Final exams are just around the corner, and students, faculty, and staff are all preparing themselves for the final stretch of the semester.
Each student at ABAC has their own way of preparing for final exams, which could include more time in the tutoring center or sticking around after classes to ask as many questions as they can.
Just like students have their own way of preparing for final exams, professors have their own methods as well. Some ways that professors might prepare for final exams could include providing practice tests to help students reveal their strengths and weaknesses or even a summary of the class’s lectures so that forgotten material can be refreshed.
Andy Peek, a freshman, says that he gets more preparation and success by staying in his room and studying by himself. He explains that he likes to have a quiet space so that way there are no distractions, which allows him to focus.
Destiny Lecroy, who’s also a freshman, explains that she will most likely go to study hall and rewrite all her notes, but if given a study guide, then she will also use that to her advantage as well.
Most juniors and seniors here agree that there is a major difference between preparing for finals as freshmen/sophomores compared to as juniors/seniors.
Thelma Licona, a junior, says that, compared to when she first started at ABAC, she knows how to prepare for finals more since she has done them for a while now. Licona also says that while the preparation for finals gets a little easier, the tests do get harder.
Carsen Jane Carter, a senior, says that she’s been working on her capstone, so her whole semester has just been made up of preparing for her final exam. Carter also says that a major difference comes from feeling more pressure as a senior. She felt like she could be more relaxed since she had more time if she messed up when she was a freshman, but now she feels like she doesn’t have time to make up if she does worse than she wants, unless she wants to come back after graduation.
Brice Moore, who is also a senior, says that, as far as tests go from freshman to senior year, the professors become somewhat harsher graders. He also said that the tests are a little different because freshman classes really gear towards core classes, whereas the senior year is geared towards what are you going to do as a professional. Moore also has his capstone this year, and, just like Carter, he considers it a make-or-break type of deal.
Here are some tips that we recommend for getting ready for final exams:
1. Talk with your professor about material that you should study, or ask for methods to help you prepare.
2. Check out the Tutoring Center on the 3rd floor of the Carlton Center, which has students just like you who can help you better understand what you are struggling with. The Tutoring Center is open from Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-12 a.m., with tutoring offered from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m.-3 p.m., with tutoring offered from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; and Sunday from 5 p.m.-12 a.m., but no tutoring is offered, with the center just open for studying.
3. Check out the Carlton Center, which has individual study rooms that you can use at any time in case you need a place that’s quieter than the dorms or your home. You can also access the school computers and check out any other resources that the library offers.