Well Southwest, the end of the semester is coming up soon, and with that end comes the source of seniors’ horror stories for freshman: finals. The exams are a huge part of any class’ grade, and should not be taken lightly. They are stressful, but preparing for finals is fairly simple; it’s just a matter of sitting down this weekend and working through the grind.
Now, of course, certain classes need less studying than others, but every class should get at least some attention. Prioritization is key in this regard; focus on the classes that contain the most content or are generally the most difficult. Thus, devoting the same amount of time to each of the seven classes is not recommended.
Finals for blocks 1 and 2 will be this Tuesday, Dec. 18, and dismissal on that day will be at 10:35 a.m, leaving plenty of time in that afternoon to prepare for the next day. Blocks 3, 4 and 5 will be on Wednesday, and. finally, blocks 6 and 7 will be on Thursday.
The entire reason that finals are split like this is to ensure that students do as well as possible on each final. Study the day before each final accordingly; study for blocks 6 and 7 on Wednesday after finals on that day. Studying for blocks 6 and 7 should be lower priority for over the weekend. Studying for blocks 1 and 2 should be the focus for the weekend before finals. Don’t be mistaken, though. Begin studying for all classes as soon as possible. Cramming everything into just the weekend before is a recipe for disaster.
In terms of each subject, the process of studying is different depending on the teacher. Therefore, that teacher will be able to provide the most accurate and most useful advice for ensuring success next week. Regardless, here are some basic guidelines that should be followed for each subject.
Mathematics courses have the most straightforward finals to study for. A students should ask his or her math teacher whether or not formulas or equations will be provided on the final. If they are not provided, be sure to have those memorized; memorizing one formula could mean the difference between a C and an A grade. Go back through the textbook, and finish every review for every chapter that has been covered in the class. If a specific type of problem is challenging, there are countless sites online that will provide problems, and they will also give the answers. Alternatively, do the odd problems in the original lesson that is challenging again. Most textbooks will have the answers to the odd problems in the back of the book, so that answers can be checked after doing the work.
Communication Arts finals will vary significantly depending on the grade level. If the course requires vocabulary memorization, flash cards are always a good idea. If essay writing is involved, go over past essays and review any recurring problems that happened, and ask the teacher on how these problems can be fixed. Finally, if analysis is part of the final, practicing old analysis sheets or finding AP test excerpts are the only real ways to practice.
Social Studies courses will usually focus on memorizing certain events, dates or people. Some teachers offer a recorded audio file online that goes over significant, class-covered events and dates, which serve as an easy and convenient way to study. Alternatively, all social studies teachers will give a study guide; they hand these out for a reason, so actually doing them will help immensely. Do the study guide twice if it is difficult to remember everything.
Science will vary the most on what needs to be studied for. Usually, it involves memorization of terms and processes, but can also involve memorization of equations. The procedures above in both mathematics and social studies will apply to a certain extent for science classes. Classes like anatomy will require memorization of certain body parts, which would be best studied with flash cards. Classes like chemistry, on the other hand, will require the memorization of certain processes, so practice worksheets both from the internet and from the teacher will help.
These basic tips may be useful, but the most fundamental procedure in studying for finals is simply to sit down, focus and study like mad the weekend before the tests. Keep in mind, however, that ACT says that studying the night before, after dinner, lessens the chance of success; the same concept applies to finals. Finals can be worth as little as 5 or 6 percent, but others can be worth as much as 20 percent, so it is essentially mandatory to prepare for them. All students have the capability to get straight A’s on finals; it only requires the sacrifice of time. Best of luck in finishing this semester right Timberwolves, and hopefully this guide was useful.
- Prepare: Ask your teachers what percentage the finals are worth, and determine what grade needs to be attained to keep a preferable semester grade.
- Prioritize: Figure out which finals need to be studied for first, and to the greatest extent.
- Get Help: Go to Academics First or to teachers if there is a certain concept that is challenging.
- Study: Work hard the weeks before finals, and get together for study sessions with friends if help is needed.
- Succeed: Work as if money was on the line(which it is, in the long run).
- Relax: Enjoy your holiday break knowing that an outstanding report card is on the way.