Ace Your Finals!

I’d like to start off by wishing you the best of luck this finals season. Unfortunately, this semester I have a whopping five finals over the course of three days. If you’re experiencing a similar feeling of impending doom, I’ve got your back!

While I’ve tried every study method under the moon, I’m confident that I’ve narrowed it down to the most effective ways to obliterate your exams. I’m here to give you my advice on how to study for (and ace) your finals!

Photo from @tonia on Pinterest

My secret to success is studying for specific question types. By now, you’ve probably taken a midterm exam or seen an old final for the course you’re studying for. Pay attention to what kinds of questions show up. Here’s my thorough breakdown of each question type and how I’d study for it. 

Vocabulary Questions

Vocabulary questions ask you to recall/recognize the definition of a word or concept. The key to annihilating these questions are flashcards. Thoroughly dissect each form of study material your professor provided, whether it’s slides or notes, and make all of the important terms into flashcards. 

I usually use Brainscape for flashcards. It’s a super useful website because it has a ranking system (1-5) that allows you to determine how well you understood the material. The lower ranked terms will show up more often, which helps solidify your understanding.

Application Questions

These questions frequently show up in STEM classes because they require you to know a concept inside and out. Usually the question poses a scenario and asks you to predict, analyze, or determine the outcome. 

The key to these questions is understanding each and every aspect of the concept. I usually break down the topic into vocabulary words and steps/processes.

For the vocabulary, your best bet is flashcards. Make them for the steps and important parts of the process so you practice recall. There are a ton of ways to understand the process as a whole, here’s some of my go-tos: 

1. Watch a few YouTube videos. Usually hearing a few people explain it clears up any confusion. 

2. Take notes. Draw/Write out the process as clearly as you can. This helps it solidify into your memory. (Writing something once is like reading it 7 times!)

3. Explain it to someone. My go-to victim is my younger sister. I make her listen to me explain discrete math concepts over dinner. 

4. Test yourself. Write/Draw out the entire process on a blank sheet of paper to check how much you remember.

5. Practice Questions. Test your understanding by going through sample questions or old exam questions.

I've found that combining different styles of learning (visual, auditory, aural, etc.) is super beneficial and etches the idea into your brain. 

Problem-Solving Questions 

These are very common in math and science classes. The key is repetition. Solve as many practice problems as you can because odds are, a similar one will show up on your exam. Do these questions over and over again until you get it right! 

At the end of the day, the most important thing is doing your best. Start studying as early as you can and hold yourself accountable. I hope my study advice will be of use to you, good luck!