can you make yourself smarter?

[mcattacm123]

can you make yourself smarter?

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[LChristmas]

Stop comparing yourself to other people. You'll be much better off for it in the long run. If you are having success with your current methods, then I don't see a need to change that. Also, people lie all the time. Sure they may say that they "only studied for like an hour," but who knows how much time they actually spent, or if they are actually doing well on their exams.

 

[Gurby]

There certainly are people who can skim through the material an hour before the test, walk in and get a 100. There is no question that natural ability/intelligence is important. However, I think the vast majority of people need to put in time if they want to do well. Most people who claim to have "only studied for like an hour" are either lying or are B students, as above.

I think you can "make yourself smarter" to some extent, but not everyone can be a Mozart / Einstein / etc. No matter what you do, you'll never be as smart as some people, and that doesn't really matter as long as it doesn't hold you back from happiness and achieving your goals.

 

[Doctor Dream]

I feel like I can learn material, but it takes me longer than most people. Am I just stuck with being a little slow or are most people slow but they just don't show it.

Is there anyway I can become smarter and learn more quickly?

Like others have said, don't compare yourself to other people. There's always going to be someone out there who's smarter than you, and that's okay. Just focus on improving yourself and meeting your goals. You're not going to school to be the best student on campus.

 

[armoman92]

Yeah. Of course it's possible.

The problem is you have to smart enough to figure out how to do it first...

 

[grivacobae]

Yeah. Of course it's possible.

The problem is you have to smart enough to figure out how to do it first...

Whoa, man.

 

[justadream]

Not really but you can work harder (e.g., practice more) to make up for it.

 

[Holmwood]

I feel like I can learn material, but it takes me longer than most people. Am I just stuck with being a little slow or are most people slow but they just don't show it.

Is there anyway I can become smarter and learn more quickly?

No no. Learning fast does not always equal smarter. Rats learn quickly, but they are by no means einsteins.

You may just have low processing ability. If you go to disabled student services, they may be able to have you take the Wechsler adult intelligence scale and see if you need accommodations for lectures and testing.

 

[Pusheen]

Finding the way you learn best works wonders. For me it's writing outlines/diagrams, for others it's reading the text multiple times, for others it's explaining it/externally processing it

 

[EParker37]

Intelligence is a funny thing. The trick is just finding what works for you. Sure, some people grasp concepts quicker, but if the end result is the same, wouldn't you argue that both people are equally as intelligent? Find what works best for you and hone that skill.

 

[GomersGoToGround]

I feel like I can learn material, but it takes me longer than most people.

Is there anyway I can become smarter and learn more quickly?

Well, to be honest, you don't know how long it takes people to learn something. This is compounded by the fact that, the term learn can be taken in many contexts. Do this refer to quicker memorization? Quicker processing? Both? Also, people are full of s***, and that includes us: we don't know how much they study, and yet, we make up stories and tell ourselves facts about their study habits and intelligence. They're just damned lies, buddy.

Intelligence is extremely difficult to qualify; it's multidimensional, and has a multitude of variables that significantly interact with these processes. You can certainly learn to read more quickly, sift through surplus information and discard irrelevant information, ask higher-level questions regarding the topic, learn to deduce in a quicker manner, and even improve your ability to extrapolate from existing knowledge.

But, to be honest, the amount of practice that everyone needs, in addition to the manner in which they should practice this (what's best for you), is a matter of trial and error. Practice memory techniques, or even try learning the material in new ways. Read aloud in your head with significant intonation (not just a monotonous voice), and actively draw correlates and conclusions in your own words (read: simplify, silly!) Teach the material to yourself, your friend, your cat, your toilet, whatever. It's about methods, and it's about experience. It'll become more natural, and you'll become more efficient.

This might not do a damn thing for you; that's okay. My entire point is that people who haven't discovered their best process of learning draw the conclusion that they are not good at learning.

 

[freemontie]

If you took two twins: Starting in the 6th grade you put them on very different tracks. One does average coursework over average weekly hours. The second does challenging coursework: more pages read, higher level essays expected, faster paced math, etc.

Then you put them in college where they each take pre-med courses, of material they never took before. One is going to learn it faster and easier. In biology they will be able to read dense pages of information faster and retain details easier. In chemistry they will see patterns in problems quicker. So my answer is yes for the type of intelligence your're referring to. But it would be a long process.

 

[Narmerguy]

I can confidently say that a lot of people who seem smart really just work a lot. That's fine, "intelligence" is overrated. Most successful people aren't brilliant. A lot of people downplay how much work they do because it makes them seem more "brilliant". Don't fall for it, just put in the time and be smart about how you work. There are few fields in this world that really demand brilliance (if you were destined to become a theoretical astrophysicist then yes, I would say being brilliant helps).

 

[Mad Jack]

Your brain learns to absorb larger amounts of material in a more efficient manner the more you study. Yes, you can make yourself "smarter" in regard to academics.

 

[armoman92]

Yeah. Of course it's possible.

The problem is you have to smart enough to figure out how to do it first...

Whoa, man.

I mean it's true, I think. Or it's false. What if a snake at itself, would it disappear?