A question for A students (undergrad, grad, & dental school)

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esqueleto

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I'm really motivated to smash any class I take in the future. I know I will put the work in, but I want to be efficient with how I use my time. What have you done in the courses you have excelled in? I am looking for feedback on mainly science related courses, such as biochem, physio, histology, anatomy, etc.

I'm especially curious what grad students and dental students recommend. You guys spend a large portion of your day in class, which leaves less time outside of class to study. What has worked for you? Perhaps you have gone into a class thinking a certain study approach will work, but it turns out to not be so great. I would also like to hear about any such experiences.

Lastly, what do you do to promote great studying and long-term memory? (I guess I am wondering about energy and health)

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Hello there. I am not a grad student or dental student yet, but I am an A student (haven't gotten a B since 5th grade because that one B made me never want to get one again haha...) and I also do not have much time for studying. I am part of a D1 sports program so I go to class in the morning and attend practice, lift, and meetings in the afternoon. I do not get home until around 6 or 7 every night and then I still have to cook dinner because I am kind of a health freak. I also am in bed by 9:30-10pm each night with rare exceptions when I have an exam the next day-then I may not cut myself off until midnight. Also, when in season I miss at least Thursday & Friday every week, if not more for competitions further away. So, in short, I have very little time to study. What I find to be most effective is re-writing and re-drawing my notes (particularly for chemistry and anatomy because there are a lot of molecules and diagrams - and I actually find this to be really fun because I can use all my colorful pens!) Sunday nights I designate for planning out my week. I make a list of what I want to accomplish every day of the week. Weekdays it may be only one or two things or simply reviewing each night for exams. Weekends are designated for homework assignments or projects. I also put on my calendar "Study at *insert library or coffee shop here* from *insert time allotted for studying here*" I am a strong believer that you are more likely to do something when it is on your calendar- and away from your home. For long-term memory: it is a common thought the seeing information 3 times helps you remember material better. So you are introduced to it in class, review your notes after class, and then study before the exam. Even better, look ahead to what you are learning that week to see the material at least four times! I also believe you perform better when you take care of yourself. Seriously, drink 8 glasses of water a day, cook your own meals and limit eating out to once or twice a MONTH, get 8 hours of sleep every night and workout at least 3 times a week in addition to other things that relieve stress. Our brains need to rest and be fed the right nutrients to function properly. I think I am living proof that you can do all these things and still succeed in school. You do not need to pull an all nighter and eat pizza all week during finals week. Sorry for the long message, but I like finding something that works and sharing with others!

Wow, much respect! Thanks for providing details on how busy your schedule is. It puts it all in perspective. I really enjoy lifting, cardio training, and eating healthy too, but sometimes I let myself get overwhelmed by school. Your post is inspirational because it shows me that balancing some of my favorite hobbies with being an A student is possible! Looks like I have to work on being more structured. I like the idea for using Sundays to plan the week and using a calendar. Thank you!
 
I am an undergraduate student going into senior year. Have not made below an A- in any college course thus far. I've found that every subject takes its own study methods.

Overall, I study best in the morning, so I put together my schedule based on that. I'm usually up at 6:00am and get to a café near campus (the place I study best — this is a result of trial-and-error) at 7:00am. Study for 3-4 hours. Then I go to class and finish other errands (student leader work, gym, research, etc. depending on the day) before coming home (around 5:00-6:00pm) and studying again. I have never studied past 10:00pm (except for exams) because I personally tire out. A big part of doing well is pinpointing your best study times and locations. Some students prefer the library, others crowded places. I give myself Saturdays off.

Working and studying with other students can be very useful. This was especially helpful for me during my freshman year, when I was still adjusting to college science (never took an AP/IB science in high school).

Get to know your professors and TAs. Office hours are a great resource. Some professors do not know how to teach. This is rarely an excuse for a poor performance. I had to teach myself Organic I from the textbook after I stopped going to lecture because it was useless for exams. Do what will help you succeed.

