The Day of the Final Exam

No, it's not the title of an obscure horror movie, although it may seem so to some students. Here is a checklist to make the day of your final exam go more smoothly. Of course, repeat as needed depending on how many classes you're taking. :-)

First of all, be well-prepared from a study standpoint. If you really know your stuff, final exam day jitters are much less troublesome.

Come with a battle plan for the type of exam you will be taking. Different types of exams require different approaches.

Multiple choice exam? Answer all the questions you know first, mark the ones you don't know, and go back and answer those after everything else is done. If you truly don't know the answer, take a wild guess. Multiple choice exams give you the best chance of guessing and getting it right. Make sure that you answer all multiple choice questions. If you don't answer it, you have 0% chance of getting it right. If you make a guess on a four-choice question, at least you have a 25% chance of getting it right.

Short answer exam? Brief and precise answers in full sentences are the key. If you don't know the answer, make a brief and precise guess. Endless streams of BS in response to short answer questions just tend to dig the hole deeper and lessen your chances of getting any points for your attempt.

Essay exam? Some essay tests consist of responding at length to one question; others have multiple questions. When you're really lucky, the instructor will provide multiple essay questions and have you pick your favorites to answer. It is helpful to have some blank scratch paper on hand when answering essay questions, but make sure you have your instructor's approval first.

Obviously answers to essay questions will need to be developed more fully than short answer questions, but you can use the short answer approach to build the structure of your essay. Read the question carefully, use your scratch paper or the margin of your test to jot down your short answer response to each part of the question, and then develop explanatory material to flesh out the short answer responses. Using examples to illustrate that you understand the concepts is an excellent idea.

Just as with short answer questions, trying to BS your way through an essay question is usually not very productive. Believe it or not, your instructors were once college students themselves and they recognize that edge of desperation in answers that go on and on and on but never quite say anything. Concentrate on providing the best possible answers to the questions you know best.

A mix of question types? Look at the exam carefully before you start to see how the points are allocated among the questions. Generally, do the multiple choice questions as quickly yet carefully as you can, take on the short answer questions next, and save the bulk of your time and energy for the essay questions.

Bring everything you will need. Don't pump up your adrenaline unnecessarily on exam day by forgetting essentials and having to rush out to get them at the last minute or hoping that someone else has an extra. You might even want to pack a special exam bag with supplies, just as if you were going on a trip.

Writing and erasing utensils and supplies such as pens, pencils, erasers, white out tape, and paper. Make sure you have multiple pens in case one runs out of ink. Multiple pencils are good so you can help out other classmates in need. Separate erasers really help make clean erasures on scantrons, and white out tape is the tidiest way to cover up errors in pen. If you are supplying your own paper for the exam, bring at least twice as much as you think you will need.

Scantrons. Oh boy. These are, in my experience, the biggest source of sitting down for the exam frenzy. Your instructor and/or syllabus will indicate what form you need well ahead of time. Make sure you have the right one in front of you on final exam day. If you are unsure which form is needed, ask, preferably before the day of the final exam.

Do not assume that you can use whatever scantron form you happen to have on hand -- the scoring machines do not work that way at all. I have had students complete the exam on the inappropriate scantron and try to hand it in. I make them acquire the correct scantron and redo all of their answers onto it.

If you don't have the scantron, don't ask your instructor if you can just write your answers on the test form. Ask if a classmate has an extra you could have, or take yourself to the campus bookstore to buy one. Keep in mind that if you are taking a night class, the campus bookstore may not be open if you need a last minute scantron. Be ready well ahead of time, and buying a couple extras to possibly share with less-organized classmates is a kind thing to do.

Follow directions about how to fill out the scantrons carefully. Bubble the spaces in completely and erase very thoroughly, not only on your answers but for things like your name, student ID, test code, etc. Automated scoring systems are extremely sensitive and errors can occur if you don't mark the scantron appropriately.

Comfort items like water, gum, mints, pain relievers, and antacids. Depending on your instructor, you may not be able to have these on your desk while you take the exam, but I wouldn't say no to any of my students, especially to the pain relievers, antacids and water. :-) If you are allowed to chew gum, please do so politely.

Come early and get comfortable. Rushing in late or at the last minute just loads unnecessary stress onto yourself. Make sure your chair and writing surface aren't squeaky or wobbly. Sit where you have a good view of the clock so you can keep track of time. Put away all of your electronics and make sure they are off. You would be surprised how loud and disruptive a device on vibrate can be in a quiet testing environment. I've seen whole classrooms of intensely concentrating students jump in annoyance when it happens. Engage in some relaxation techniques. Although you may be keyed up enough about the exam to fidget, twitch, joggle your legs under the table, etc., all those activities do feed more adrenaline into your system and make you more nervous. Relax - close your eyes - take deep breaths. Do a last minute scan over your notes and think positive thoughts. Even if other students around you are proclaiming gloom and doom, keep your energy focused quietly on the task to come.

Extra Credit - Do It. You'll Be Glad You Did.

As I sit here grading papers close to the end of my college's semester, I'm noticing how few students have turned in the extra credit I offered to them shortly after the wake-up call of midterms. (It's about 7% at present, for those of you who like stats.)

Here are a few musings about extra credit for you to ponder.

Extra credit is a gift! Extra credit opportunities are relatively rare at the college level - take advantage of them.

Never, ever pass up extra credit points. Even if you are sailing along acing the class, wouldn't you rather have a cushion of points in case life happens and messes up your performance for the rest of the class? What if you have a migraine when you take the final exam? What if a traffic jam causes you to turn in that important research paper late and your instructor deducts 10%? What if you simply forget that a quiz was moved to a different date and didn't prepare? Extra credit points can help shield against these nasty contingencies.

Extra credit points, however, are unlikely to save your seriously sinking grade ship. In most cases, extra credit points are only a modest percentage of the total points offered in a class. If you've finished the rest of the class work with 62% (a D), an extra credit assignment worth 5% of the total class points will bring you up to 67%, but that's still a D.

If you're absolutely sure the extra credit won't help you, you may not want to bother doing it. How many students are absolutely sure where their grade stands right now? Hmmm, I thought so. :-)

On the other hand, consider this. If you've finished with 69% and do the 5% extra credit, you can breathe a sigh of relief for a solid C at 74%. This works across all grade dividing lines.

If you attend an institution where pluses and minuses are shown in final grades, extra credit can give you that nice boost upward, regardless of where your grade stands.

Extra credit is offered on an equal opportunity basis. In college, there is not going to be any specific special extra credit offered only for you to pull yourself out of the hole you're in for whatever reason. This will not happen regardless of how many sad emails you send or desperate voicemails you leave. If you've had a serious reason to miss points, you should be dealing with that at the time that it is occurring.

Don't procrastinate on doing extra credit. Turn it in early or on time. It's not good to procrastinate on anything you do for college, but it can be a really bad idea for extra credit assignments.

For example, I provide information on extra credit to my students at the time I return their midterms (week 9 of a 16 week semester). The due date is the last class we have before the final, so there's over a 6 week window of opportunity to get it done.

Plenty of time, right?

Nonetheless, I can guarantee that on the due day, there will be several frazzled people coming late to class with partially completed extra credit because they were a few doors down in the computer lab trying to knock it out just before coming to class.

I can also guarantee that after the due date, I will receive numerous pleas to turn in extra credit late because of this, that, and the other thing. Some students may even try to work my sympathy on the day of the final.

To all latecomers, the answer is no. Due dates for everything should be taken seriously, but asking for extra time on something assigned over six weeks ago is pushing it.

Dropping Classes

Very few college students make it through their educational careers without dropping at least one class. While the procedures for doing so vary among institutions, here are some pointers to keep in mind.

Consider carefully before dropping a class. Is it a class that is only offered once every academic year? Is it the only section of the class that fits your schedule? Are you thinking about dropping because a major test or paper is coming up quickly? If your dissatisfaction is with instruction, is the faculty member the only one who teaches that particular class? Did you just have a truly craptastic day and you're wanting to drop the class on an impulse? Is your grade past the point of no return late in the semester? There are good reasons and bad reasons to drop a class. It's worth taking the time to consider which category covers your reason.

If you need to keep the same number of units, make sure to have a new class to add all lined up before you drop the other class. Dropping a class affects your overall unit load and therefore causes issues with financial aid eligibility and other aspects of your enrollment.

If classes have not yet started, dropping and adding classes can be pretty straightforward, but keep in mind that competition for class registration is fierce. There are fewer classes available due to budget cutbacks, and there are more students vying for those classes because of the high rate of unemployment.

