Teachers are assigned finals to younger students than ever before. Today, it is not rare for a fifth grader to have finals. While this can be very stressful for such a young student, there are many advantages. The main reason students take finals at a young age is to teach them the skills they will need for taking much harder finals in the future. As such, it is critical for students to apply good study skills to their final exams early on.

Step #1 Make a Checklist

The first step in all successful finals studying is to sit down and make a checklist of items needing accomplished in each subject. Arrange these by subject. For example, an English final may include reviewing a study guide for a novel, completing practice grammar exams and reviewing all vocabulary. Once each subject has been covered, it is time to prioritize the checklist.

Step #2 Set Due Dates

Your due dates for each step should reflect your priorities, not just when the test happens to be occurring. For example, you do not need to make your Health test your number 1 priority just because it is first if you already have an A+ in the class. Prioritize based on how long each subject will take to study for as well as how high your grade is in the class. Even a difficult history exam may be a low priority if you already have a 95% there but only an 83% in Spanish. Based on priorities, due dates for each subject and each micro step can be set.

Step #3 Gather Materials

The best indicator for what will be on a final exam is the material on previous exams and quizzes. You should gather all previous exams and quizzes and place them in chronological order; note any that you received low scores on as you will need to study these more. Gather any study guides your teacher provided along the way. With these materials in hand, you have a “finals packet” for each subject to guide you in your work.

Step #4 Start Checking Items Off

The preparation is done, and its time to dig in and study! Students who start studying before they are fully prepared with checklists will often devote too much time to areas that are low priority. By setting the checklist first, you can move through your studying without worrying about the other items on your list. As long as you stick to your schedule, you will get through every thing you need to do prior to finals time.

Step #5 Leave time for Questions

You should leave a cushion of time after you have completed all your studying before the tests. One or two days is all you need to ask questions of a professor or teacher if necessary. You do not want to be going into the test with any item not 100% clear in your head. When you ask questions, you are also showing the teacher you have prepared well for the exam. While this becomes less important at a higher level, effort is rewarded among young students.