Planet College final exam review.

Some instructors may hold a review session for a major test. Usually this review is the last class session before an important examination. Often, at least, an instructor will simply hand out a list of subjects to be covered on an important test. Some instructors may even distribute a series of actual questions which may be on the test. This is why it is so important to never miss a class session and keep track of every handout for the course. If the instructor offers nothing in the way of preparation try this. Review any previous tests in this course. Then, based on this, write out possible questions and their complete answers. Preparing your own examination for the final is often an effective review tactic for most course finals.

Planet College explanation: Quarters.

Indispensable item for laundry. By now you realize that if you had been really serious about college you would have started saving quarters some time during your sophomore year in high school.

Planet College Warning: Incomplete

The grade of "incomplete" is a designation assigned to a student when all of the requirements of a course have not been met. Instructors sometimes offer these to a student who has not completed the work for the course. Before you accept this you may need to know that over half of all the Incompletes assigned turn to an F. You don’t need another F. So what ever it takes to complete the assigned work for the class during the term in which you are registered, do it. If you don’t complete the work while you are actually enrolled in the course what makes you think you’ll do it when you’re not enrolled?

Do I have to have a FAFSA?

Hopefully by now you are familiar with the FAFSA. If you aren’t the government has help on line here http://www.fafsa.edu/ for filling out this essential document. This document is so essential that even if you were not a financial aid student I would recommend filling out and submitting a FAFSA on an annual basis while you are in college. Check your school’s financial aid office for filing deadlines. Realize however that even if you are past the dead line for your schools financial aid you still may benefit from other sources. These sources will no doubt require a fafsa. So, first thing, right now, if you haven’t already done so, go fill out and submit a fafsa.

Take the entire time.

I once took a required math class during summer school. The class ran four nights a week and the instructor moved rapidly through the text. The format was a test, usually about fifteen problems on the previous night’s lesson for the first half hour of the session. Then we had a brief break came back and it was on to the next chapter. Like most students I took the test, turned it in, and then went out for the break. There was one woman I noticed in the class who frowned and chewed on the end of her pencil while taking the test. She also always worked almost all the way through the class break. Just before we started the regular class she would run up put her test on the teacher’s desk. I thought, “Gee, she must be having a hard time with this class”. At the end of the summer term the instructor said, “I would like to salute one student in this class in particular. She has completed the entire course while making only three errors total -THREE ERRORS TOTAL- on the nightly tests.” He said,” Would you stand up, please?" And he motioned to a woman near the front. It was the lady who frowned, who chewed her pencil and finished last during the term. There is one important lesson here. It isn't frown and chew your pencil. It is take the entire time. For any test you have to take. Take the entire time. Use all of the time given. Yes we've all seen those whizzes who jump up slap their test down on the instructor's desk and sprint out the door fifteen minutes after the test has been handed out. You are not one of those whizzes. You are an average student. So for now until graduation-any test- take the entire time. Then after graduation you can go to Cabo and judge all the wet t-shirt contests you want.

What is help?

I have a slogan that I developed while working with students. It is like a riddle. It goes like this. “What is help?” The answer? “Help is help. That is what help is.” This means that any form of help you can get to assist you in passing this class is useful, probably necessary and a good idea. Here are some traditional sources of help which may be available on your campus.

Learning Center.

Writing Center

Department tutoring lab.

Peer tutoring.

Professor or instructor office hours.

On line study sessions.

Study groups either formal or informal.

Review sessions, formal and informal.

These are traditional campus sources. Planet College has one more. A student who has recently passed this class. Preferably from the same instructor. A note on a campus bulletin board, “Passed Mr. Morris’ Composition class? Let’s talk. IM @me.” Could produce a helper. Try it.

Planet College Explanation: Course Substitution

At times, many times, students feel desperate about a required course. Sometimes, at some schools and on some campuses alternatives are available. The action is usually referred to as a course substitution. A course approved by the administration of a college, as a substitute for another required course. For example on our campus qualified students may be eligible to take a Critical Thinking course, such as Logic as a substitute for a required math course. Also, students who qualify can take ASL, American Sign Language, as a substitute for a basic foreign language requirement. If you are feeling extremely intimidated by some basic required course investigate the possibility of a course substitution.