small. As professor Robert Talbert recommends, begin when
you have at least several days until a final and do short reviews at first, basically skim-
ming your notes and study materials. This approach eases your brain back into the
information it learned earlier in the term. Then once you have a decent overview, you
should go into more depth as the date of the final nears. 9
Get some sleep. Save your all-nighters for writing papers; you need sleep in order for
your brain to function on test day. Professor Talbert recommends that you stop study-
ing the night before, in fact, to give your brain time off and allow it to process every-
thing you’ve been studying in the days up until the final. 10

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