“Dear Ask Erin, I have to study an entire semester’s worth of material for my final exam, and I don’t know where to start. What’s the best way to review so much information without getting overwhelmed? Sincerely, Anonymous.”

Dear Anonymous,

For most individuals, the most successful method of studying for a vast exam begins at the beginning of the semester with simply maintaining one’s presence in the class. It is always wise to save all the assignments and other papers your teachers give you in class, because somewhere amongst them is the answer to any question regarding the class. Luckily, even if you did not consciously attempt this hoarding practice, all the traces are still right behind you! Since going digital, the world hasn’t been able to eliminate a single set of footsteps. As scary as that sounds, in a student’s case, it has unlimited benefits. If you notice that you have misplaced the physical copies of notes and assignments you’ve completed for a class, a more thorough version of the same thing is sure to be linked in Canvas. I suggest retracing your steps through the class modules and cracking down on what you struggled with most over the course of the semester.

Almost all teachers implore their students to study for much longer than anyone is capable of. We’ve all heard it: if you could start yesterday, start then. However unnecessarily frightening the lecture seems, it reigns true that the harder you try at something the more successful you become. Studying is important; more precisely, a great deal of studying is important. A great deal, at least, in comparison to what most students consider to be adequate. Despite this, I suggest ignoring your teachers’ suggestion of wholeheartedly devoting yourself to studying for their class. Your geometry work is seeing other people and you can, too. As finals week approaches, come up with an agenda for each day that involves preparation for exams. Reserve some subjects for certain nights and alternate until you’ve hit each subject several times before test day. Do not succumb to procrastination, no matter how tempting it may be. Completing the study guide the night before a big test isn’t all of what it takes to get an amazing grade.

Whether or not you’re striving for an amazing grade or for a good old-fashioned passing grade, it is inevitable to stress about what that score will do to your overall semester grade. To find out, and hopefully brush away some stress, apply your grades to the method suggested by Chesterton High School teachers. 

• Step One: add up your semester one GPA and your semester two GPA.
• Step Two: multiply the sum by 0.4.
• Step Three: subtract the product by 90 if your goal is an A, 80 for a B, 70 for a C, and hopefully no lower.
• Step Four: multiply the result by five.

By doing this, you will calculate the score you need to get on your final exam in order to achieve the grade you want in the class for the overall semester. This method works for all classes in high school and college, and it comes in handy when planning how much time you’re going to dedicate on one subject versus another. Whichever of your classes requires the highest exam score to get a good grade overall should be the prioritized class you study for, and all else should come afterwards and accordingly.

As for the stress of it all, exams are scary. In any situation, it can be overwhelming and alarming to be put on the spot and questioned about something you know from possibly months ago. It seems impossible to remember it all, and to perform as best as you can, but stressing about the added pressure only adds another thing to an already overflowing plate. Although they are important, exams are not the determining factor on what happens to you in life, and where you end up after high school. There are so many other attributes to consider when planning out your life, many that have nothing to do with academics. School is a small part of life that is only important as a step, not as a final outcome for things. It is a conquerable step in the socially constructed path that, at its core, was paved with happiness in its eyes. Worrying about them only keeps good things at bay for longer, so do what you need to do and go about exam week walking with the wind and not against it. You’ll do great!

In conclusion, the best way to study for your exams is to prepare a summary of the semester with all of the things you’ve learned and prioritize review of it based on what grades are in the most dire of stress. With this method, you will find it much easier to keep your own mind out of dire stress and locked in during finals week.

Good Luck,

Erin