How to Prepare for the End of the Semester

Meticulously preparing for the end of the semester is a skill that college students must master in order to be successful.  As an aspiring educator, I wish to be able to help high school students prepare for college by teaching good organizational and study habits.

In college, the end of the semester brings about many term papers and final exams. What I do is first create a calendar with all of the exam and final paper due dates.  I then add the days and times when I am going to study for each class, and when I am going to write each essay.  Having a schedule like this helps me to organize the work and give myself adequate time to study for and complete each assignment.

When studying for exams, I first organize my class notes by topic.  Often, there are several books and readings that the professor has assigned, and in these texts, I highlight key terms and mark important sections.  I review all of the information I have, and then quiz myself on the key concepts and terms.

There is often a significant amount of research and review that is involved when writing term papers since they encompass an entire semester’s worth of learning.   I make sure to give myself an adequate amount of time to write a draft of the paper as well as a revision.  I will often go to the school’s writing center and have my paper edited and proofread to ensure that it is of high quality before I submit it. There have been many times the tutors at the writing center have given me valuable feedback on how to improve a paper. 

In addition to preparing for the end of the current semester, I plan ahead in regards to the upcoming semester by meeting with my advisor and registering for classes.  I also review my financial aid status and ensure my FAFSA application is completed before the priority deadline to make sure that I receive maximum financial aid for the following academic year. I also search and apply for several scholarships and grants to help provide funding for the next semester.

Careful preparation before the end of the semester has helped me greatly in achieving high grades throughout my academic career.  I had several excellent teachers in high school who prepared me for college by teaching me excellent organizational skills and proper study habits.  As a future high school teacher, I hope to successfully prepare each of my future students for college in the same way that my teachers had done for me.