As a teacher, I have students ask me about the final exam. What will it look like? How long is it? Will I survive it??? I understand the frustration of test preparation. I get it. If you know what top expect then you can study for it with ease. Who wants to spend hours on topics that will never be covered on the exam?  I don’t know about you, but the ideal situation is having an instructor who gives you a study guide for the exam. A guideline will navigate you through topics so you know what to study. Some entry-level classes have so much information that teachers will highlight what is important for the exam. As a student, I have sweated bullets trying to predict what topics to study. It’s nerve racking to study every single detail of a class with uncertainty…in the dark…in the fog…Whydo we take exams anyway??!  Aghhhhh!

Okay, let’s get a grip. What I have come to realize is that it really doesn’t matter. It could be 100 questions with multiple choice answers. It could be a written exam. It could be a scavenger hunt.  You have the power point slides. You did the homework. The text book is accessible to the class. So make your OWN outline and commit to it. What do I mean by that??? As you look over the material ask yourself- do I know this stuff? If the answer is ‘I think so’ or ‘No’ – study it. Sometimes a person’s intuition is the best guide. The actual exam might be a mystery but you know what it feels like when information ‘sticks’ in your brain.  If you can calculate the answer with your eyes closed then skip it. If the study review hits a snag where confusion ensues – study it. Figure out what makes the topic difficult to understand and overcome the struggle.

So instead of worrying about what could be on the exam, you should highlight what you don’t understand about the course. In time, you will be ready for anything.

If you enjoyed this blog, there are more to follow-Amy