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Your Finals Survival Guide:
Making the Most of Your Test Prep

By Katie Kretshmer, Graduate, Columbia University

Stephanie Levonne, a junior at Binghamton University in Vestal, New York, says her biggest challenge when preparing for final exams is staying focused. “There’s so much work to be done, I get overwhelmed. I don’t know where to start or how much time I should devote to each subject.”

It goes without saying that the best way to survive finals is to keep up with your class work from day one of the semester. But even the most conscientious students can get stressed when faced with a week devoted to exams and papers, or find themselves a little behind in one class.

Unless you’ve completely frittered away the term playing pool and Angry Birds, don’t panic: You will survive.

Begin by Getting Organized
Make a calendar of exam dates and paper or project due dates, and work backward. You should plan to begin reviewing at least a week before the exam. While there’s no hard and fast rule, according to James Black, director of the Center for Academic Achievement at Susquehanna University, in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, you need to give yourself one to two hours per day, per class, for at least a week before the exam. “You need to break it up because you won’t retain the information if you cram for 10 hours the day before.”

As early as possible, start building in extra study time. “Look for those unused blocks of time that you might normally waste during the day,” advises Donna Dawson, director of the Sagan Academic Resource Center at Ohio Wesleyan University, in Delaware, Ohio. “Research has shown that a 50-minute block is the ideal amount for most people to study and retain information,” she says. And Black agrees that spending much more than two hours at a time on a given subject reduces your retention. 

You probably have some classes that you feel pretty confident about, and one or two that you find more challenging. But when it comes to prepping for finals, “Don’t shortchange yourself,” says Black. He recommends spending equal study time on your courses.

Jackie Roth, a junior at Ohio Wesleyan University, says she prioritizes by studying more challenging material first, and reviews information she feels more confident in later. When you get to the home stretch, Jennifer Luarca, learning skills coordinator for the Learning Assessment Center at California State University at Long Beach, suggests you allot more time to the subjects you’ll be tested on soonest.

Quality Study Time
When it comes to studying, it’s not just quantity but quality that makes the difference. “Students may study for three hours to get a good grade, but they don’t focus on the process,” says Luarca. “There is no magic formula, but there are strategies that will help you use your time more wisely.”

Simply rereading notes and other material is probably the least effective way to study, according to the study-skills pros we spoke to. They all stress “active learning” techniques.

The simplest and most basic example of this is rewriting your notes, says Dawson. “Rewriting them forces you to focus more than simply reading them over.” She recommends making this a habit from the start of the semester—within a few hours of class—because things are fresher in your mind. If there are gaps in your notes, the information is still fresh and you can flesh them out, while if you go back to them days or weeks later, you probably won’t remember.

Dawson also suggests reading aloud—just don’t bug your roommate—and reciting information because the combination of seeing and hearing the information is a more active way to take it in.

Effective Study Techniques
Another way to keep learning “active” is to vary the way you study. Working with a study group or a partner allows you to quiz each other, and to explain concepts out loud. “Students often think they know the material, but they really can’t communicate it,” says Black. Explaining concepts to a partner can help.

There are plenty of ways to keep learning active even when working alone: The process of creating flash cards is a great way to review, and keeping them handy allows you to quiz yourself whenever you have a few minutes. There are also a variety of online applications, from flashcard apps for your smartphone to sites that let you create online review quizzes.

Meghan Brown, assistant professor of biology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, in Geneva, New York, shared an excellent tip: “Make a cheat sheet, even if you can’t bring it to the exam.” She says just focusing on the most important information and writing it down on a single page can really help you remember it.

Not everyone learns in the same way: Dawson says up to 65% of people are visual learners—so making charts or graphs, or mapping concepts can be more helpful than other forms of review. For more ideas on nontraditional ways to study, CLICK HERE.

A Need-to-Know Basis for Learning
Brown also says knowing what to study can help make a semester’s worth of material feel more manageable. Most professors will give some indication of what will be on the final exam. Susan L. O’Donnell, associate professor of psychology at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, develops study guides for her students. “I try to get them to think about material in a different way from just reading the chapters and trying to memorize the concepts.”

Even if your professor doesn’t give you a study guide, you’ll find loads of info on the syllabus and by reviewing past tests and assignments. Brown gives students a concept sheet that reviews the broad topics discussed throughout the semester.

It bears repeating that the better you keep up with classes all term long, the better prepared you will be for finals. If you find yourself struggling in a class, or even if you need help with just one concept, seek help early, not the day before the exam. Start with your professors and your TAs or head for your school’s academic support center.


KATIE KRETSCHMER IS A GRADUATE OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND A FREELANCE WRITER LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY.


Find Out More
Click for a great guide to preparing for finals from the University of Nebraska website.
Click for 101 ways to prepare for final exams now from Eastfield College's website.


For a "cheat sheet" on how to plan out study time, check out Cornell University's Five Day Study Plan, CLICK HERE.


Give Yourself a Break

Getting out of the library for a meal is, if nothing else, a good study break: Reading while eating can lead to overeating, and leaving the books for short periods is as important to retention as studying. For every hour of studying, you should take a 10-minute break: Get up, stretch, make a cup of tea, go for a short walk. Every few hours, give your self a real break.

“During exam weeks, I’ll try to either start or end the day with a run,” says Jackie Roth, a junior at Ohio Wesleyan University. “I tend to study for long chunks of time—a run lets me clear my head.”

Many schools offer social events geared to help students through the stress, whether it’s free yoga or a pizza party. An annual tradition at Columbia University in New York City is “The Scream.” At midnight of the Sunday before finals begin, students open their windows and scream for five minutes.

Jason Zelesky, associate dean of students at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, says the school holds a “midnight breakfast” on the eve of reading days, served by the university president and faculty. Just be sure these events don’t sidetrack you from your work for more than an hour.


What To Do On Exam Day
When zero hour arrives, try to arrive a few minutes early—but not too early. Take a deep breath and read through the entire exam first. Donna Dawson, director of the Sagan Academic Resource Center at Ohio Wesleyan University, in Delaware, Ohio, suggests doing a “memory dump”—quickly writing down key information on the back of the exam or test book. Then go through and do the easiest, shortest questions first. “It will build your confidence and give you time for the harder questions.”

Read exam questions carefully—and not only to be sure you answer them correctly. Meghan Brown, assistant professor of biology at Hobart & William Smith Colleges, in Geneva, New York, says she will often embed answers—or at least information helpful to answering one question in the wording of another. “If a student is calm, and reading carefully and know how to use the information, they will find hints,” she says.

Jackie Roth, a junior at Ohio Wesleyan University, says eating breakfast the day of the exam is vital—as is getting a good night’s sleep—which is easier said than done. Rather than relying on caffeinated beverages, keep hydrated with water, or chew gum (which can also help you focus, says Dawson). Likewise, it’s easier to snack on junk when studying, but do your best to get at least two square meals a day. Bucknell University’s student health service offers tips for smart eating and snacking, CLICK HERE.

 

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