How do YOU STUDY? Share your Tips, Habits and lots of your Experience here

[nctw]

Selective with choosing professors? Isn't that a little difficult to do, especially when you are just entering college (in my position)?

Not really. I'm also just entering college, and I picked all my classes using my school's registration tool online. I opened ratemyprofessors in a separate tab and read all the reviews. I didn't chose the easiest teachers, but instead the ones where people said things like "very helpful" "explains well" etc

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[oosopreciouz]

From my experience of being a Pre-Med student, I have learned pretty much the hard way, that you NEED to stay on track with you studies. Make sure to either be ahead or at least at the same pace with your class especially in courses like organic chemistry and biology. Doing homework problems really helped me get an A in general chemistry because many of the questions are formulated similarly within each topic so that gives you an idea of how test questions can be. One main point I want to make is to never leaves studies for such classes a day or two before an exam. Manage your time as best you can and you should do well in all the pre-med required courses.

 

[AugustBurnsDan]

I had to finish this last semester with 24 credits...sucked, but made me extremely efficient with study habits.

first off, things I would do if time was no issue:
1. Preview, actively listen, review: My Dad drilled this into me as a kid. So many people I knew in college simply came to lecture not having a damn clue what we were going to learn about that day. Have a general idea prior to lecture, try to understand during lecture, and right after, spend a while looking at the notes again.
2. Remind yourself how much college costs: Seriously, 40K a year... Uh ya I can motivate myself to keep up with the work
3. Strive to understand/comprehend. Make associations between real life and what you are learning. Here I may sound crazy, but I LOVED biochem. I have a great interest in all things fitness, and many pathways helped me understand the physiological basis in the body.
4. IF IT IS IMPORTANT DO IT EVERY DAY. I learned this trick while reading a book by the name of Never Let Go by Dan John. Although the book dealt with strength training and fitness this applies to almost everything. Orgo sucks? Good, study every day and curb stomp that punk. You will get top marks on tests if you remain dedicated.
5. Take advantage of your sleep/wake cycles. I am an early riser. Senior year I would get up at 4am most days to review notes/prep meals for the day. I do this because I hate staying up late. Afternoons not a good time to study? Good, take advantage of your freedoms as a student, use that time to workout I promise it will be more productive than falling asleep on your notes.
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Okay, we live in a real world though; here is what I do when pressed for time
1. 80/20 rule: 80% of results from 20% of efforts. For Bio classes, unless told by the teacher that I would be tested on book material I rarely cracked a text. Make no mistake, given extra time I would reference books. However, I usually had to just put my game face on and take good notes during class. Teachers present notes in class for a reason...they are IMPORTANT! Focus study efforts on information presented in class, know those notes.
2. Get High!: Wait, not like your thinking! Strenuous exercise has been a cornerstone in for my successes in college classes. Run, bike, swim, lift etc. Do what you love, it will make you a better person. I find it very easy to focus on the task at hand with endorphins coursing through my body after a very tough workout.
3. Enjoy the process: Seriously, keep a good attitude about life in general. I always try to walk around thinking positive thoughts. Doing so can keep you motivated even during the most difficult of times.
4. Don’t neglect your nutrition/health: Okay, I know, aside from #1 none of these are really study habits. Right, they are lifestyle habits. Life gets hard and then you die. Okay, maybe not that severe, but so many people I knew in college went about life under-slept, poorly fed, and frustrated at their lack of progress. Make the effort to invest in yourself. Your returns will be priceless.
5. Can of Alpo. Make yourself accountable. Tell others your goals. Make a deal that if you fail you will eat a can of Alpo dog food. Seriously, I don’t see myself failing any time soon ))

Long winded? Oh ya, but it works. Get the most bang for your study time, don't waste time texting or checking FB like everyone else in the Lib during finals week (you know who you are!)

