A lot of people often mistake comprehensive and cumulative exams as one and the same while others cannot clearly pinpoint their differences. Thus, we are set to give you a clear discussion of these two and we hope that by the end of the day, you will be able to distinguish cumulative final exams to comprehensive tests.
This article is set to provide you the most simplified discussion that will help you set cumulative exam and comprehensive exam apart from each other. We will make sure that through this article, everything will be clearer and you will have an idea as to what type of exam is required of you and how you will be able to prepare for such exam by knowing what final exam help and assistance you really need.
We will tackle each of these two and we guarantee that as you go on with this article, you will slowly grasp the true meaning of these two.
What is Comprehensive Exam?
Comprehensive exam is now considered by most universities and other educational institutions as one of the major requirements which students need to take and is usually referred to as ?comps exams?. The reason why it confuses a lot of students is because of the variation of its nature and general requirement as it differs from school to school and program to program. While there are schools which do not really take this exam seriously, other schools require their students to put rigorous effort on such.
Schools and universities use this exam to gauge the understanding and the knowledge of the students in their chosen field and its related subjects. This is commonly used to determine whether the student is an eligible candidate to continue his study and his research.
Graduate schools use this type of exam as it is easier for them to gauge if their students are familiar and knowledgeable enough with the field he is set to research about. This is to ensure that the students will not only be repeating what has already been researched but make in-depth and original contributions.
Comprehensive exams do not really entail the end of the semestral period. It is not the overall basis as to the student?s? academic performance but only focuses on the students readiness for the next coursework which oftentimes include dissertations and other academic papers.
As what we have highlighted earlier, the nature and general guidelines of comprehensive exams vary from school to school and institution to institution. Comprehensive exam formats include informal meetings, oral examinations, an in-depth review and evaluation of the students? academic portfolio and the series of proctored examinations.
What is Cumulative Final Exams?
Cumulative final exams want to ensure that the students are able to display excellent retention of all the learnings they gained throughout the whole learning period. This means that all the materials used and discussed throughout the whole study period are gathered and used in the formulation of the questions that will be used for the exam.
Aside from retention, cumulative exam showcase your ability to comprehend the given materials during the entire year or semester. This enables the teachers to ensure that the students are not only reading these materials for compliance purposes but are also capable of understanding what they read. These skills are very important especially when you are already doing research as you will be gathering information that needs to be critically interpreted.
Thus, cumulative examinations do not only make sure that you are equipped with the needed knowledge in your field but also capable of understanding information that will benefit the future research field.
Just like the comprehensive type of examinations, cumulative exams offer a lot of benefits to the students. Cumulative exams help in building good foundation of knowledge and skills. Since it is in line with all the topics tackled in the class throughout the whole semester, it is expected that the discussion and the growth of understanding of the students for the given subject is deeply rooted with the basic topics a well as the complex issues. The gradual growth of the students? understanding ensures that even the slow learners will be able to keep up with the demands of the subject.
Since cumulative final requires the students to go through the same topics they have already read in the past, it provides assurance to both the teachers and students that the learning will stay for a long time. This long term learning will help you finish your future tasks a lot quicker and easier.
In addition, cumulative final examination forces you to read and develop excellent study and reading habits. Since students are required to study from cover to cover, time management, discipline and other helpful habits will be developed by them and can be useful in their future endeavours.
Tips to Overcome Comprehension Exams
We have gathered the best tips that will allow you to survive comprehension exams. Check the following discussion and learn from the best.
- Start Early
Most graduate programs ask their students to organize a committee for their comps. So, it is important that you start early as you will have to check and adjust with their schedule. Also, there will be a lot of paper works that need to be done.
- Time Management
Time management is very essential especially when you are on the masteral or doctoral level. Now that you have already reached this level, you have to carefully carve out your plan as to how you will be able to divide your time and attention for studies, work, research and other things.
