Know Your Exam Schedule
Click the link below to access the schedule and check Open LMS for specific course instructions from your professors.
Know What to Study
Knowing what to study can seem overwhelming, but you have all the resources you need to prepare effectively. Consider the following:
- The course syllabus covers content from the beginning of the semester. Use it to organize your notes as well as to prioritize content.
- Many professors provide a study guide, essay prompts, and even offer to host review sessions. Check in Open LMS for those types of details.
- Look through your notes, previous study guides and tests to determine what to focus on in your studying.
Take some time to consider what material to prioritize in the week before finals.
The Final Exam Planner helps you thoughtfully prepare for your upcoming exams by helping you process what you know and what you need to know.
Know How to Study
Have you ever studied hard for a test and been disappointed when you saw your grade?
Have you ever sat down to take a test only to find that the questions were different than you expected?
The study strategies you use matter.
Very often students rely on passive study strategies rather than active study strategies. Note the difference:
Passive Strategies:
- Rereading notes, texts, worksheets
- Print out powerpoints and reread the content
- Solving problems while looking at class examples
Active Strategies:
- Rewriting notes in your own words
- Converting chapter/slide headings into questions to answer while you are reading
- Solving problems on your own
Other Active Study Strategies Include:
- Create a concept map from lecture notes which chunk information into categories. Try to do so again without lecture notes
- Create flashcards for terms and recite the definition from memory
- Develop a timeline from memory and go back through your notes to check your accuracy
- Create a study group over Zoom and take turns explaining material. The ability to teach demonstrates knowledge of the material
- Develop test questions
Know When to Study
Knowing when to study is just as important as knowing what to study and how to study.
Creating a routine and a plan will make your sessions more effective.
They will also help you prevent cramming, which studies show is the most ineffective way to prepare for a test.
Once you know your exam schedule, use a planner to organize your time. Using a planner will help you prioritize and focus your time and effort.
The Final Exam Planner: Prioritizes which classes/content to focus on more
Weekly Planner: Helps you see what to do over a range of days leading up to your exams
Daily Planner: Helps you plan your specific time chunks to prepare and to rest
Questions or Suggestions?
We want to hear from you!