It’s hard to believe that finals season is already approaching! Final exams can make or break a semester, so we wanted to share some tips on how to prepare for this important time.
- Start Early
- Start studying about two to three weeks before your final exams. This ensures you have enough time to gather your materials, ask questions in class, and put together a study plan. It also means you can go over the material multiple times to ensure you fully understand it.
- Organize Your Materials
- Organizing your materials is an important part of your study plan. Many teachers will give out study guides in the weeks before finals. You should also gather up and review your class notes, homework, and tests from the past semester.
- Prioritize Your Subjects
- We recommend focusing more time on the subjects that are more challenging for you. Use feedback from your teachers to determine where you need to focus your efforts. It’s also a good idea to start with the most challenging subject and then move on to easier subjects.
- Break It Down
- Breaking down your studying into smaller and more frequent events can make the task of studying for finals feel much more manageable. Try to make at least a little progress each day. You can focus on one chapter or even one concept at a time.
- Use Active Study Techniques
- Studying in multiple different ways and applying knowledge in different ways makes content easier to understand. Some methods include:
- Flashcards, which are particularly useful for vocab, dates, or formulas.
- Practice tests, to simulate real exam conditions.
- Summarizing Notes, to reinforce your understanding of concepts.
- Studying in multiple different ways and applying knowledge in different ways makes content easier to understand. Some methods include:
- Review Strategically
- The night before an exam should be spent on review rather than trying to learn new concepts. You should skim your study materials one last time, then get to bed early.
Preparing for finals is stressful for many students, but these tips should help make finals season a little bit easier. Remember, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s doing your best and learning from the process. Good luck!
