Hi everyone,
I'm going to guess that a couple of people are already having finals (at least for my school they're earlier than some others). For those of you who still have some time before then or are willing to share some advice, what are some tips that you might have for having only a few days before a final exam (in particular, one or two) to study? For me it seems the trickiest part is "nit-picking", which really puts me on edge.
I'm basing this on the fact that someone has been studying throughout the semester and has done most of review but wants to make sure that he/she knows [as close to] everything and hasn't missed anything major. If you have tips on cramming, though, feel free to share as well. (although personally, I've learned that I can't cram to save my life...)
This is how I've experienced success over the years:
For physics/math/statistics/engineering/general chemistry:
1. Seek out difficult concepts that you struggle with.
2. Learn them in depth and try to anticipate ways the teacher will change them on the final.
3. If you do not understand a concept, go to the teacher's office hours and don't leave until you fully understand it [good thing ur starting early]
Organic:
1. Redo all types of problems and do any possible practice exams.
2. Make a web of reactions (i.e. how to go from single bond to triple...how to add a carbon to an alkane)
3. Do difficult synthesis problems and only look at answers after you've given it your best.
4. Go to the professor only if you have a conceptual misunderstanding.
Biology-All the ologies... (Immunology, General Biology, Neurobiology, Physiology, Microbiology, Cell Biology)
Flash Card Method:
1. Go through the high yield information they've given you (Lectures, PPT, textbook [rare these days], note slides, etc.)
2. As you go through them, iron out all the concepts.
3. On the front of an index card, ask a question that requires understanding of a concept.
4. Write the answer to it on the back.
5. This should take a while...don't forget to make time for cycling...
6. Be careful when adding new cards to your deck...this is material you're trying to crystallize...make sure none of it is wrong
7. If you're watching lectures or doing something in a linear manner, test the effectiveness of your studying with a practice test.
Instead of doing the practice test afterwards, review it after you've completed a section or lecture. See which questions you can answer, which one's you cant. This will give you a good idea of what you need to review more and it will give you a good idea of what you don't know yet and will have to focus on as you continue to learn.
Biology-(Biochemistry, Genetics):
1. Your first priority is to learn all the problem solving concepts. Learn these through practice problems? Gene Mapping, Figuring out ATP generated from X fatty acid? Deletion Mapping, etc? Get it down. If not, go to your professor until you learn all the concepts and possible variants.
2. Once this is done, do the flash card method. For biochem, each flashcard should be dedicated to step in a metabolic pathway.
Ex.
Front:
PFK-1 --> PFK-2
Exorgonic/Endorgonic:
Significance of this step:
Enzyme:
Notable features of reaction:
Back:
-G
-Rate determinining step
-enzyme I can't remember
-nucleophilic substitution, phosphorylation of carbon- # (also can't remember)
Biology (Anatomy)
Utilize flashcard method but do a lot of looking at diagrams too. Quiz yourself by covering parts and uncovering them...while anatomy requires a lot of memorization of facts, it's very visual too.
BEST OF LUCK!
