They’re almost here: in six short weeks, finals are upon us.
We all know that finals have a tendency to sneak up on us. It might seem a little aggressive to start “studying” with weeks to go, but putting in a little extra work over the coming weeks can wind up making finals a breeze – or, at the very least, slightly breezier. After all, no one likes staying up until 3 AM, desperately cramming for the next day’s test. While your student still has the advantage of time, share these tips and strategies to start preparing for final exams in a much more relaxed, gradual manner.
Start figuring out what the exam will look like.
Some teachers don’t create their exams until closer to the end of the semester, but most already have them made (or at the very least know what the format will be). Have your student ask teachers what to expect in terms of short answer, multiple choice, etc., and see if they can get an idea of which units or chapters will be focused on. This will help them prioritize and plan their overall study schedule.
Lay out a relaxed, manageable study plan – and be specific.
If the final exam is going to cover 13 chapters, it’s much easier to read and outline 3–4 chapters a week slowly over the next month instead of hopelessly skimming 13 chapters the week of the exam. Have your student sit down and map out what they’ll tackle over the coming days and weeks, and make sure they’re setting specific goals. They’ll be thankful for this roadmap once finals are upon them.
Don’t procrastinate on assigned reading or other work.
This goes hand in hand with our last point, but it’s crucial that students don’t slack on their readings or other assignments. By letting them pile up, students only add to their workload later on – or, worse, ensure they’ll be underprepared for their exam. Even when it’s the last thing they want to do, they need to stay up to date with their reading and homework – and do practice questions whenever possible – so things will go much smoother.
Begin (or continue!) creating study guides.
Everyone studies differently, but in general, creating study guides is a smart move. As your student reads chapters, takes quizzes, completes homework assignments, and so on, have them start compiling their study guide simultaneously. That means compiling lists of vocab terms, key concepts, topics focused on in class, and anything else they think realistically might be included on the final. By creating these study guides as they go, they’ll just need to read them over (and over) when it’s go-time.
Ask for help on difficult topics.
Instead of breathing a sigh of relief when the teacher moves on from a concept they’ve been finding tricky, your student needs to focus on it! Have them reach out for extra help, whether that’s from a trusty classmate or their teacher, and make sure they’re spending some extra time mastering it. Students shouldn’t wait until the night before the test to try to figure out the things that have tripped them up. They should ask for help and address any confusion as they go along!
Prioritize the most challenging classes.
We’re certainly not advocating that students neglect “easy A” classes, but they’ll naturally want to spend extra time working on the subjects they find hardest. If your student is an English whiz and knows they’ll ace their final essay, they might as well spend more time working on harder classes now. As they create a study roadmap, they might think it seems logical to allot equal time to all of their courses, but that’s probably not necessary – or a wise use of these weeks.
Starting to prepare for finals now, with a month to go, might seem like creating more work or stress for students. However – as they’ve likely heard 100 times from their teachers and you, their parents – staying on top of their studying, reading, and assignments now will make life easier in the future. Not only will they retain more information by absorbing it gradually over time, they’ll minimize their stress heading into finals week.
The Enrichery offers academic coaching that offers additional support as your student reviews for finals as well as executive functioning coaching where they can develop the study plan that will help minimize stress and maximize success. Contact us today to get your student prepared to take on their finals!
