[Info] Midterms: Structure and My Experience

Château at Amboise in Loire Valley

I don’t need sleep. This is become my mantra for the trip. With everything there is to do and study, sleep has become the least of my priorities. For the most part, I don’t even feel the effects of sleep deprivation; it’s only when I knock out the moment I sit down on the bus for our class tours that I realize how exhausted I am. 

Studying into the night at our apartment-hotel room.

This past week has flown by. The two midterms for the two classes were handed out on the first and second day of class in Paris. I made sure to start them the minute I had some free time from activities in the city. Despite getting an early start, I found myself staying up late to finalize them the night before they were due, and many other students did so as well. It was not that the exams were impossibly difficult—they were challenging but straightforward and manageable as long as you paid attention in class, took good notes, and read the textbook—it was more so that I wanted to be absolutely certain of my answers. The majority of the class worked hard on their exams, which meant that most of the class would score very well. 

For Mgmt 109, the average was 88% with almost the entire class receiving A’s and B’s. Grades varied more with Mgmt 127C. What this means is that class participation will play a huge role in your final class grade. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to speak up. Reading the textbook is key to answering Professor Freixes’s questions.

Our TA Micheal Gavin and Professor Freixes.

In regards to the structure of the exams, students have about a week to finish them. In a previous post, I mentioned that they are open-note. Students may also ask the TA or Professor for clarification on the exam questions and concepts. The TA and sometimes the Professor will host office hours a day or two before the exam is due to answer any last minute questions. The exams themselves include a multiple choice, T/F, and free response portion.

All in all, the take-home nature of the exams is perfect for a short travel study program. We learn the material in class and are able to solidify that knowledge by working through the exams. In fact, students broaden and deepen their knowledge in the process of completing them.

Getting a week to finish the exams means flexibility. Students can budget as much or as little time as they need for the exams. And again, they are more than manageable with the program schedule—students have plenty of free time.

Hope this clarifies any questions you may have about the exams!

Until next time,

Sherry