Exams are the most stressful thing about college and for good reason. Typically these 1.5 hour tests are each worth about 25% of your grade but the key to acing them is in the preparation. For each exam you should start studying no later that a week in advance in order to get it in while keeping up with other classwork. Exam prep vary from student to student but some common ones are; flashcards, redoing homework, rewriting notes, and (if the teacher is nice enough) practice exams. More likely than not you will do poorly on at least one exam in your college career but one exam doesn't define you as a person or a student, take it in stride and learn from it so you can do better on the next one.

Being a full-time college student can be overwhelming and it may feel like you have no time to get all of your assignments done while still enjoying the college experience. While it wont be easy, organizing your schedule in a way that allows you to complete good work while balance everything else can be done. Some key tactics are; buying a planner and planning out your day, setting time limits for certain activities, and the most important, start your assignments early. Starting your homework right after learning the material will not only help you manage your time but it will also help you retain information better leading to higher homework, quiz, and exam scores.

Classes can get overwhelming and its never bad to ask for help. There are plenty of resources both provided by Penn State and not which can be helpful to your success. Here are some helpful resources

• Penn State Learning: Mathematics

  • Here is school affiliated resource to help with into mathematics class. The learning center for mathematics is in the Sparks Building and can provide homework help. On the website, you can find times where help is offered.

• Penn State Learning: Sciences

  • Penn State Learning also provides assistance with general science classes including physics, chemistry, biology, and many more. Here, you can get help with science homework. On the website, you can find times and classes that they offer help for. 

• Penn State Learning: Exam Review

  • Penn State Learning also provides exam reviews for many general education technical classes. On this website you can access the time, location, and date of those reviews. 

• Lions Tutors

  • Lions Tutors is non-affiliated with Penn State but is a very good resource used by many students to help with difficult classes. They cover almost any mandatory class you will take in your first two years. Their exam review packets are known to many students as "life-savers". To see which classes they offer help with, visit their website

• Penn State Engineering Tutoring

  • Penn State Engineering Tutoring is a resource provided by the University which allows engineering students to gain helpful reviews and help with any engineering class that is mandatory for the major. To see when tutoring is available, visit their website.