Study Tips – College Admission at Loyola

Finals Week: It is Possible

By | December 5, 2014

Finals are no one’s favorite part of the year and I think each semester they sneak up on us a little sooner than we expect. Today marked the last day of classes for the fall semester of 2014. Which means 24 hour quiet hours in the residence halls have started and this weekend will be spent studying in the Information Commons instead of out enjoying the city. As you look ahead to your always daunting exam schedule, here are a few tips to help get you through the week:

Write out your schedule in a fun way. Break out the crayons, markers, or colored pens to write out your exam schedule. It’s easy to let yourself be in a bad mood during such a stressful week. So cheer yourself up with a schedule that at least looks pretty.
Encourage your roommates and floormates. My roomies and I created a finals week wall in our kitchen with all of our exam times on it, plus some Christmas doodles. We also decorated our hallway with post-its of things we are grateful for to keep our spirits high as we take on the week.
Don’t be afraid of a study break. Without classes to attend during the week you’ll have all kinds of “free time” to study. But if you have your nose in a book the entire day you will get burnt out quickly. So don’t be afraid to take a break and a deep breath. (I’m already planning to watch Elf on Wednesday–Loyola’s study day with no finals–to relax a little).
Sleep well and eat well. If you don’t schedule your study time wisely you’ll end up staying up all night and making yourself miserable. And don’t let your study snacking get out of control, aim to eat healthier snacks like nuts and fruit. A combination of good sleeping and eating will keep you energized and ready to go on test days.
Dress for success. My favorite finals week pick me up is dressing up for all my exams. I’m a firm believer in the “dress for success” mantra. I always feel more confident and perform better when I put a little extra effort into my test day outfits. You only have to switch out of your sweats for a two hour test–you can do it.

Finals week may seem like an impossible feat, but trust me when I say it’s possible. Keep your head up, go grab a coffee, and study, study, study!

GRE Greatness

By Stephanie Rodriguez | November 19, 2014

I am NOT trying to scare you. I know that many people detest talking about “the future plans.” Are you applying to medical school? Did you take the GRE? What about the subject GRE? What grad school are you going to? So, what are you doing after graduation? Did you ask for your recommendation letters? Did you take the MCAT? The DAT?

I know, I know. I hate it, too. We all had our future planned out, and then we got to college. It changed and that’s OK. With that being said, I do want to help out those who PLAN on taking the GRE (even if you don’t know why you’re taking it). I would give tips on the MCAT, but as of 2015 they are changing the format of the MCAT, so my tips would not pertain to anyone anymore…womp, womp.

The GRE is more laid back than the MCAT, however. It’s almost like an ACT/SAT on steroids. Here ya go:

REVIEW THE EASY STUFF. Yes, easy stuff like algebra and geometry from high school.
VOCABULARY. Do you remember all of those AP English vocabulary flashcards? Review that, too. The GRE likes to throw in big, adult words; you’ll thank me later!
PRACTICE. I’m just stating the obvious! Everyone knows this one, but it’s an important one.
WORK ON YOUR WEAKNESS. You know what it is, so work 10x harder. Own it.
STAY COOL. If you need to take it again, then do it. However, make it worth while.