Exam per week or block scheduling?

[summertofall]

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I noticed that while the majority of dental schools have block schedule testing (one week of midterms, one week of finals), there are other schools that have their students take one exam every week. I'm sure both have their pros and cons, but which curriculum is more preferred? Which testing style is less stressful?

 

[princeafrica]

@Life of Pablo

 

[2jz]

UConn's first 40 weeks of med classes are on a block schedule of 10 weeks with a large exam at the end of each block.

I actually learned to really like that style. The first 5-7 weeks of the block were low stress and made it easy to do stuff on the weekends, especially once you've gotten good at time management. The last couple of weeks before the med exams were brutal but completely manageable. By the third and fourth blocks, dental classes are thrown in too, with exams usually sprinkled in weeks 5-9, stressful but manageable too since the dental exams are not nearly as difficult.

 

[Life of Pablo]

Honestly it comes down to personal preference, but I'd say block exams are less stressful. We take one exam a week, and the problem with that is as soon as you take one exam, you immediately have to start studying for the next exam - which involves cramming 10-15 powerpoints worth of material in 6 days. You pretty much don't have any time to relax. On the other hand, my gf has has a block schedule and although it's stressful when her exams come around, she has a lot of free time once they're over. I feel like with 1 exam a week, you're constantly studying 24/7.

With that being said, some of my classmates do prefer having 1 exam a week. Again, it comes down to personal preference.

***also our 1 exam a week policy does not include practicals or quizzes, so you could have an exam, quiz, and practical all in the same week.

 

[Allsmiles!]

I agree with Pablo, although I have not started yet the 1 exam per week is one of the many reasons why I choose to attend Penn. I felt that Penn’s curriculum fit me better than block exams. I personally prefer to be consistently busy (I like to set a certain routine) and approach each week the same vs cramming in a lot of studying in a couple of weeks prior to several exams at the same time. But as Pablo pointed out, I think it’s up to a person’s personality, preference, and study habits.

 

[princeafrica]

Honestly it comes down to personal preference, but I'd say block exams are less stressful. We take one exam a week, and the problem with that is as soon as you take one exam, you immediately have to start studying for the next exam - which involves cramming 10-15 powerpoints worth of material in 6 days. You pretty much don't have any time to relax. On the other hand, my gf has has a block schedule and although it's stressful when her exams come around, she has a lot of free time once they're over. I feel like with 1 exam a week, you're constantly studying 24/7.

With that being said, some of my classmates do prefer having 1 exam a week. Again, it comes down to personal preference.

***also our 1 exam a week policy does not include practicals or quizzes, so you could have an exam, quiz, and practical all in the same week.

Bro I swearrrr a couple months ago you were saying how great having 1 exam per week is. That's why I tagged you. You don't like it anymore? Or did you just like not having a lot of finals?

 

[Life of Pablo]

Bro I swearrrr a couple months ago you were saying how great having 1 exam per week is. That's why I tagged you. You don't like it anymore? Or did you just like not having a lot of finals?

I don't mind it. I'm just saying that having block exams might be a little less stressful. Put it this way: would you rather have a more constant stress for longer periods of time, or would you rather have huge peaks of stress followed by no stress? Some people prefer more constant stress and others prefer peaks of stress. Pick your poison lol.