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The Home Stretch

Planning for Finals

The Home StretchPlanning for Finals

By Becket Duncan & Meredith Noseworthy | Academic Advising

The semester is nearly over! With finals coming up next week, you could feel like there is light at the end of the tunnel, or that you’ll never reach the end. No matter how you’re feeling, it’s helpful to take a little time to look at the big picture of what you have left and then create a plan to get it done—we have a few tips no matter where you are in the process.


  • First and foremost, review your syllabi and search for amendments in email/Moodle. Make note of key details like due dates, submission requirements, exam details, and so forth. Will you need to submit your final portfolio via Moodle, Watermark, or email? Will the final exam cover the last unit of the semester, or is it cumulative? Taking note of all these details can help you streamline the submission process and focus on the right material.
  • Create a master to-do list. Include everything that you need to do for every final assignment: revise, proofread, review old exams, practice problems, recreate notes. This can help you stay on track during the week and visualize the progress you are making to finish the semester strong. Make sure you know of your academic and personal obligations to better ensure you are prepared to manage your time effectively.
  • Using your master to-do list, create a master schedule. Block out times you know you have other commitments, including work and family requirements. Next, fill in all deadlines and due dates. Working backwards for each deadline, schedule out the time you need to complete each final assignment to your satisfaction; remember to include time for proofreading any submission for small errors.
  • When you make your schedule and execute it, take breaks and stay well-rested. Do not try to cram before an online exam during a global pandemic. Your mind needs to be refreshed in order to learn at a maximum capacity. Study in increments before rewarding yourself with a break. As much as possible, work in a quiet place where you can dedicate your time and energy to the task at hand.


In addition to these tips for planning, here are a few suggestions for turning “study” into an engaging activity to help you do your best:


  • Compile and review previous exams and papers. This step is important because you should see a “style” emerge across the semester. This same style is likely to be employed on the final. Look for common or repeated questions and where the professor draws her questions. Are there any presentations or readings she adds to quizzes? Where have previous exams drawn information (including lectures, readings, and other sources)? What has the test format looked like: mostly multiple-choice, reading comprehension, short answer, essay, or a combination? What kind of feedback have you received on previous papers or exams? Pay close attention to addressing those issues in your final paper or exam so you can avoid making the same mistake twice. Knowing the past will better help you predict the future.
  • Communicate with your professor about any lingering issues or questions. Your professor probably knows what is going to be on the final exam. Talk with him this week about concepts you do not understand and questions you have. He is going to be swamped during finals week and might not have time to answer your email at 3:15am if the final is due at 8 am. Schedule a Zoom appointment, phone call, or email now to clarify any issues and save yourself a headache later.
  • Use your study groups. These can give you an added boost of accountability and support during the week. Talk with your classmates about what they see in their notes and papers. Multiple eyes and brains will help everyone see emerging patterns. Set aside time for these study groups to talk about confusing principles. The more you teach it to one another and ask clarifying questions, the more likely you are to grasp dense material.
  • Have some fun with studying! Who would have thought that “fun” and “studying” could be in the same sentence? Review your materials to see how you can make it into a game and stay engaged. Create mnemonic devices to help you remember key terms and phrases. These devices will then alert your brain to important material when you need to remember it. Visualize the words you are reading and imagine key characters performing certain actions. Make the words come alive and jump off the page as you are reading them.


Check out our previous newsletters for more study tips, too!