How to Ace Your Finals

Key Speaker

• Amy, 4.0 Caltech graduate
• Never received below an 'A' in finals
• Has struggled during semesters but managed to finish strong without sacrificing sleep

Main Points

Personal Story of Struggle

• Comfortable in math during freshman and sophomore years (AP Calculus BC and AP Statistics)
• Struggled in junior year with Linear Algebra
• Got the wrong textbook from her mom (outdated and poorly matched assignments)
• Disorganized class coordinated by nearby college

Challenges Faced

• Disruption due to inaccurate textbook
• Difficulties due to online lectures and lack of in-person guidance
• Poor homework grades affected confidence
• Didn't study enough for midterm due to overconfidence (night before prom)

Reaction to Failure

• Had a defining moment after poor midterm score
• Realized the need for deep mastery of concepts
• Reflected and admitted lack of understanding

Strategies and Tips for Overcoming Challenges

• Reflect and Admit Weaknesses: Be honest about your understanding and performance
• Deep Understanding Over Surface Learning: Go beyond face value and memorization
• Group Chats: Create group chats for support and sharing difficulties
• Avoid Cheating: Resisted temptation to use shared Chegg account
• Effort and Growth Mindset: Believe that the right effort results in improvement
• Intense Practice: Constantly carried textbook and reviewed problems everywhere
• Preparation: Worked on various types of practice problems ensuring familiarity with all problem types

Success and Lessons Learned

• Scored 100% on the final due to extensive preparation and deep understanding
• Emphasized the importance of internal locus of control
• Accountability: Take responsibility for poor results and look for areas to improve
• Handling Emotions: Don't let negative emotions affect other areas of life and future tasks

Motivation and Avoiding Burnout

• Fire Inside: Sustained motivation comes from a deep desire to achieve goals
• Compartmentalization: Learn to separate emotions from different aspects of life

Final Thought

• Take the time during fall and winter breaks to catch up and prepare for a stronger next semester
• Key message: Reflect, put in effort, and you are in control of your results

Recommended Next Steps

• Watch related videos on maintaining motivation and acing math
• Final encouragement: Do your best and you'll have no regrets