 

[torshi]

late nighters with my best friend Monster

 

[AugustBurnsDan]

I'll add two important things which helped me survive school
1. Establish goals: Long, medium and short term. Know your reasoning for such goals. You want to be a doctor? Okay, (that's long term) why? What motivates you? Live an examined life and know yourself well. Middle term: knock off classes you need for your major/ pre-requisites. Once you achieve these goals establish new ones, keep on working, it all adds up, build the little pieces to establish the whole picture!
2. Notes: I gonna beat you over the head with this one. How do you learn/understand notes? REPETITION buddy; its based on the time and number of times spent with material. For instance, in my case I would review notes from that day of class and the day directly preceding it. On Saturday I'd go to the gym then lock myself in a room and look at all the notes for the week chronologically. Keep scantily clad posters of college co-eds on your wall, but post metabolic pathways on their faces, you know that's not what your looking at anyway the more you see it the better. Tattoo under your eyelids so you sleep with it. Do what it takes

 

[Follower12]

I just finished my first year and I found that:

1. The kind of professor you have is one of the biggest, if not the biggest determination on the grade you will have, followed by that will be how dedicated you are to the course. Use websites like ratemyprofessor.com to pick the easiest professor.
2. UNDERSTAND the material, don't just memorize meaningless facts. To be honest, i did a lot of memorizing when i should of been understanding. Don't make my mistake, I know I wont do it again.
3. If your professor/TA likes you, he/she will likely grade in your favor
4. Unless flashcards really help you, don't waste your time with them. For a short quiz this may not be a problem but exams usually have so much information in them its really not worth the time.
5. Read the book. Understand the pictures. Outline each chapter as you read it. Read/memorize the outlines. Refer to book again. Take online quizzes, take practice exams.
6. Make friends with the upperclassmen and try and get their old exams and take them for extra help. Sometimes professors may give old exams out for practice.
7. Study a bit everyday, don't cram. Do those practice calculus and chemistry problems. I found that in chemistry and calculus practice problems are what will bring success. As for biology, its mostly memorizing and if you took AP bio than you can slack a little with your bio studying. Cramming may work, but after the exam your head will go blank and you will be screwed for your final (assuming its cumulative).
8. Take breaks and do things to get your mind off of school. Go to a few parties.

 

[Swiss Medical]

How is this going, Swiss? I'd love to read that article.


Huh, I thought going to class was a very good idea regarding listening to the professor and write down things they write on the blackboard.

When you are in class, do you write down what the professor write on the blackboard, AND write down what they say as well? It can be hard sometimes; to write what they say while you're trying to write down what they write on the blackboard...


Selective with choosing professors? Isn't that a little difficult to do, especially when you are just entering college (in my position)?
________________________________________

Again, I hope that more people write down how they study in general, with examples and useful tips other people could learn from!

Thanks man. Hopefully, it gets published.

 

[nisarg2010]

I study through Osmosis. I like to sleep with a text book under my pillow and I sit on my book while taking a test so that answers can "flow" up to my brain.

On a serious note, studying = reading or practicing (depending on the subject). Its as simple as that. There are no tricks to studying. You just sit there and read and/or practice.

 

[cherriesandrum]

I've heard about this book called "How to Become a Straight-A Student"; what are your thoughts about that book?

haha i have read that book like thirty times. i think a lot of it's a good idea if not plain common sense. it's worth a quick read at a b&n or something seeing as it helps get you motivated to actually do work. it's all very subjective.

also, it's written by this dude cal newport who has a blog. if you don't want to read the book, a lot of the key concepts are on the site: www.calnewport.com/blog. just start clicking stuff under the "start here" heading.

 

[Wolfman89]

1. 80/20 rule: 80% of results from 20% of efforts. For Bio classes, unless told by the teacher that I would be tested on book material I rarely cracked a text. Make no mistake, given extra time I would reference books. However, I usually had to just put my game face on and take good notes during class. Teachers present notes in class for a reason...they are IMPORTANT! Focus study efforts on information presented in class, know those notes.

My experience with bio classes is similar. A lot of professors just use their in class materials instead of the book, while a couple have used material from the textbook and from their lecture.

 

[nctw]

haha i have read that book like thirty times. i think a lot of it's a good idea if not plain common sense. it's worth a quick read at a b&n or something seeing as it helps get you motivated to actually do work. it's all very subjective.

also, it's written by this dude cal newport who has a blog. if you don't want to read the book, a lot of the key concepts are on the site: www.calnewport.com/blog. just start clicking stuff under the "start here" heading.

I'll have to read his blog. I read some of the book and thought it was fairly common sense

 

[Wolfman89]

I'll have to read his blog. I read some of the book and thought it was fairly common sense

Hack college is another good blog, that has studying tips and other sorts of tips that help you navigate college and what it entails a lot more easily.

 

[HH Holmes]

Thanks man. Hopefully, it gets published.

 

[iamcool]

If you are below average intellectually, you are not going to perform well no matter what you do.

With that said, my strategy was going over the material once after lecture. And reviewing it again before test. I mostly used textbooks to learn.

