Personal Finance

"The One Thing"

Key to doing well on any major exam or project is planning. If you choose to do little or no prep, you're not going to remember everything since the beginning of the course and probably won't do well on the final exam.

If you cram in the day or two before the exam, your head will hurt and you'll do better than with no prep, but probably not well. If you believe in thoughts and prayers (or even if you don't), write "frivolous spending" in your notes at this time.

Your Plan

If you plan and do a little bit at a time in the weeks leading up to the final exam, you'll be in much better shape.

1. First, review (re-read) the material, especially the
   older topics.
2. Next, take the practice tests to identify what you still need to work on.
3. Then make a plan to address the areas/topics you've identified as needing work.

You have MANY resources - videos, web sites, EverFi, each other, practice tests, flash cards that you made, etc. If you run across a topic that's still challenging after all that, come see me BEFORE exam time. 

Show Me the MONEY!

One of the items on the Handy Dandy Guide is "people respond to incentives" - if you score a 96 or better on the final exam, you can apply for one of several $2,500 scholarships through the national organization that sponsors/manages the test.

One more thing: check out the newly-updated SUCCESS RESOURCES page, especially if your study skills or test prep is weak.

FINAL COURSE GRADE CALCULATIONS

This sheet can help you determine what your final grade will be under different scenarios (i.e., what do you need on the final exam to earn a D, C, B, or A?). Works for any class at PHS, but you need 2 MP grades for a semester course and 4 MP grades for a full-year course for it to be meaningful.

There are lots of Quizlets and other helpful stuff around the Internet. Do some searching on your own!

You should have completed all the EverFi modules. If you did so BY THE ASSIGNED DEADLINE, and you earned a 70 or better on EVERY MODULE (yes, all 9 of them), you are officially EverFi Certified and will earn extra points toward your final exam score in Genesis.

If you did not complete the modules, or you want to review the material again, take/re-take them as much as you like.

EverFi glossary of terms (20 pages so use it online; DO NOT PRINT THIS IN CLASS). Here's a Quizlet version.

Your notes and handouts are excellent resources, as are the Assignments and Resources pages.

This document lists many of the key topics that will be on the final exam, with a focus on ones that are more challenging. Each has one or more links to definitions, videos, etc., but these are a starting point - use the Resources Page for more detailed information. If you have consistently scored high on tests and completed all assignments with ease, this is a good place to start.

At the end of the doc is a list of # of questions by topic/section.

This document is a VERY detailed outline from W!SE; not every single thing on it is on the exam. It's more of a guide than anything else. If you have scored low on tests and/or chosen to skip assignments, you should definitely focus on this resource.

"You're NUTS if you don't use this in your exam prep!"

SOURCE: Every Student Who Has Done Well on the Final Exam

Below you will find directions on accessing the MoneyPower.org practice exams, which are recommended for after you're done reviewing and studying the materials above. Much like preparing for an athletic competition, taking practice exams is superior to reading and re-reading the same material over and over. Put studying and practice exams together and you should be set to excel.

Again, there are several other practice tests at the bottom of the Financial Literacy Resources page.

Here are some "official" practice exams, recommended by W!SE (creator of the exam):

MONEYPOWER.ORG

PRACTICE FOR YOUR FINAL EXAM

1) Go to MoneyPower.org

2) Login using Pschs10 for ID and hS0700 for password (type it EXACTLY how you see it, or copy-paste)

3) Complete the brief form that pops up like the example below (don't bother with the optional fields; stick to the items in the RED BOXES)

4) Choose your practice tests and GO!

OTHER PRACTICE TESTS

Quizlet: W!SE Practice

Flash Cards from the St Louis Federal Reserve Bank

MoneyPower - Recommended Resources

Helpful for Final Exam Prep

Over 60 hours of extra help were available throughout the semester. While help will continue to be available daily, please remember two things:

(1) The course will NOT be retaught in an extra help session. After exhausting all the resources provided, come with a list of topics that you are struggling with as well as a list of things you've done to work on them so we have a starting point.  
(2) Extra Help time can get very crowded during "cram time" so do not expect the one-on-one attention you would have received earlier in the marking period.