If classes have already started, things can be a bit more tricky. The drop and add period occurs near the beginning of the semester and only lasts for a short period of time (less than a week where I teach). To add a class after it's started, you will need the permission of the instructor to do so. Whether you will get that permission is solely at the discretion of the instructor, regardless of the number of seats available in the class. If you do get permission, get the drop and add processed immediately.

Although most colleges have computerized systems where you can do nearly everything regarding registration online, I strongly suggest dealing with drops and adds in person with admissions and records, especially if it's after classes have started. Make sure to get a printout documenting the drop and add in case there are problems later.

Once you've been to a class, don't just stop showing up and assume you'll be dropped. It's your responsibility to drop yourself from a class. Even though most syllabi warn that faculty retain the right to drop students from the class for poor attendance, that doesn't mean you'll automatically be dropped from the class if you just stop showing up. Some faculty are diligent about dropping students who unexplainedly disappear, and some refuse to drop them at all.

Look at it this way. You signed yourself up for the class. If you want out, then you should un-sign yourself up. Simple enough. If you are not proactive about dropping yourself from a class, you may wind up with an F for the class on your transcript.

Pay attention to drop deadlines and their effects on your transcript. During the drop and add period at the beginning of the semester, dropping a class will have no lasting effect on your transcript. In fact, there will be no trace of it. Dropping after the drop and add period, however, can be a different story.

Again, while specific rules will vary among colleges, the way my institution handles drops is fairly typical. If a class is dropped after the drop and add period but within the drop with no W (withdrawal) period, the transcript will not reflect that the student was enrolled in the class at all. If a class is dropped after the drop with no W period but before the end of the drop with W period (about two weeks before finals), then the class will be listed on the transcript with a W to indicate the student withdrew from the class. If a student wants to drop a class after the end of the drop with a W period, he or she is out of luck. Whatever grade that has been earned in the class will appear on the transcript, and almost always it's not a pretty sight.

Too many withdrawals on your transcript don't look good. Dropping classes at points in time that will leave a stain on your transcript should be done sparingly. While it is true that not all future employers will care what grades are on your transcripts, some will. Your academic performance might be used as a deciding factor in choosing you over some other candidate for a job. The content of your transcripts will definitely have an impact on your competitiveness for scholarships, internships, and admission to graduate school. Your transcript can serve as a representation of the commitment and effort you offer to a new employer or to a graduate program. Keep it as clean as possible.

Staying On Track With Academic Advising

Whether you are a first time freshman or an experienced college student, getting academic advising is one of the smartest moves you can make. Here's a short list of what an academic advisor can do to save you time, money, and headaches.

Helping you select classes that keep you moving efficiently toward your goal. This is important whether you are working on general education classes or proceeding through classes in your major. Satisfying general ed requirements can be surprisingly complicated. Take a look at this document from Cal Poly Pomona as an example. The first page looks simple enough, but then all heck breaks loose on the following pages. When you move on to classes in your major, your academic advisor will know valuable stuff like whether a particular required class is only offered once every academic year. This is more common than you might think, so having that information can prevent you from wasting time and money waiting a whole year for the class to come around again.

Making sure you take classes in the right sequence. Not all classes in a discipline will have formal prerequisites in place to limit registration in non-introductory classes to those who have already taken the introductory class. For instance, my discipline is psychology. Students who register for the second-year personality psychology course without the benefit of taking introductory psychology tend to have a much harder time of it. This is something that a savvy academic advisor will point out to you.

Providing practical advice on creating a balanced class schedule that will give you the best shot at excelling. I once knew a student who put off taking four very work-intensive required classes until his last quarter before he planned to graduate. All of them were likely to require several major papers each. He registered for all of them at once, even though he was working two part-time jobs as well. I honestly don't know what the outcome was, but it was certainly not one of the better choices I've known a student to make. Academic advisors can help steer you away from self-defeating scheduling decisions.

Sharing information about other valuable campus resources and opportunities. Curious about study abroad? Need an on-campus job? Looking for an internship? Want to do some research with a professor in your major? Your academic advisor might have the inside scoop on these and other gems of campus information. At the very least, he or she should be able to accurately direct you where to go and who to ask.