When I say going over the material, I actually mean UNDERSTANDING it. Most of my classmates memorized material and they all ended up with Cs. There are the people who are always complaining how something tested wasn't even in the syllabus. I always agree with them while LOLing really hard in my head. Very few of them do get As but they have to study all day and practice every single problem to memorize everything.

 

[nctw]

Hack college is another good blog, that has studying tips and other sorts of tips that help you navigate college and what it entails a lot more easily.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll have to look at that

 

[nctw]

If you are below average intellectually, you are not going to perform well no matter what you do.

I think that even if you're below average, you can do well if you study hard enough

 

[Wolfman89]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'll have to look at that

Your welcome!

 

[Inex]

Thanks man. Hopefully, it gets published.

Would you possibly mind to post a part of the draft here, now? If you have started on the article of course. If not, please write down some key things you have learned to be the best and most efficient way to study.

Thanks a lot Swiss

also, it's written by this dude cal newport who has a blog. if you don't want to read the book, a lot of the key concepts are on the site: www.calnewport.com/blog. just start clicking stuff under the "start here" heading.

I'm thinking about getting that book soon. What is so good about this book? And do you recommend reading the blog instead of the book, or both?

 

[DrShazam]

What I really do want to know, is how other people study for tests, keeping up with the material, organizing their weekly planner, how many hours a day studying, what time(s) in the day, how you organize your notes, TIME MANAGEMENT (examples), flash-card usage, and how to really succeed in school and ultimately in life in general.

So I am on this wonderful track called GPA repair, and I can perhaps offer a better list of do's and don'ts since I have been on both sides of the list.

DO:

• Read the chapter before you get to class. Too lazy to read the chapter? Read the chapter summary!
• Always look at the pictures and captions of those pictures. The best summary a chapter can ever provide! And science is very visual, so the earlier you start thinking this way, the better.
• Start studying for a test 4-5 days beforehand. DO NOT pull an all nighter because though you may get that A you wanted, you will not be able to remember the information for one of the most important tests, the MCAT.
• Buy a Kaplan MCAT book or whatever other general MCAT book. These books are all 8 pre-med classes succintly summed up in a couple hundred pages! Can't go wrong with this! They also describe the book material a million times better than those horrid pre-med books.
• Have everything you learned in one day of each class on one page. I learned this from a guy who had a perfect 4.0 and near 40 on the MCAT. It means you're only writing down what's important, and so you can easily go through the material at least once or twice each week.

DO NOT

• Major in science because you want to feel all pre-med. Major in something fun, and take science classes as necessary/ what you're interesting in.
• Write down everything the professor says. This is absolutely pointless. You should only write down the information once you have processed it. Yes, you may miss one or two things the professor is saying because of this method, but at least you'll understand what you're writing rather than just mindlessly putting down crap on your paper
• Memorize. Worst mistake ever. Make sure you understand the concepts and that you're always tying in what you're learning to what you've learned before.

EDIT: Another thing; do you use good old fashioned pen & paper in class, or a laptop/netbook? And why?
For the love of God, PLEASE DO NOT BRING A LAPTOP TO CLASS! You will be on facebook.

I've heard about this book called "How to Become a Straight-A Student"; what are your thoughts about that book?
Never heard of it

 

[Doc of the Walk]

What I really do want to know, is how other people study for tests, keeping up with the material, organizing their weekly planner, how many hours a day studying, what time(s) in the day, how you organize your notes, TIME MANAGEMENT (examples), flash-card usage, and how to really succeed in school and ultimately in life in general.

So I am on this wonderful track called GPA repair, and I can perhaps offer a better list of do's and don'ts since I have been on both sides of the list.

DO:

• Read the chapter before you get to class. Too lazy to read the chapter? Read the chapter summary!
• Always look at the pictures and captions of those pictures. The best summary a chapter can ever provide! And science is very visual, so the earlier you start thinking this way, the better.
• Start studying for a test 4-5 days beforehand. DO NOT pull an all nighter because though you may get that A you wanted, you will not be able to remember the information for one of the most important tests, the MCAT.
• Buy a Kaplan MCAT book or whatever other general MCAT book. These books are all 8 pre-med classes succintly summed up in a couple hundred pages! Can't go wrong with this! They also describe the book material a million times better than those horrid pre-med books.
• Have everything you learned in one day of each class on one page. I learned this from a guy who had a perfect 4.0 and near 40 on the MCAT. It means you're only writing down what's important, and so you can easily go through the material at least once or twice each week.

DO NOT

• Major in science because you want to feel all pre-med. Major in something fun, and take science classes as necessary/ what you're interesting in.
• Write down everything the professor says. This is absolutely pointless. You should only write down the information once you have processed it. Yes, you may miss one or two things the professor is saying because of this method, but at least you'll understand what you're writing rather than just mindlessly putting down crap on your paper
• Memorize. Worst mistake ever. Make sure you understand the concepts and that you're always tying in what you're learning to what you've learned before.

EDIT: Another thing; do you use good old fashioned pen & paper in class, or a laptop/netbook? And why?
For the love of God, PLEASE DO NOT BRING A LAPTOP TO CLASS! You will be on facebook.

I've heard about this book called "How to Become a Straight-A Student"; what are your thoughts about that book?
Never heard of it

Great post man, a lot of these I did my first semester and I got great results. Thought I could slack off second, and I payed for it.



Also, I'm pretty sure Inex is SwissMed...

 

[nctw]

Also, I'm pretty sure Inex is SwissMed...

hahaha

 

[Swiss Medical]

Great post man, a lot of these I did my first semester and I got great results. Thought I could slack off second, and I payed for it.



Also, I'm pretty sure Inex is SwissMed...

No, we are actually separate entities, like Jiff and Peter Pan. Inex, I need to edit some thing, I will then PM you later this week. Stay posted.

 

[Doc of the Walk]

No, we are actually separate entities, like Jiff and Peter Pan. Inex, I need to edit some thing, I will then PM you later this week. Stay posted.

Jiff and Peter Pan are different brands of the same thing. So am I to believe you have split personalities? You just confirmed my earlier statement of Inex and Swissmed are the same person...

 

[Swiss Medical]

Jiff and Peter Pan are different brands of the same thing. So am I to believe you have split personalities? You just confirmed my earlier statement of Inex and Swissmed are the same person...

no...we are seriously not the same person.

 

[nctw]

no...we are seriously not the same person.

You would say that

 

[Inex]

Anyone else have some other different thoughts on this subject? It's been really helpful reading how others do it, and how they allocates their time.

 

[two thirty]

I have just finished my fourth semester and am 1 semester away from finishing all of my prerequisites. I have a pretty good GPA so I think I can give you some advice.

1. Always stay on top of your material
2. School is your #1 priority. Period
3. NEVER EVER cram
4. Always study for quizzes. They are easy hundreds and will make your life much easier when test comes.
5. Do everything you can to get an A (Extra credit, etc).
6. Never come to a class expecting it will be an easy A. NEVER.
7. Study at least 4-5 days before the test. I like to read over every materials that are going to be tested and then about 2-3 days before, I would do some intense studying.
8. When you don't understand something, ASK for help. You do NOT want to be behind. (I was struggling in physics in the beginning. I utilized every single help possible whether it is office hours, friends, internet, etc.)
9. I never really used flashcards but if it works for you then do it.
10. Go to EVERY SINGLE CLASS( I have never been late or missed a SINGLE class in my entire undergraduate career).
10. Good luck and don't buy any of those books. Everybody's studying ability and habits are different. You just have to find one that works for you.

I'm like 3 for 10 in that list.

I work best under stress and o-chem has been the only class where I've really had to study routinely for(rather than a day or two before). That day or two I'm focused though, and it only fails me when the unexpected happens.

 

[sapalee]

Feel free to skip class (just stay informed of whats going on; I'm primarily 10-20 minutes late to class) when you are independent.

I'm glad you've done well, but please don't encourage others to show up late. It is incredibly rude to the professor and it is a big distraction to many students. Especially the chronic latecomers that sit in front or in the middle of a row. If you are late sneak in the back, no matter your regular seat. Huge peeve! I'm not saying I haven't been late before, life happens, but to do it on a regular basis is very disrespectful.

Ok, off my soapbox.

 

[sapalee]

I made it through a bad high school and a relatively study free undergrad with never having to learn how to really study. 1st semester back doing pre-reqs= big wake up call. These are the things that have helped me over the last two years. I've tried many gimmicks that were a waste of time, this is what has worked through trial and error. Like everyone else has said it is very individual to you. And every class has needed different tactics. I'm a tactile and visual person, take a quiz or think about how you learn to modify your studying to your style.

1. Go to class! Same reasons others have stated.

2. Take short breaks when studying, I'll set a timer for every 30 minutes or so to have a short (5-10 min) break. Get up and stretch, go the restroom, have a snack, whatever. Just give your mind (and body) a break. Your mind will take a break whether you want it to or not, might as well make it on your schedule.

3. Draw! I make illustrations, charts, outlines, diagrams, anything that I can put into a visual. Different color pens/markers helps separate concepts and keep things fun to look at. You can buy poster size sticky notes, they are all over my house. Dry erase board has been a great purchase as well. I can draw things (structures, reactions, etc.) over and over again without wasting paper.

4. I have an hour commute, so depending on the class I'll record the lecture and listen to it in the car. Or look up some audiobooks or podcasts related to the subject. Really depends on the class though, like if you actually want to listen to the professor that much Only wish I had bought a recorder that could play back in 1.5x or 2x speed.

5. Explain concepts to someone else. Study groups are great as long as they are productive but living far out makes it hard to meet up. My poor husband has sat through many a science lecture from me. It's a cliche but to teach is to learn.

6. Naps. Ok, this one sounds bad but one semester I had day and night classes. I would come home from classes, do a bit of studying, and then a short nap before night classes. I actually felt like a retained the material from before the nap better. There's even been some studies on this I believe.

7. Labs: For lab reports REALLY try to get the lab report completed as soon as possible after you complete the lab. Labs took a huge amount of my time outside of class and the earlier you get them finished the better you'll feel. I also found they were easier to knock out when you give yourself a full block of time to complete it, not bits here and there. The stress of trying to finish the night or day before is just not worth the procrastination. And if there is a technical question you have time to get with another student or the professor.

8. Lists! Every week or few days make lists of what material you need to study, reports to do, HW, etc. Cross things off as you finish them, it just feels good.

9. For time management I use iCal. In the thick of a semester I would print out my weekly schedule and pencil in what to study on different time blocks available. It didn't always work out as planned but I could see what I needed to get accomplished for the week and move things around easily.

 

[Inex]

The semester of Fall 2011 has now begun fully. Now it's the time to ask some more people on what study techniques they have.

So, what study techniques have the rest of you developed throughout your academic career?

 

[chemistryguy]

My biggest advice...

Read the book assigned to the class. If your class gives precise page numbers, just read the chapter. I have always thought that it is best to learn material both in class from a professor, and get a didn't perspective the way the author of the book presents it. It kills me when people dont read the book and then say the book is useless.

 

[Scherbatsky]

1. Go to class
2. ???
3. Profit

...But seriously, do go to class and take good notes. I hate reading textbooks so in undergrad I just used my own notes to study.

Taking good notes can be difficult for some people to master. Do not simply write down whatever the prof writes down (some profs don't write much at all, some write too much, etc.)

 

[ellm1205]

I think you should form your study habits around how your professors teach. In my three years of college, I've had professors who got all their test questions from their lecture notes, and others who taught straight from the textbook. In the latter case, going to class is often not necessary.

In classes where I had to study the textbook, I made outlines/flashcard/diagrams of the material, usually right after the professor goes after it in class. I bring them with me, so when there's downtime during labs/between classes, I just whip them out and read them over. This helps me remember the concepts so I don't have to cram everything the night before exams.

Also figure out what kind of learner you are. I learn best visually, so I draw a lot of diagrams and charts to help me organize my thoughts and understand everything. I also read out loud lol. It may sound silly, but it helps me remember things.

 

[typicalindian]

Find someone to tutor , preferably someone who is "dumber" than you. It works really well because they will ask you a lot of questions and that way you'll know if you really understand something or not depending on how well you are able to explain something to them.

 

[Inex]

.

 

[brycepj]

If you're like me and you can't focus if there's noise nearby, check out simplynoise.com. It has different "colors" of noise that help drown out the little sounds that drive you nuts, like fools who think it's ethical to eat carrots in the library. There's also an app for iphones (and probably other smartphones) called relax something (I can't think of the full name right now) that has some great natural sounds, like running river, the ocean etc. These are both free, of course.

Also, I've found it's DEFINITELY worth the investment to buy a nice pair of noise canceling headphones (again, that's if you're like me and struggle focusing). For those times when you've got to focus and it's do or die, those babies can be lifesavers.

 

[Inex]

All of you who have answered previously in this thread; are there things you would have changed or continued with when it comes to studying?

All you others, how do you study?
The more people who reply with their study methods, the better.

 

[Dei gratia]

My study habits are as follows:

- I am not a procrastinator so the day assignments/papers are assigned, I typically get them done that day or week. I find that this approach gives lots of time for editing, professor input, peer editing, etc.. Even the few papers I've done that are 25+ pages long, they take about 30 hours for a first draft, which is four to five days hard work for me.

- I like books with just lines of text, no pictures or graphs, and I just read entire chapters at a time. I typically remember it all, I jot some notes as I go, but mostly I type up notes later from memory.

- I usually record lectures on my laptop, so I can go back and review. I break lecture recording down into categories: chapter, topic, pages, questions, etc..

- I attend all my lectures/laboratories/tutorials and will get to know my professors quite well.

- Flash cards I like for biology and kinesiology courses. I just carry them with me everywhere and review them in between class, at lunch, and while working-out.

- I am constantly on the field or in the gym, so physiology is always on my mind, which seems to save 'real' study time.

- I typically study hard Monday to Friday and am free all weekend to prevent burning out. However, I live by a time-table 24/7 in order to do everything I want to do.

I got A's in all my medical school prerequisites, so these were effective for me.

 

[Morsetlis]

My biggest advice...

Read the book assigned to the class. If your class gives precise page numbers, just read the chapter. I have always thought that it is best to learn material both in class from a professor, and get a didn't perspective the way the author of the book presents it. It kills me when people dont read the book and then say the book is useless.

But the book is useless

 

[Inex]

But the book is useless

Wait; you do not use the book?

To you others - how do you do it differently?

 

[Professor Deej]

Wait; you do not use the book?

To you others - how do you do it differently?

Well, I found that no 1 method works for ALL classes. The way a student approaches studying should largely depend on how the professor structures the class and the student's own ability. I used to be obsessed with reading EVERY single word in a textbook (and sometimes I still feel guilty when I don't), but now I never read the text UNLESS the professor is really bad at teaching the subject or they have a habit of testing on things they didnt cover in class. This rarely happens to me though and when it does, I usually drop and switch profs before the deadline.

I've always had a hard time reading due to a short-attention span, so I figured out a way that works for me. Here's my new method:

1. NEVER READ the chapter unless it is ABSOLUTELY vital.
2. Attend ALL classes and tape record them.
3. Don't take notes (unless they're working out a math or ochem problem) because I tend to miss information while I'm writing. Instead just listen and try to understand. Ask questions for clarity.
4. After class, listen to tape and write out a detailed study guide. Use the book and the illustrations for any needed clarity... OR pay a visit to the professor and use my confusion as an opportunity to get to "know" them, so that I can ask them for an LOR later.
5. Study from my study guide, book problems and illustrations, create mind-maps, and flashcards.

This method has cut my study-time down by 9-hours. But that's just me. I'm a REALLY slow reader.

 

[Colonel Sanders]

.

 

[911 Turbo]

Hi, this is my second post on this forum.

Essentially, I will be a first year student, and for that matter I want to perfect my studying habits.

Keep in mind that no matter how hard you study, there is an intelligence factor that comes into play. I know it sounds mean, but I believe everyone has a sort of "upper cap" on the complexity of material they can understand.

What I really do want to know, is how other people study for tests, keeping up with the material, organizing their weekly planner, how many hours a day studying, what time(s) in the day, how you organize your notes, TIME MANAGEMENT (examples), flash-card usage, and how to really succeed in school and ultimately in life in general.

For all subjects, take old practice tests whenever possible.

Math: take good notes, know each example inside and out. If you aren't good at math, do a large amount of practice problems out of the book

Physics: do a lot of problems. don't just try to memorize the math, visualize the movements or fields in your head and try to connect it to the math.

Biology, chemistry: Read the book chapters twice 2 days before the exam. Read over your notes, then someone else's notes before a test. This helps a LOT.

Research: In the beginning, read read read read papers on the topic you are research. This will not only give you a great grasp of the experiments you will be doing, but it will help you immensely if/when it is time for you to write a manuscript.

I don't have a weekly planner as I can remember major test dates. A wall calender is an excellent idea however, and I am thinking of buying one to keep track of everything, not just school.

I study whenever I get around to it. I will usually tell myself "last youtube video" or "last sdn thread im going to read" and I try to force myself up and read. I never listen to music, any way you cut it music will hinder your ability to memorize and understand things.

If I am falling asleep, I will drink a blue amp and then two large cups of coffee right after. This keeps me going for about 5 hours. If I must listen to music to stay awake, I listen to "dark knight soundtrack" station on pandora. Never used flashcards.

