1. Preparing for Final Exams
A Study Skills Series
Presented by General Studies

2. Things to Take into Consideration
Managing Your Time
Making Academics Your Top Priority
Reducing Anxiety
Using Active Study Strategies
Avoiding Cramming

3. Manage Your Time Efficiently
Identify the days and time of all your exams
Create an End-of-Semester calendar
Know when the Last Class day and “Dead Day” are

4. Make Academics Your Top Priority
Some students slack off because it is close to the end
You have worked so hard why give up now?
Calculate course grade to determine the impact of final exam
Push Hard
Put forth some extra effort to help bring up your grade

5. Set Priorities Reevaluate your goals for each class
Look closely at where you stand in each class
Consider all your options

6. Attend ALL classes

7. Reduce Anxiety Don’t let final exams panic you
Get enough rest so you won’t feel stressed or worn out
Eat well

8. Use Active Study Strategies
Review lecture notes the same day you take them
Write and recite information to move it to long term memory
Test your understanding of the material by using flash cards, self-test, and recitation

9. Stay Motivated
If you get tired or discouraged, give yourself a pep talk
Plan rewards that will help you stay on task
Surround yourself with other motivated people

10. Work Hard During Each Exam
Don’t be in such a hurry to finish your exam
Use problem-solving strategies to find the correct answers
Concentrate only on one exam at a time
Don’t allow your performance on one exam to interfere with your studying or performance on another

11. Monitor Your Progress
Look over notes and text after your test to check your answers and predict how you did
Look over your exam, if the professor allows it, and determine whether or not your study plan was effective
Even though the course is over and your grade is already assigned, this could benefit you in the future

12. Reasons to Set Up a Final Exam Plan
Helps to avoid cramming
Enables you to utilize time more efficiently
Will enable you to maintain your motivation throughout exam week

13. Reasons to Avoid CRAMMING
Cramming is an inefficient use of time
Leads to feelings of frustration
Results in memory interference
Especially ineffective if you have more than 1 exam on the same day
Gives you less opportunity to organize, practice, and test your ability to retrieve information

14. How to Set Up Final Exam Plan…

15. 1. Make a Final Exam Study Plan
-look at syllabi or final exam schedule several weeks in advance
-create a *Reminder Sheet for each exam that includes: 1. name of course
2. day, time, and place of exam
3. any materials required for exam
*Put Reminder Sheet on a bulletin board or door, where it can be easily viewed

16. 2. Set Up Final Exam Study Plan
Don’t start to prepare too early
Preparing for exams several weeks ahead of time can cause you to forget the information before the exam
Space your study to aid retention
Crucial for getting information into long-term memory in a logical and organized manner
Study 1 chunk of material at a time, then review to monitor your learning

17. Set Up Final Exam Study Plan
Split your day when preparing for several exams
Requires planning and perseverance
Enables you to create 3 to 4 two-hour blocks of time each day to prepare for exams
Create a Final Exam Planning Calendar
Helps you keep track of your available study time

18. Creating a Final Exam Planning Calendar
Each study block needs to be followed by at least a 1 hour break
The break gives you time to rest and allows the information to “sink in” before you begin again
Color Code your Calendar
Pick a different color for each exam
Highlight each study block for that exam in the designated color

19. What is a COMPREHENSIVE final?
A final that covers material that was previously tested on, as well as new material

20. How to Prepare for Comprehensive Finals:
How to prepare for comprehensive finals is determined by what percentage of the final is comprehensive
Finals are usually 25%, 50%, or 75% comprehensive
The percentage of comprehensiveness determines the amount of time to devote to studying the old and new material

21. 25% Comprehensive Finals
Spend only 25 % of the time you’ve set aside to study for this final for studying old material
Spend the remaining 75% studying the new material
Example: If your final consists of 100 multiple-choice questions only 25 of them will be from old material and 75 will be from new material

22. 50% and 75 % Comprehensive Finals
For 50 % comprehensive finals an equal amount of time should be divided between studying old and new materials
You may need to spend more time on old material as a way of refreshing your memory
For 75% comprehensive finals more time is required to study old material
So few questions will be taken from new material so be sure to study the old material 75% longer than the new

23. Quick Reminders on Preparing for Finals
Good time management is a necessity
Two weeks before exam make academics your FIRST priority
Evaluate your current status in each course, to determine how much the final will affect your grade
Use a study planning calendar to stay on task
Develop a strategy to stay motivated throughout finals
Put forth your best effort on all finals
AVOID CRAMMING!!!

24. GOOD LUCK on Finals!!!