A midterm exam is an exam given near the middle of an academic grading period, or near the middle of a quarter or semester. The midterm can serve several purposes. First, it can tell students if they should revise their study habits for the rest of the term (if they do poorly) or maintain their successful study habits (if they do well). It can also serve to tell a student who does very poorly to drop the class (many colleges have the last chance to drop classes a week or two after most professors give midterms. Also, because most professors do not give cumulative finals, midterms allow students to study for less material at a time, than if only a final was given. Furthermore, if an entire class does poorly, the midterm exam may let the professor know that he or she needs to revise his or her teaching style. Teachers may also give multiple midterms, such as two or three, which makes each test really a third term exam or a quarter term exam.