Finishing Strong: Developing a Final Exam P lan of Action

1. Finishing Strong: Developing a Final Exam Plan of Action Created by Takeyda Williams, Graduate Coordinator of Student Center/Grad. Inter for Harley E. Flack Mentoring Gardy J. Guiteau, Assistant Director of Mentoring and Academic Enrichment David Shanks, Graduate Coordinator, Harley E. Flack Student Mentoring Program

2. Agenda • Know your Final Exam Schedule • Get Ready: Know what you’re in for • Get Set: Create a plan to manage your time and stress • Go: Study Smart and Get Help When Needed • Conclusion

3. Get Ready: Know what you’re in for • Prioritize, set goals, know where you stand in your classes, grades, etc. • Know the rules (communicate with your professors). • Gather and organize your materials – take inventory of lecture notes. • Know your strengths & weaknesses.

4. Get Set: Create a Plan to Manage your Time and Stress • Use a calendar • Make a schedule • Make a master to-do list • Break up large tasks, do more difficult tasks when you feel your best • Remember that most tasks take twice as long as you expect • Make appointments for tutoring/create study groups • Take care of your mental & physical needs

5. Get Set: Organize yourself and Organize your Days Organization should be the first step in preparing for the final exam period because it helps with: • Saving time which would be spent on looking for misplaced items. • Being more efficient in completing school work. • Decreasing levels of stress and frustration. Adapted from “Managing Time and Staying Motivated” in Step by Step to College Success by Gardner and Barefoot & “Managing your Time and Money” in Your College Experience: Strategies for success by Gardner et al

6. Get Set: Five Tips for general organization To become an organized person, you need to start thinking like one. The following is a list of tips to help you become organized and stay on the organized path: • It’s all in the plan: Proper planning gives the overall picture of the task to be completed. • Time management: While we can’t control how many hours are in a day, we can control how we use the time that we do have. • Don’t put it down; put it away: Putting something down “for now” requires remembering to go back and put it away later. • Let clutter annoy you: Clutter is anything you do not use and do not need. When you spot clutter, deal with it immediately; throw it away or donate it. • Open and process all mail:Don’t let emails pile up. This can get out of hand just like any other paper work. Adapted from “Managing Time and Staying Motivated” in Step by Step to College Success by Gardner and Barefoot & “Managing your Time and Money” in Your College Experience: Strategies for success by Gardner et al

7. Go: Study Smart and Get Help When Needed • Study in a quiet, distraction-free environment. • Study Actively – Set goals and reward yourself (take periodic breaks). • Diversify – Use different study methods and tools. • Utilize or create review sheets. • Get a tutor. • www.rowan.edu/rsn or tutoringcenter@rowan.edu • rowan.mywconline.com/ or writingcenter@rowan.edu • Form study groups. • Predict exam questions – Test yourself. • Think positively!  Stay motivated.

8. Studying Smart: Five Key Strategies Studying helps to develop a deep understanding of course material. The following seven strategies will help you to that end: • Be present for your learning. • Over-learn the course material. • Do your own research. • Connect the coursework to your life experiences. • Get organized. Adapted from “Listening, Note-Taking, and Participating in Class” in Step by Step to College Success by Gardner and Barefoot & “Learning to Study, Comprehend, and Remember” in Your College Experience: Strategies for success by Gardner et al

9. Go: Tips for Successful Test Taking • Write down your name on the test and answer sheet. • Before look at the questions, turn the test over and write down any formulas or key concepts. • Review the test - Take a long deep breath. Read all the directions so that you understand what to do. • Make the best use of your time. Survey the exam and decide how much time you’ll need for each section. • Answer the easy questions first. • If you start to panic. STOP. Take a deep breath take a break and go to something else. Come back to it. • If you finish early, DON’T LEAVE. Take the extra time to review for errors.

10. Conclusion • One of the most important things in preparing for final exams is to know what you are in for. Awareness of what is due, when, and how to go about it is the first step towards success during the final exam period. • The second important strategy that will ensure success is time management and organization. Giving yourself enough time to complete the work required and staying organized in how you study will be imperative to your success.. • Lastly, not going it alone and getting help. Getting help from your professors, a tutor, or study groups will make a huge difference in how prepared you are to take your exams or complete papers and projects.