Don't bite off more than you can chew. If you have heavy work or research one semester, it's okay to lessen your credits a little bit (though it shouldn't be a habit). If you feel like a course is going to significantly lower your GPA, it's up to you to address that. Either assess your study habits and improve or, if things get worse, consider taking a W for the course. Dental schools would rather see a W than a low grade on your transcript.

As far as science study habits (and long-term memory tips):

- For chemistry and math-based subjects, I focus most on practice problems. I teach myself to understand every problem rather than depending on any kind of memorization. Khan Academy videos were very useful for organic chemistry.
- For biology, I look over lecture notes daily but study more diligently right before exams. I was fortunate to have a professor who put notes online as well, so I would usually just lie in bed and review them on my phone. I also found (bear with me) songs on YouTube very useful for remembering various cycles and pathways.

Best of luck, and remember to enjoy undergrad. You will see that every student studies differently and you have to find what works best for you. If you have the right time management and self-discipline, you'll do fine.
 
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I was also pretty strapped for time during my last two years of undergrad... I maintained all A's while taking three or four upper level Biology courses, sometimes at max credit loads. I was pretty invested in research where I would spend roughly 20-30 hours a week in the lab. I would also tutor high school students for 10 or so hours a week. Definitely not as committed as the brave soul above, but it was still difficult.

The most important thing for me was going to lecture. If you go to every lecture and you actively listen and participate, ask questions, etc., then you are already making connections with the material even before you actually sit down to study. So many people skip out on lecture and I don't really understand why. Even if the professor is horrible you are still doing yourself a favor... If you can connect to the material during lecture on some level, then when you study that material later on you will be able build upon it.

I would print out the Powerpoints and then annotate them during lecture. I would also record the lectures... Usually like three days before the exam (or more depending on how busy I was/how complicated the material was) I would begin to go through all the recordings at 2x speed while adding to my Powerpoints from lecture. Once I get through all the recordings I usually just flip through the slides and just do content review, throw things up on the whiteboard, and make sure everything is straight.

Unlike the above poster, I was pretty unhealthy during this stretch... and I regret losing touch with that. I used to be an avid runner but I cut that out to make room for my extracurriculars and academics. I didn't really make time for cooking either, but that was also because I was strapped for cash as well, lol. I had a lot of halal food, especially during finals weeks (thanks meal plan), which definitely did no favors to my health. This is what worked for me!
 
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I had a lot of halal food, especially during finals week (thanks meal plan), which definitely did no favors to my health.

Amen. Starbucks + Chinese food = my major diet during exams. :D
 
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Hello there. I am not a grad student or dental student yet, but I am an A student (haven't gotten a B since 5th grade because that one B made me never want to get one again haha...) and I also do not have much time for studying. I am part of a D1 sports program so I go to class in the morning and attend practice, lift, and meetings in the afternoon. I do not get home until around 6 or 7 every night and then I still have to cook dinner because I am kind of a health freak. I also am in bed by 9:30-10pm each night with rare exceptions when I have an exam the next day-then I may not cut myself off until midnight. Also, when in season I miss at least Thursday & Friday every week, if not more for competitions further away. So, in short, I have very little time to study. What I find to be most effective is re-writing and re-drawing my notes (particularly for chemistry and anatomy because there are a lot of molecules and diagrams - and I actually find this to be really fun because I can use all my colorful pens!) Sunday nights I designate for planning out my week. I make a list of what I want to accomplish every day of the week. Weekdays it may be only one or two things or simply reviewing each night for exams. Weekends are designated for homework assignments or projects. I also put on my calendar "Study at *insert library or coffee shop here* from *insert time allotted for studying here*" I am a strong believer that you are more likely to do something when it is on your calendar- and away from your home. For long-term memory: it is a common thought the seeing information 3 times helps you remember material better. So you are introduced to it in class, review your notes after class, and then study before the exam. Even better, look ahead to what you are learning that week to see the material at least four times! I also believe you perform better when you take care of yourself. Seriously, drink 8 glasses of water a day, cook your own meals and limit eating out to once or twice a MONTH, get 8 hours of sleep every night and workout at least 3 times a week in addition to other things that relieve stress. Our brains need to rest and be fed the right nutrients to function properly. I think I am living proof that you can do all these things and still succeed in school. You do not need to pull an all nighter and eat pizza all week during finals week. Sorry for the long message, but I like finding something that works and sharing with others!

