Final Exams 101
We made it to the end of the semester, woohoo! Give yourself a pat on the back! While we are nearing the finish line, make sure you finish strong . In this edition of The DD, I want to highlight some important things to keep in mind for finals week as well as share some final exam pointers from our very own council! On behalf of DSAC, I want to wish every single one of you good luck this exam season! ❤
You may remember The DSAC Digest covered some general exam tips in October. Feel free to hop on over to that page to refresh your mind on how you can prepare for your exams!
2024 Final Exam Dates and Resources
Final Exam Time Slots can either be determined by class day and start time OR by specific classes. To confirm your final exam time slot, please check out the Office of the University Registrar’s website below!
Academic Resources
You don’t have to study alone! If you ever find that you need extra help, there are a few on-campus resources you can take advantage of to guide you!
Mental Health Resources
Final exam season can be stressful. Please make sure you are taking care of yourself in between your studying. Here are some more on-campus organizations you can reach out to if you are struggling.
Exam Day Do’s and Don’t’s
Exam days are all about preparation; to be successful, you should always try to plan ahead! Before you walk into your exam room, keep in mind these typical do’s and don’t’s so you can enter as a confident test-taker!
DO: Know Where/When The Exam Is
I have heard many horror stories from my peers about people missing exams because they have slept too long or they arrived too late to their exam location. Don’t let this be you!
Make your plan ahead of time of how you are going to get to your exam location and how long it will take you to get there! Try to account for any hiccups that may happen (i.e. you’re a heavy sleeper, traffic, etc.)
DO: Bring Notes
Whether your exam is open-book/open-note or not, it is still a great idea to bring notes so you can get some last minute studying done before the test officially begins!
However, make sure when it is time to put the notes away, you put them away! You do not want your academic career to be on the line because of suspected cheating!
DO: Pace Yourself
We all may know that one person in our classes that breezes through the exam and finishes it first within the first couple minutes. If you are that person, that’s amazing! If you are not, that’s ok! On either side of the fast test-taking spectrum, you should take your time and use it wisely!
Read every question and answer carefully. Review all of your answers once or twice or as many times as you want! When you are ready, submit the exam! Comparison is the thief of joy; focus on you!
DON’T: Cheat! (duhhhh)
The University of Maryland College Park takes academic integrity very seriously. For the sake of your academic career, please do not cheat! Very serious sanctions can be swiftly put in place if you are suspected of cheating.
To review the university’s policy on academic dishonesty, please visit the following link.
DON’T: Hesitate to Ask Questions
You may read a question on your exam and think to yourself, “I have no idea what this question is asking.” Feel free to ask your professor/TA/GA for clarification if you find yourself stuck.
Of course, you cannot ask them for the answer but, do not let this keep you from clearing up any confusion or doubts you may have. You could be adding some points to your score that you may have missed if you hadn’t spoke up!
DON’T: Panic
As mentioned previously, exam day can be an incredibly stressful time. While this is certainly easier said than done, give yourself grace!
If you find yourself super stuck on a question or time is running out and your have several more questions to answer, remember that every point matters. Try to thoroughly answer as many as you can. Once all is said and done, feel any and all emotions you may feel. When you are ready, try to evaluate where things may have gone wrong so, next exam season, you will be more prepared!
DSAC’s Guide to Dominating Finals
DSAC is committed to helping you through your academic journeys! To help prepare for final exams, check out some tips that our members swear by! Maybe you’ll take some of their ideas!
“Plan your schedule by the hour; include breaks, lunch, waking up, and studying. I also like to start studying based on the amount of units I have to cover. If there are four units, I’ll start start studying four days before the exam.”
– Sonyah N. (VC of Programming, PSYC/CCJS ’25)
“Do not wait until the last minute to start studying! I would suggest studying 5 to 7 days before your exam. Also, give yourself breaks! There is such a thing as overstudying.”
– Maddy C. (Programming, HESP ’25)
“Start studying early! Thanksgiving Break is a good time to start.”
– Ana Sofia P. (Student Services, ECON/GVPT ’25)
“When studying, dedicate half of the day to studying one subject and the other half of the day studying another subjects so you are not studying one thing the entire day. I also like to take walks in between study sessions.”
– Sanjana C. (VC of Student Services, ECON ’26)
“Start studying early!”
– Shonchori M. (Student Services, ECON/GVPT ’26)
“Remember your grade does not define you! It’s hard but, you should remind yourself of that!”
– Tiffany Y. (Student Services, HESP ’26)
“I like using AI to give me practice exams. I’ll ask it to give me practice questions and grade them. I also like to use NotebookLM, which is a Google AI specifically for students that uses your notes and turns it into a podcast.”
– Emmy C. (Outreach, IR ’25)
“I like using AI to grade practice exams I get from classes. I also find it helpful to write everything down! Writing these repeatedly, specifically with pen and paper, can help with remembering.”
– Morgan O. (VC of Outreach, GVPT ’25)
“Schedule appointment with professors for help before the exam!”
– Leonard F. (Academics, GVPT ’27)
“Finding study groups on campus is helpful for me!”
– Apurva H. (Programming, GVPT ’25)
“One thing I swear by is going into finals with a plan. I like to section out what topics I will study on what days and doing practice problems in between. Making a schedule can make things seem less chaotic.”
– Emma D. (Academics, ENSP ’25)
Helpful Reminders
I’ll let you in on a DSAC secret! I like to end all meetings with a Cydney-ism, a cute, little quote to help the council get through the week. I want to take this final section of this edition of the DSAC Digest to share some of the Cydney-isms I have shared with the council, in hopes that these little nuggets grant you some peace this finals season!
What’s Up With DSAC?
The BSOS Dean’s Student Advisory Council always has some amazing events planned each month so, what’s happening this month? Take a peek below!
December
No DSAC Events this month! See you in the new year!
BSOS Dean's Student Advisory Council 