Finals Plan of Attack: Measuring Progress & Making Adjustments To Your Study Plan (Part 3)
- Sean McCormick
- May 21
- 5 min read
Updated: May 22
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In the military, they use the term “commander’s intent” to describe how you plan for battle, but always leave room to adapt based on what unfolds.
Similarly, students need to create a systematic study plan for finals, but be ready to pivot when their data indicates something isn't working or needs more attention.
What you already know how to do when preparing for finals and mid-terms
In part 1 of this series, you clarified with the teacher what's going to be most valuable for you to do to reach your goal grade, and in part 2, you started to take action.
In Part 3, we will focus on measuring the impact of your process.
In this article, you’ll learn how to use two simple tools: an error log and a progress monitoring table.
These tools help students stay focused on high-need classes, gather feedback, and improve their chances of reaching their goal grade.
Let's dive in👇
Why Measuring The Impact of Your Study Process Makes All the Difference
Studying without measuring is like throwing darts blindfolded and hoping you hit the bullseye. It's never going to happen.
When students take time to evaluate what’s working, they can make better use of their limited energy. Instead of falling victim to the false belief that they can make time (and energy) to prepare for all things, equally, they can focus on what needs their attention.
They stop spinning their wheels on material they’ve already mastered and start focusing on what’s still unclear.
This process builds metacognition, which is the ability to know what you know and what you don’t. It is one of the most valuable executive function skills for school and life.
Lastly, when students track their progress, they get a confidence boost from seeing improvement, which keeps them motivated and helps them perform better on test day.
Common Mistakes Students Make When Studying For Finals
Mistake #1: Not tracking what they don't know
Many students study without any system to measure what’s working and what's not. For example, maybe they rewatch the same math tutorial three times but still can’t solve the problem on a test.
They feel like they’re studying, but nothing is sticking because they are missing a discrete skill withing the larger problem. Until they have a clear understanding of which parts of the problem they know and don't know, they cannot make progress.
Mistake #2: Studying more, instead of targeting weak spots
Studying for a long time may seem like an efficient way to prepare for finals, but without focusing on the weak spots, there really won't be improvement.
For example, a student reviews an entire packet for biology but doesn’t realize half their mistakes come from one section on cell transport.
Without data to show this, they can’t put their focus where it matters.
Mistake #3: Avoiding practice exams
Many students avoid practice tests because they feel too unprepared to even attempt one or fear getting a low score.
But practice exams are one of the best tools for identifying what still needs work.
Without them, students are guessing instead of getting clear feedback on what to study next.
3 Steps to Measure and Adjust Your Finals Plan Using Data
Step 1: Create and use an error log
For each practice test that you're taking, use an error log.
An error log is where you identify what you know, somewhat know, and don't know, so that you can focus your efforts in the places that will make a clear difference in the result of your final exam.
As you take practice tests, log what you got wrong or were unsure about.
Sort these into the three provided columns:
Know
Somewhat know
Don't know
This gives a clear view of which practice questions need to be prioritized.
Watch this video to see a visual guide to how to set up and use an error log:
Step 2: Focus on the 'Don’t Know' and 'Somewhat Know' columns
Keep studying the questions or concepts that are in the "don't know" and "somewhat know" columns until you can safely move them to the "know" column.
Those are the concepts that need more reps.
For example, if a student consistently gets confused on chemical bonding questions, it is placed in the "Don’t Know" column and becomes a top priority for review until they can confidently move it to the "Know" column.
Step 3: Track progress after each practice session
After each practice test, use the progress monitoring table in the template to measure the percentage of questions you got right, or the score you got on it, and the date.
As students continue this process, they will notice patterns in what is improving and what remains unclear.
For example, maybe a student scores 12 out of 25 on their first geometry review, which they recorded in the progress monitoring table, then 18 out of 25 the following week.
They now have confirmed data that shows the process is working and helps them stay motivated.
If you want more resources on how to help your student end the semester strong, check out my Semester Success Blueprint course.
The Bottom Line
To wrap up finals prep strong, students need a feedback loop.
Here are 3 steps to measure your final plan using data:
Set up an error log to organize what your student doesn’t know yet
Keep reviewing until the Don’t Know column becomes Know
Track scores and dates after each study session to spot progress
Hope this helps 🤙🏻
P.S. If you want to work on executive function skills with your students, consider joining hundreds of other educators and parents who have completed my Semester Success Blueprint Course. In less than 2 hours, this comprehensive course will teach you and your student the system I developed to help hundreds of students learn how to manage school effectively and raise their self-awareness and engagement with school.
About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and growing my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.