Ensure that your set schedule is only devoted for studying, forget about work, social life and other things. Follow your schedule and you will be able to cover all areas.
2. Read to Understand
You will be flooded with a lot of reading materials and there will be instances when you will be drown in reading and memorizing a number of materials. However, you have to consider as well that you will be asked to state your understanding on the given topic and discussed important things about it. So, you have to make sure that you also understood what you read and memorized.
3. Ask Senior Students and Professor
There is really nothing wrong in asking. Thus, never hesitate to ask senior students who are known to have succeeded in their comps. You will be able to gain knowledge as how they prepared in their examinations and how they were able to overcome the challenges that it brings.
Your professors are also a great help in your comprehensive finals. They can tell you tips that will greatly make a difference in your preparation in taking the exam. Most often than not, they are the best person that can tell you how exams are organized and made.
4. Know Yourself and Your Field Better
You also have to remember that comprehensive exams are tailored to individual students. Thus, no matter how much preparation you do if it does not help you know yourself and your chosen field more, it will still be deemed useless.
So, focus on learning more things and expand your knowledge about the field. With that, you will be more effective in your chosen subject.
Tips in Acing Your Cumulative Exams
The following are the best ways for you to ace your cumulative exams.
- Start Taking Notes and Note Cards Earlier
It is important that you start taking notes and making note cards the earliest possible time. This is for you to avoid wasting your time making your review materials. With this, you will be able to focus all your time and effort studying and preparing for your exams.
2. Make a Study Habit in Short Blocks or Periods
You have to go through your past lessons and review materials in addition to the new ones provided by your teacher. Of course, everything will be overwhelming if taken at one time. Thus, it is important that you allow your body and your mind to take only what it can possibly take. Never force it to finish everything in one sitting.
3. Grab the Second Chances that Cumulative Exams Offers
Not everything offers us second chances in life. This is one of the most fascinating things about cumulative finals. It allows you to know your weaknesses and gives you a second chance to get it right. So, evaluate and recheck your previous examinations. Then, identify the areas that you need to focus on or the areas which you need to give more time.
4. Diversify your Strategies in Studying
It has already been stated earlier that you have to give yourself time to take all the knowledge that you are acquiring from all the reading and review materials. One thing that will help you focus for a longer period of time is by diversifying your study techniques.
Think of the many ways that can help you gain focus. Do things that will keep you interested with what you are doing. Be creative with your study habits. If you are used to studying in a silent environment such as the library,you might need to consider picnic study at the park or in your grandmother?s garden.
Now that we have already discussed to you the differences of cumulative and comprehensive final exam, you should be able to strategize properly how you will be able to ace your future exams. We are very confident that through this article, everything will come out smoothly for you and for your future plans.
What we Think on the Matter at Hand
Of course, there is no way for you to choose and decide which of these two will be required by your professors. Thus, it is very important that you are aware of their nature and the steps for you to prepare for them. Cumulative final exams may be lengthy and requires rigorous effort on your part as it will cover even those that are tackled during the first day of the semester but they allow you to develop important habits that will help you in the future.
Comprehensive final on the other hand displays how prepared you are for the next steps of your career plans. Both are very necessary for you to achieve the best results that you desire. So, embrace both of them, learn about them and make sure that you know your way when you are faced with any one of them. We hope that this article will help you when that time comes and we are sure that you will overcome such challenge remarkably.
Know more about cumulative final exam and comprehensive examinations. Know what makes each of them unique from the other and how they can benefit you. Also, learn the best ways for you to succeed regardless of which you will encounter.
If you still have concerns with your knowledge about these types of examinations, feel free to contact us and we will help you understand these two in detail. We are very willing to assist you with your cumulative and comprehensive exam confusions. We will help you understand all the necessary information about them.
In addition, we will help you prepare well for each type of exam and guide you as to how you deal with them. We will give you what you need and we guarantee that we will be your one stop avenue for examination, dissertation and other academic paper concerns.
