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A 12-Step Exam Prep Checklist (Ep. 204)

Feeling ready for finals?

If not, you’re not alone. But there’s something you can do about it.

In Barbara Oakley’s, “A Mind for Numbers,” there just so happens to be a checklist created by Professor Richard Felder that might be of some assistance — he designed it for students who came back after a test unhappy with their grades, hoping for a way to show them how they could have prepared better and achieved a higher mark.

But we can do better than that. Why wait until regret sets in to make things better? Take this list, check it twice, and keep it in mind as you make your final vault into a well-deserved summer.

Things mentioned in this episode:

This week’s episode is sponsored by:

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Other things we mentioned:

Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.

Timestamps:

  • 0:03:03 – Checklist overview and interleaving your studies
  • 0:09:51 – Tackling reading assignments
  • 0:17:05 – Working on problems with classmates
  • 0:24:56 – Participating in group discussions
  • 0:29:10 – Sponsor: Backblaze
  • 0:32:26 – Asking teachers for help
  • 0:36:30 – Making sure you understand the problem solutions
  • 0:45:05 – Asking for clarification when you’re confused
  • 0:50:19 – Going through a study guide
  • 0:53:27 – Not spending enough time on the actual math
  • 0:54:38 – Quizzing classmates about the study guide
  • 0:56:26 – Going to review sessions
  • 0:57:31 – Getting enough sleep before a test
  • 1:03:33 – Additional suggestions
  • 1:05:48 – Conclusion

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