The last Hurrah at CMU
Ben Antoine
Academic Excellence Chair
National Society of Black Engineers
Final Tasks at CMU
1. Final Exams
2. Final Group Projects/Presentations (expos,
posters, etc.)
3. Final papers
National Society of Black Engineers
Preparing for Final Exams: Building your arsenal
• Gather all passed exams (ones taken in class
and ones from upperclassmen)
• Gather all home works with the solutions
• Grab a solution manual (if you have one) for
the text book used for that class.
National Society of Black Engineers
Exam Study Plan
1. Review homework problems that you do not understand or
were marked incorrect.
2. Review exam problems that you do not understand or were
marked incorrect.
3. For numerical tests, once you know the material covered in
the home works and exams, crank out the odd problems in
your textbook, unless the solutions to the even problems are
also given.
4. If you are allowed a cheat sheet, write in the smallest font
that is readable and use all areas of the sheet allowed.
Almost abuse the privilege.
National Society of Black Engineers
During Final/Post Final
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Wear comfortable layers
Flip to what you know.
Have your own type of therapy (Final can be painful)
– Get up and stretch
– “Woo-saw”
– Deep breaths
– Sit back and relax
Celebrate whether it was a hit or miss (the class is over regardless)
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Do something relaxing
National Society of Black Engineers
Final Group Projects/Presentations
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Make sure everyone is in one accord.
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Make sure everyone has some form of communication more direct
than email (Cell phone number, Group Me, Skype, Facebook, Google
hangout, etc.)
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I could not reach so and so would not be a legitimate in some cases.
Make sure that all members knows exactly what is
required of them.
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Set deadlines
National Society of Black Engineers
Final Group Projects/Presentations
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Practice a presentation with a friend to avoid kinks
in the actual presentation.
Only meet up for pertinent tasks (i.e. editing,
fabricating, etc.) to avoid wasting each others times.
Show no remorse in peer evaluations if a particular
group member contributes nothing to the project.
National Society of Black Engineers
Handling Final Papers
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Have a nice outline for yourself so that you know
where you are going with the paper.
Be sure to use proper paper formatting (i.e.
numbered pages, 1” margins, proper grammar,
properly cited sources)
If possible, submit for preliminary review to the
professor, teaching assistant or peer.
National Society of Black Engineers
Handling Final Assignment Stress
• Two finals on one day (3 is usually not allowed) and cannot
figure out which one to study more?
– Toggle between the material. Devote an hour (or whatever time you deem fit)
to each subject and toggle back and forth.
• Take breaks!!!
– Basketball, swimming, racquetball, videogames, pool, eating, dancing etc.
• Talk to mentors and/or people who have been down the same
path.
• Need an extension? ASK!!!!! It’s a 50-50 chance. Yes or No. It
cannot hurt to ask.
National Society of Black Engineers
Good Luck!
National Society of Black Engineers
National Society of Black Engineers
Questions?
[email protected]