<p>I was looking at the academic calendar in order to figure out the days that I should buy my plane tickets for. The cheaper tickets leave early morning on Saturday, but the calendar says that final exams end on 5 p.m. that Saturday the 22nd. </p>
<p>In current and former students' assessments, how often or common is it that a class has a final that falls on Saturday? Would it be safer to buy the later tickets, or just go the for early Saturday morning ones, since Saturday finals (hopefully) are uncommon?</p>
<p>It's usually best to wait until you have your classes determined. Not all classes have finals. Also, each class has a specific time for finals assigned. If you make arrangements before you know what your classes require, you may find yourself staying on longer than necessary.</p>
<p>On the syllabus that you get for each class on the first day or week or whatever, will they tell you exactly what day and time the finals are on?</p>
<p>Yes, each final exam slot is determined based upon when the class meets during the school year. e.g. All the MWF 9:30AM classes will have their exams on Dec 20, 1PM. All the TTh 11AM classes will have their exams on Dec 19 9AM, etc. In this way, no one theoretically will have conflicting exams (since they can't sit in on two classes that meet simultaneously). This information is published at the onset of classes (or even earlier in the blue book -- I don't recall) and not by the individual syllabi. Of course, some classes may not have finals.</p>
<p>However as you're about to matriculate, know that your schedule may vary greatly given the latitude afforded through "shopping period". If I have ANY suggestion for an incoming freshman, I'd say TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THIS. Once your schedule is set (10 days into the semester), then start working on flights back. I would also recommend return as soon as your last final is over. No need to spend an extra few days -- really everyone is just focused on getting out of Dodge. Get home, enjoy the break, you'll be deserving it.</p>
<p>Good luck to you and enjoy this last summer.</p>