Exam essays can be intimidating. Summarizing an entire course in a few pages doesn't seem humanly possible, right?
Well, it's certainly not an easy undertaking — but as a seasoned veteran of exam essays, I can ensure you with confidence that it IS possible. Summarized in four key takeaways, this guide is what I've learned about exam essays and how to survive them.
Memorize outlines, not entire essays.
When your instructor shares the essay topic(s) before the exam, it can be tempting to memorize an entire answer in advance. However, if you have a tight schedule during exam season, this strategy may not be the best use of your time! Try memorizing only the basics: the main points that support your argument and the information that proves those points (in other words: an essay outline). This approach not only saves time but also allows for greater flexibility if the adrenaline rush of the exam provides you with new ideas!
As the Fall term is nearing its end and everyone is nose deep in assignments and projects, final exams are the last thing on students’ minds. But nevertheless, these exams are coming and preparing for them sooner rather than later will reduce much unneeded stress and potential white hairs.
Essay exams often test you on the big picture concepts of a course. The idea of writing an essay in one sitting, especially without knowing the question in advance, may seem like an impossible task. Preparing for these exams may seem intimidating; however, essay exams can become a bit more bearable with some good preparation.
Exams are almost upon us, and a familiar sense of foreboding has settled over the campus. One exam element that can be particularly intimidating for some students is the timed essay: an exam question which demands a full essay on a topic that is typically revealed for the first time during the test. While these kinds of questions may seem scary, there are plenty of ways to make them easy for yourself. Read on for tips about how to prepare in advance of the exam and how to approach timed essays before, during, and after the writing process.
Okay, so how are you all feeling about final exams this December? Pretty solid? Great? Possibly even excited, because exams are a blast? Of course. These are all natural responses to one of the most exciting events on the academic calendar. Therefore, I feel this is a fitting time to impart some of the tips I’ve gathered over the years. Make sure to take these 100% literally, and you’ll crush your exams this season.
I’m sure you know the stressful feeling when midterms are either just around the corner or already happening. As midterms come around the corner, it feels like students simultaneously take out their blinders, put them on and think “no distractions, only study”. Everyone becomes machinelike; you feel as if you can read the notes someone else studied the night before because they are etched so deep into their brain that you can see it in their eyes.
The end of the term is fast approaching. This means that final projects are due. This means that exams are right around the corner. This means that there is a break coming up!
At the beginning of the Fall 2015 term, many first year students wrote the English Language Proficiency Exam (ELPE). The results are now in! If you have not received an email in your UWaterloo email drop box, please contact elpp@uwaterloo.ca. Here are some answers to questions you may have: