Final exams are in less than a month, and whether you like it or not, it might make life a lot easier to start thinking about them now, especially if it’s your first time around.

Something you’ll learn over the years is that getting through finals week isn’t exactly the same as getting through a typical week of tests; finals is a game, so here’s how to maximize your chances of winning:

1. Figure out what percent weight each final is for all of your classes. The difference between a 10% and 20% final may seem small, but it isn’t, and we’ll get to why.
2. Figure out what percent grade you need on each final to maintain the grade you want. If you know how to do the math yourself, go right ahead, but you can also just search up “final grade calculator” and pick any of them. Now, the semester obviously isn’t over yet, and you probably have one or two more tests in each class before the final, so why do this now? Well, knowing what you need can help you understand what you should be aiming for in the next month, and with the 50% rule that our school has (with an “honest” effort, the lowest grade you can get is a 50%) it’s quite common that you can disregard studying for a final altogether. Here’s some numbers to keep in mind:
   1. If your final is weighted 10%, you need a 94.45% or higher in order to be guaranteed an A, assuming you actually try on the final.
   2. If it’s weighted 20%, you need a flat 100% for that same effect, and this is why there’s such a huge difference between the weighting of finals; unless you were entirely perfect for a whole semester, you might want to keep in mind that you CANNOT just bomb this exam.
3. Make a plan. This is obviously different for everyone, but figuring out what you need on each final, or whether or not your desired grade is even possible, can sometimes offer some peace of mind. If you go into a final grade calculator, and it says you need over 100% on the final to even change your grade, that might be discouraging, but that’s one less final to worry about.

Ultimately, with six or seven tests in the span of 3 days, finals season gets tough. However, the cliche advice of “don’t stress” is honestly well catered to this situation; know that many teachers make their finals easier than regular tests because they know it’s hard to remember an entire semester, and that at the end of the day, it’ll be ok.