With finals next week, The Department of Academic Advising and Student Development wanted to provide Millersville students with advice on how to prepare this weekend and throughout finals week.
Preparing for the Exam:
- Look at your final exam schedule and devise your study plan NOW!
- Begin reviewing and studying a week and several days BEFORE the final exam
- Schedule meeting times with your study groups NOW!
- Identify and review the major topics covered on the exam
- Take one topic per day and thoroughly review, relearn, or study it
- Teach the reviewed material. If you cannot teach it well, you do not know it well enough!
- Know what the format of the exam is and predict the exam questions
- Practice taking the predicted exam questions
- Check the following for each final exam:
- When and where is the exam?
- Is the exam cumulative or does it cover specific chapters?
- What material will the exam cover?
- Do you have all the information needed to study for the exam?
- Are your lecture notes complete?
Time Management:
Write down your plan and share a copy with someone. This will help hold you accountable.
Review every day. Take 20-30 minutes for each class to study your notes and study guides.
How to Handle Everything:
- Be sure to get enough quality sleep (8 or 9 hours each night)
- Eat healthy food and get some exercise (walking is good)
- Drink plenty of water
- Schedule some, but not too much social time to relieve stress
- Eliminate distractions while studying to maximize your time and effort
- Do not multi-task. Multitasking is a fallacy!
Survival Guide for Finals Week:
DO:
- Make sure you know the time and location of your final exam
- Double-check it and arrive early!
- Visualize the grades you want to earn. Write them down. Share them with others
- Identify and seek out your support network
- Ask for help!!
- Utilize active learning strategies such as rewriting your notes and teaching others
- Study in 20–30-minute chunks and take small breaks between study sessions
- Between study sessions, review what you just studied to assess your current understanding
- Take some time- but not too much- to relax during the week
- Maintain a positive attitude
- Take responsibility for your success
- Set rewards for a job well done after final exams are over 😊
DON’T:
- Stay up all night
- Overload on caffeine
- Surround yourself with people who make you stressed or anxious
- Give in to peer pressure to party
- Be late for your final exam! Set multiple alarms at various times