Giving support, encouragement, and guidance when the going gets tough . . . or even if things are going great. Academic advisors are there to make your educational journey as smooth a trip as possible. They are great first points of contact when you hit bumps in the road, and they also enjoy hearing about when you passed that tough class, you were selected for the internship they suggested, and the award you earned.

It's an excellent idea to meet with your academic advisor at least once per semester just to make sure everything is on track. However, if things are not going as well as you like, don't hesitate to meet with your academic advisor more often.

Hot Off The Press: Never Too Late to Graduate

Ninety-four year old Hazel Soames earned her bachelor's degree in art history from Mills College today. What's really amazing is she's NOT the oldest person to graduate college.

California woman earns college diploma at age 94

It's About Time

Have you ever said “I’m too busy to get organized”?

Do you set up a system to organize your time and your life and then spend so much time organizing you don’t get anything done?

Do you find that you consistently cut yourself short on some area of your life, such as studies, sleep, finances, friends, family, and self-care?

It’s all about time. Here are some time-related things to consider:

* Time is an equal opportunity resource
* Time cannot be saved up for later
* Time is a non-renewable resource
* Time can sometimes seem to pass at varying speeds
* Time is the most valuable resource each of us has

Here is a list of 57 time management hacks complied by the folks at the College@Home website. I’ve used this list in several classes, and students report finding several useful suggestions for their individual situations and personalities. You will see as you review this information that time management is actually self-management.

57 Time Management Hacks for College Students

We all have the same amount of time to use each day -- it’s how you use it that matters. Good time management helps you set priorities, achieve goals, and manage stress. Knowing what you want to achieve and spending your time engaging in activities leading to achieving those goals is at the heart of time management.

Time management is not just for college – it’s for life.

Grades Are Important All Semester, Not Just Before Finals

It's less than three weeks to final exam time. Every day I am getting student emails requesting updates on class grades and asking "is there any chance I will pass your class?" As I wade through these anxious pleas, I can't help but wonder why class grades are not a matter of concern for many students until it's too late to do anything to change the outcome.

For every class I teach, my syllabus provides enough information about what each assignment or test is worth and the total points available for the class that students can easily track their own grades as the class progresses. Even if students don't do all the math to figure out whether they're passing or not, it's pretty straightforward to get a feel for where you stand. If you know you earned a D on the first quiz, an F on the second and third quizzes, a D on the midterm, and you missed 3 of the 5 in-class assignments so far -- well, it shouldn't be hard to figure out that, with three weeks left in the semester, you aren't too likely to pass the class.

Sometimes students will tell me "okay, I know my grade right now is really low, but what if I study really hard and get nothing but A's on the next quiz and the final. Will I pass then?" Even if it is mathematically possible to pull this off, it's highly improbable that it will happen. A student who has consistently earned D's and F's earlier in the semester is not particularly likely to suddenly finish up with a blaze of glorious A's.

Keeping track of your grades throughout each semester will allow you to have a better sense of which classes might need some extra study time, whether you should consider tutoring, if you need to meet with the instructor, and where you might need to apply different study techniques. Most of all, it will save you from the stress of learning that you are failing a class as you prepare for final exam.

Hot Off the Press: Worst Paying College Degrees

Here's an article from HotJobs listing the top 10 worst paying college degrees. Keep in mind that the figures cited are for individuals holding bachelor's degrees with very little work experience.

10 Worst Paying College Degrees

If your dream career falls into one of these categories, don't despair. Completing graduate work in these fields will greatly improve your career outlook. Articles such as these can serve to drive students away from these fields in the short-term, thereby creating potential long-term shortages that will make the career more in demand and better compensated. Education is a classic example of this trend.

College Success Begins With Commitment

Making a commitment is serious business. When you make a commitment to a loved one, it means that you will do your very best to keep your promises to them, to support and encourage them, and to stick by them in the difficult times.

Successfully pursuing a college education means making that kind of commitment to YOURSELF. A college education is a significant investment of time, energy, and money that will repay you in many ways throughout your life.

When students are asked about why they are going to college, common answers are making good money, being able to provide for oneself and one’s family, and otherwise having a secure future. All of these are fantastic goals, but they are broad, vague, and too far in the distant future to the point that they may not be the strongest motivators when the going gets tough.

Take some time to examine your motivations about why pursuing a college education is important to you. Knowing yourself is a vital first step to success in college and in life.