College Students Final Exams and Cramming

Avoid cramming by planning ahead. Cramming is only useful as a last resort. Regularly spaced study periods are the most effective way to learn in college.

Get Ready for College Finals

1. Plan your time wisely.

• Gather together all of your materials for each course
• Identify the days and times of all of your exams.
• Set Priorities (look at the relative value of the exams and your standing in the class)
• Create a daily study plan, budgeting your time based upon your priorities and your level of prior preparation.

2. Plan and organize the content areas you need to study.

• Set priorities for the material you need to study
• Identify what source of information will most likely be covered on the final.
• Survey your notebook, textbook, past tests, study guides, other handouts, and syllabus.
• Concentrate on the material that is most important.
• Concentrate on the material that is less difficult to understand (avoid material that is very complex and time-consuming.

Whether taking online college or regular college, making sure to concentrate on
the most important topics first is key.

3. Skim over all of the material you identified.

• Create a list of the most likely topics to be covered on the final.
• Use the table of contents, your highlights in the book and notes, the syllabus, ask your fellow classmates.

4. Employ a learning strategy.

• Choose a study strategy that forces you to test your knowledge as it will be required on the exam, e.g., recall or recognition
• Create flashcards, a study guide, practice test questions, graphic organizers, charts, etc.

Last minute cramming

There may be some times when you have to cram. Keep in mind that time is limited, so you need to do what will help you the most on the test.

TIPS

• Maintain a positive attitude. Tell yourself that you can do it!
• Do not allow doubts or worry to interfere with your studying, make the best of the time you have.
• Take frequent but short breaks-getting up and moving around a little is a good break
• Anticipate possible exam questions
• Write down the main points as you identify them
• Study from the top down. Select the most general and significant ideas to review first, then use learn more and more details as time permits.
• Use your textbook well. Read summaries, review questions, practice tests, etc.
• Write down the main ideas of each lecture from your notes
• Use stimulants such as coffee carefully, if at all.
• Know your sleeping habits. When does lack of sleep begin affecting your performance more than lack of study?
• When you cut your sleep, try to sleep for an entire sleep cycle (about three hours).
• Have a back-up waking system in place.
• On the day of the exam, briefly review your condensed notes.
• Be sure to eat a nutritious breakfast the day of the exam
• Leave yourself extra time to get to the exam, the unexpected may happen.
• Have a positive attitude when you enter the exam room