How to Ace (Or at Least Not Bomb) Your Final Exams

In some parts of the country, students are already basking in the freedom of summer vacation. This post is not for them. It’s for those who are still knee-deep in the dregs of the school year, when it’s hot, motivation is scarce, and brains are taxed by final exams in every academic subject, including the ones that said brains wrote off months ago. If this sounds familiar, read on.

It’s bad enough to be tested on a year’s worth of knowledge in one subject. But to have multiple exams stacked in front of you like a tower of doom is totally unfair. This is a scary time, but we at SparkNotes are here for you. Instead of blogging about things like what sunglasses make you look super hot while you’re doing nothing at the beach, we’re standing in academic solidarity and passing along a studying strategy that will help you keep your cool as you fight your way through a flurry of finals. Once everyone is safely into summer vaca, we’ll move on to more lighthearted topics. In the meantime, maintain your serious face for a few more days—you've got finals to ace!

Take your time.
You probably already know this, but cramming doesn’t really work. And it really doesn’t work for final exams. If possible, you should spend at least a week studying for the end-of-the-year testing blitz. You’ll probably be familiarizing yourself with material from earlier in the year, and this is a lot easier to do in five days than five hours. Also, we recommend studying all of your subjects every day, narrowing your focus appropriately as each exam draws near. You won’t get burned out on one subject, and you’ll give that sponge inside your skull the chance to soak up the info you'll need to wring out of it come test day.

Revisit your notes.
Instead of staring blankly at the pages of your textbook, skim through the notes you took during class. (You did take notes, right?) You’ll remember the experience of learning the material, which in turn will help you remember the material itself. Plus you may have inserted a few doodles to illustrate some of the trickier concepts. Feel free to reproduce these doodles in the margins of your final exam for extra credit.

Don’t study what you already know.
If you are already comfortable with a certain mathematical concept or biology fact or novel theme that will be on the final, be confident in that knowledge and move on to the stuff that gives you trouble. You’ll study more efficiently and give yourself the chance to master more advanced concepts, including why the Target logo is used in chemistry class.

Ask your teacher.
Yes, we know, you don’t want to talk to your teachers unless it’s absolutely necessary. But in the week or so leading up to your finals, it might be worth paying a visit. Let’s say you're stumped by a particularly puzzling chapter during your review sesh. You could ask a friend, struggle through your textbook’s sleep-inducing explanation, or just blow it off. A better option is to have your teacher quickly walk you through the material. A personalized tutorial never hurt anyone, plus it’ll show you’re putting in extra effort—a handy thing to show off so close to grading time.

Take care of your body.
In addition to mental sharpness, you'll need some good old-fashioned physical preparedness to crush your final exams. Try to get a good night’s rest before each test, eat healthy (and familiar—no reason to make your stomach more upset than it already is) breakfasts, and listen to upbeat music that puts you in a good mood. All the studying in the world won’t help you if you’re exhausted, famished, or mad at the world. Good luck, Sparklers!

How are you gearing up for final exams?