There's no way this schedule works in graduate school or dental. You take an insane number of credits and you have no time for anything. I've heard people skip out on showering. It's all about priorities. Everything you laid out was awesome from eating healthy to exercising to definitely getting 8 hours of sleep. The only problem is, you don't have time for all that. Some stereotypes exist for a reason.
 
My recipe: preparation, participation, organization, repetition, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
 
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This may seem stupid, but ever since I started using flash cards, I've done MUCH better. Reason is because you're forced to make up questions, answer them, and re-read them. Makes you further understand the material.

I don't mean making flash cards only for midterms/exams, I mean making them for every lecture. This helps you ask questions for every lecture, and further increases your understanding. When it comes to a midterm/exam, you just pull up your lecture flash cards, make some new refined ones, and re-read/answer them.

Also, attend lecture, and write notes during lecture too. Lastly, use the internet, profs, TA's as resources if you need help.
 
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First I want to say that it may take you some time in order to figure out YOUR PERSONAL best way to be successful in school :)

It took me about 2 years of my college career to really figure out what worked best for me! Here are my tips:

1) Make sure you are staying balanced outside of school and are managing stress appropriately! Exercise, hang out with friends, get enough sleep, DO NOT PULL ALL NIGHTERS (just totally and completely not worth is), eat healthy, and do things you enjoy! I think this is my best and most important tip! When I started implementing these things into my life school became so so so SO SO SO SO easy!

2) Before I even started school I would look at each syllabus and get an understanding of what to expect from each and every class! I would also use a planner and record all important dates of tests, projects, and assignments (each class would be written in a different color!) ***I recommend using a planner where you can see a month at a time...it helped me to look at a month collectively so I could see the big picture!

3) On the fist day of classes I would seek out a student, if I did not have a friend in the class, and get their email and number! Just in case I needed to find out some information in DESPERATION! On the first day I would also record on a single piece of paper the office hours of each professor and their contact information!

4) Each class has its own challenges therefore your approach to each class is going to be a bit different. IT IS IMPORTANT YOU UNDERSTAND THIS. You can't apply one class method to another class and expect it to work.

5) UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS RATHER THAN MEMORIZE! If you understand something you never have to cram and memorize lists of crap!

6) Just because you study for hours upon hours does not mean you are entitled to an A or a good grade in a class! It requires much much more than that!

7) CONFIDENCE is KEY! I noticed if I felt confident going into my exams I truly did better! So study for confidence :)

8) Surround yourself with smarter people than yourself and find other students who are good study-ers! I had three main people I studied with through the entirety of college. We would talk though concepts and repeat things back to one another. If my partner did not completely understand a concept, later in the study session I would make her repeat it back to me again.

9) If you are a visual learner, I highly recommend making flow charts for science concepts! Organize your notes in a way that best serves you!!!!!! If powerpoints don't work, rewrite them in chart format.

10) Reach beyond class resources for help! When I took biochemistry my teacher TOTALLY SUCKED!!!!!! I heard about a grad student biochem teacher who was awesome so I decided to reach out to him.... he had no clue who I was but he ended up doing a tutoring session with me before each exam for free! He was so nice and I never would have gotten that opportunity or that A in biochem if I wouldn't have reached out beyond my comfort zone! THINK OUT OF THE BOX!!!

11) Teach other people things in order to solidify concepts for yourself!

12) Find a good study spot

That's all I have for now! But seriously this is such an individual process! Be patient with yourself :) TRIAL AND ERROR!!! I had my methods down so well to where I was working two jobs, was volunteering, was involved in on campus activities, and was taking 22 units of science! It is possible! You will find your way!
 