Dominate your first set of tests in a class and use it as a springboard for the next tests. Use the low class average as a confidence booster. Think about the curve to calm yourself down.

To succeed in college, you have to use YOUR OWN brain. The majority of people (80% or so) in college are screwing up their lives. Don't join a frat or a sorority.

EDIT: Another thing; do you use good old fashioned pen & paper in class, or a laptop/netbook? And why?

Paper and pen, helps me remember the information A LOT better. I get distracted if I use a laptop to take notes. Also, I have a nice row of composition books sitting on my bookshelf from every subject in case I need to look something up.

I've heard about this book called "How to Become a Straight-A Student"; what are your thoughts about that book?

Never read it. I wouldn't waste money on it.... just make sure you thoroughly read and understand the material before each test. Also, when you read something, make sure you actually "read" it and not just "look" at it. I know people that have prepared for a bio test for 12-15 hours and gotten an 80. I got a 98 on the same test by taking good notes, reviewing my notes, and reading the chapters (which took about 5 hours total).

I hope that many of you will write down how you do it, with examples and other thoughts on the subject matter, so other people like me can better our studying habits in order really get to show our full potential, and to succeed in college and life in general.

There isn't a magic formula people use to get 4.0s. I like to use my methods, but I am sure other people have their own way of studying.

Thanks you, SDN.

 

[SaintJude]

Hey Inex!

A lot of ppl have responded w/ great tips. So I'll only offer you two:

1. Go to office hours. Treat your office hours like scheduled classes. Heck, at one point I skipped the big lecture classes but only went to office hours!!! (Best semester, btw too)

Professors will

a.) get to know you really well (great recommendations for summer programs, research and med school & awards!)
b.) will give you tips about what exactly to study and what's not relevant

Sometimes, it can be really imitating to go to office hours, especially when a professor may first seem quite distant. That's normal! When I first started going, I didn't even know what questions to ask. In this case, you can just start the conversation by saying "I'm trying to fully understand Topic X. Here's what I see as the main points: Blah, blah. blaah. What are some specific points that I just missed about what I said? What question can I ask myself to test if I really understand X?

Just by saying this: you've forced yourself to recap all you know about Topic X. Likely your teacher will interrupt if you said something wrong. That's good. And best of all, the last question is really asking for a sample test question!

2.) If your school has a free tutoring program, use it every week!!! Even if you're totally on top of your material

Tutors are the upperclassmen you want to know. They are smart AND they want to help you!!

Last, not a study tip, but useful--Rate My Professors : Use http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/

We, pre-meds, need to protect our GPA. Say there's a non-pre requisite class you absolutely want to take but the professor is notorious for giving As for only like 1 kid in the class. Then please seriously consider auditing that class. It's not worth it to lower your GPA b/c of Intro in Egyptian Hieroglyphics.

 

[SaintJude]

Wait; you do not use the book?

To you others - how do you do it differently?

And yes, this was a shocker to me too. But unless the teacher wrote the book or created his own class binder (like a selection of handpicked readings), the text book is almost useless.

If you read--heck, browse the chapter--once before or after class and then only focus on slides, notes and recordings that's enough.

 

[tima]

1. I think it's very important to ask upperclassman for advice about teachers and courses. The one that teaches well and gives a fair grade.
2. Read the assigned chapters for premed science courses. When it comes to the MCAT, you need to have a good understanding of these concepts.
3. Get tutoring. Don't let your ego come in the way. Everyone needs help at one point.
4. Don't get too behind. You need some time to review before the exam.
5. Remember, cramming is the short term approach, but you can't cram for standardized tests, like MCAT, USMLE, etc. Learn it.
6. Get a good study buddy for lab work, homework, classwork, etc. A friend who can help you when you need it.
7. http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/
8. Spend time shadowing, volunteering and other activities that will strengthen your application.
9. Make sure you take the required courses for medical school. Some have a math requirement.
10. Try your best to take the MCAT once.

Good Luck.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Yes. So, you think that attending class was/is a waste of time? I though that was one of the smarter things to do.
How much did/do you read every day, and do you only read one subject a day or more? It's coming up pretty soon now, and I want to be as prepared as I can before the s*it hits the fan. I'd appreciate if more people contribute to this thread. Thank you SDN.

I'm responding to your PM, I'll start with this.

So, if I were you, I would experiment with your study styles. There are as many different ways to study as there are people in college. You need to find what works and quickly abandon what doesn't work. Just because someone got straight A's one way doesn't mean you'll replicate the same grades with those habits. In fact, you could fail doing the same thing.