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For math, chem, physics courses, I treat them all the same, repetition is key, using different methods (properties, reagents, systems/equations) to get the same answers. Do the "book problems" or assigned problems your professor assigns and then do some more or them over again to understand what you did, rather than memorizing the answer. You can invest in a Chegg account and almost always book solutions and step by step answers are shown on there so you can use that to understand your mistakes or what you can't comprehend.

As for the biologies, I have a simple tactic. I go to lecture and download either powerpoint slides or just audio record the professor. Then I go back and type up all of the notes a week prior to the exam and then review it for about 30 minutes a day. That way, a week prior to the exam, I would have already reviewed the material enough times that it wasn't a different language to me. The typing up the lecture notes can be done no more than three days prior to the exam for me. Last semester I took Orgo and Micro and the exams were back to back; Orgo was 40% midterm 60% final so obviously I was studying more for Orgo rather than Micro so I typed up the notes on Friday and studied 2 hours a day for the exam on Monday. I see this typing as one of the best methods because you're paying attention in class, you're listening to your professor, you're physically typing out what is said and then after that is all done, you're reading and repeating your own typed notes. It is my personal belief that if you type up the material yourself, you'll remember it more than if someone gives you the lecture notes for you to memorize.
 
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Is this the gunner containment thread?

Gunner: A gunner will compromise his/her peer relationships and/or reputation among peers in order to obtain recognition and praise from his/her superiors.

Which post in this thread made you have that assumption? I assure you no gunner would give advice to others on how to be successful.
 
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Gunner: A gunner will compromise his/her peer relationships and/or reputation among peers in order to obtain recognition and praise from his/her superiors.

Which post in this thread made you have that assumption? I assure you no gunner would give advice to others on how to be successful.
Joke: something that is not intended to be taken seriously

:( :laugh:
 
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For math, chem, physics courses, I treat them all the same, repetition is key, using different methods (properties, reagents, systems/equations) to get the same answers. Do the "book problems" or assigned problems your professor assigns and then do some more or them over again to understand what you did, rather than memorizing the answer. You can invest in a Chegg account and almost always book solutions and step by step answers are shown on there so you can use that to understand your mistakes or what you can't comprehend.

As for the biologies, I have a simple tactic. I go to lecture and download either powerpoint slides or just audio record the professor. Then I go back and type up all of the notes a week prior to the exam and then review it for about 30 minutes a day. That way, a week prior to the exam, I would have already reviewed the material enough times that it wasn't a different language to me. The typing up the lecture notes can be done no more than three days prior to the exam for me. Last semester I took Orgo and Micro and the exams were back to back; Orgo was 40% midterm 60% final so obviously I was studying more for Orgo rather than Micro so I typed up the notes on Friday and studied 2 hours a day for the exam on Monday. I see this typing as one of the best methods because you're paying attention in class, you're listening to your professor, you're physically typing out what is said and then after that is all done, you're reading and repeating your own typed notes. It is my personal belief that if you type up the material yourself, you'll remember it more than if someone gives you the lecture notes for you to memorize.


How was micro? I'm taking it next semester along with orgo.
 
How was micro? I'm taking it next semester along with orgo.

I loved micro lecture, but hated micro lab (one of the worst instructors I've ever had); the lab should be enjoyable and assist in studying for lecture, but it wasn't for me; anyway, the information was cool and it fascinating, if you've taken cell biology or physiology already, the class ties in some of the same concepts. As for level of difficulty, our professor tested heavily on biochemical pathways because that's what his research was focused on, so it was difficult for people who can't memorize effectively, otherwise if you know how to memorize using your own tactics (mnemonics, making up a story, etc) then the class is easy. With orgo, time is going to be a constraint, figure out how to study effectively, then do it a few days prior to your micro exam, spend the rest of your time studying for orgo. Good Luck.
 
No shortcuts, just work hard. Read the textbook, reread the text book. Make flash cards. Review the flash cards before the exam. Boom, you'll get A's.
 
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