Something you'll learn as you browse SDN is that most of the posters here are not "average". Some people are true photographic minds, or can hear some fact once and never forget it. Take everything you read here with a grain of salt. Often there will be people who took super advanced classes in high school and already know this stuff really well. It's hard to compare to that if you went to a terrible high school and had to teach yourself precalculus while trying to take calculus(my case).

I would start with how have you memorized things in the past. I knew going into undergrad I need to incorporate drawing and writing to commit something to memory. My best strategies was:

1. Making handwritten outlines.
2. note cards.
3. Doing as many example problems as possible. Even if homework isn't assigned, do all of the homework questions in the assigned text, or at least all that you need to before you get a firm grasp of the concepts.

I would copy those handwritten notes and do flash cards until I knew whatever I was doing cold. Try to read the day ahead, and stay on top of things. Put more effort then maybe needed at the start of a class compared to the ending, when you've figured out what is expected.

For scheduling, I tried to commit myself to an hour a day of any prereq or a science subject I was doing, and I tried to do maybe 2-4 hours of it on the weekend. Some weekends I did none, some I did more. Just depends on what you feel you need. I used google calendar and my smart phone to keep myself on time with whatever commitments I was doing. I added reminders just to make sure I didn't miss important things. I blocked out all my time, and made sure to schedule in fun time, working out, getting drunk, whatever.

For classes, take the easiest ones you can. Seriously. Adcoms won't care if you took calc based physics or trig based. Just take the easiest ones that fulfill your requirements for your major. I have never learned from going to class. Any class that wasn't mandatory and the lecture taught from a book I didn't go to. For example, I probably went to three or four lectures throughout my entire year of organic chemistry. It was a waste of time for me. If it helps you, go. If it doesn't, don't keep going out of some weird idea you're a bad student if you don't. Do whatever works, focus on that. Use ratemyprofessor.com. It saved my ass many times. No one gives you brownie points for taking the hardest professor at your school, avoid that guy.

Hope this helps.

 

[BABSstudent]

It all depends on how the professor tests. Check the syllabus and see if he tests on the book or on lecture. In most cases, the tests are based on lecture. If they are, then take amazing notes during lecture and study those in your free time. It also helps if the professor gives out the lecture notes before lecture and you can add your own to the outline.

If they are based on the readings, then make sure you keep up with the reading. Falling behind sucks, especially when the test approaches. What would have been 20 pages a night is now 200 pages. Reading that multiple times can be difficult.

For me, I take notes during lecture and then just read them over and over. I have a pretty good memory and can easily recall the facts on the tests. I also make sure I know all pathways and how every works. My goal after studying is to be able to explain to myself all of the details. And don't worry too much if you do poorly on the first test since most people do. Each professor likes to test his own way and as long as you adapt then you will do fine. Most classes have grades on the first three tests like 60%, 70%, 80%. People learn how the professor tests and change their studying to meet the test.

 

[Ansar]

Make sure to pay attention in class. It's the prof's class, it's what he's teaching that will be on the exam. I know sometimes the professor will even hint at things like "This isn't in your textbook, but I think it's important to know," so you know it'll be on the exam.

I've only used the textbook when the professor makes a note to read the book or when I've been pretty lost (sometimes the book explains things better for me)

 

[jesse120]

Not sure whether I have much to contribute, but I was asked to post here, so here we go:

I was an engineering major, so studying wasn't really a big deal for most of those classes. We had either optional or required problem sets after each lecture. (homework for honors classes were usually optional; required for all regular classes) If your class has problem sets, always do them! Even if you think you understand how to solve a problem, the more difficult ones will kill your ego fast. Also important is never to look at solutions until after you've given it your best shot. Seeing the solution and figuring out the solution are two very different things.

The strategy that helped me understand how to solve problems was to "teach myself." Basically, I would, aloud, explain how to do each step and why it was important, as if I were a professor. It might sound silly, but this really worked for me. Try this strategy while you're alone though, else others might think you're crazy. I also did this for organic chem, which made learning mechanisms really easy.

For the study-only classes (e.g. gen chem, biology, physiology), I skipped class and read the notes or the book. I never found attending lectures to be helpful. I really don't have anything useful to say about this though -- studying came easy for me. I just remembered random crap for exams and then forget them immediately afterward. Terrible, I know, but it was good enough for undergrad.