I hate my biology courses. I don't know how to study for them and how to retain

[SpaceHamsterBoo]

I've taken AP Bio and got a 3 in high school which meant I could take Bio 102 and I got a B on that during the first semester (freshmen year) of college because I thought it was going to be high school part 2. I learned that MD/DO schools do not take AP Credits or very rarely do and certainly do not accept a 3. I will now have to take Bio 101 soon.

I am currently taking Microbiology (Bio 221) and I have not purchased a textbook, I have not looked AT a textbook, and I'm taking the final exam on thursday...I have a 95 in the class. The exam is on Thursday and covers Antimicrobial drugs, Adaptive Immunity, Innate Immunity, and Pathogenic Mechanisms.

I will start studying literally 2-3 days before, if the test is hard or usually on the day of the exam and will cram all the information in. I know how ineffective this is and I know I am not retaining the information but how do I even begin to LEARN the information in a logical manner?

When I took organic chem, physics, calculus, etc...I was told these would be the hardest classes, the classes that weed out the pre-meds. I completely destroyed Organic and Physics, earning high A's in both of them. I was stressed out and did poorly on one exam in both classes due to not studying properly but found the bulk of the curriculum easy to learn because it was very LOGICAL.

How does one study for a class like microbiology or bio 101?
Are classes pertaining to biology similar to my lower level bio courses? How about in the sense that I have to memorize lots of minute details and seemingly useless facts?

If I am not retaining the information in my biology classes now, how will this affect me in my later biology classes? If I hate biology now, will I hate med school level biology or will it be a very specialized and logical subsection of biology that has relevant and practical uses that I will encounter on a daily basis?

What is the best method of study for biology?

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[AestheticGod]

Math=logical

Everything else=Not logical


Oh man, you're definitely gonna hate being a doctor lol.

 

[Mokthraka]

wait, do you need bi101 and all that? does it matter what biology classes you take?

 

[Adrenaline21]

Yes, from experience and what I here from others, Biology requires a lot of memorization in order to be successful in the course.


It is not going to be like Math. There is no "formula" or equation that will lead you to one answer. Or the fact that you can just look at a math problem, and logically figure out a way to solve it correctly, leading to one right answer.

 

[wjs010]

Have fun in cell bio for real though you have something going for you. You made high A's in organic? That's tough. I'm not looking forward to it. But the good news is, bio classes just take memorization and visualization. Basically you can lazy your way through physics but not bio.

 

[TheShaker]

I've taken AP Bio and got a 3 in high school which meant I could take Bio 102 and I got a B on that during the first semester (freshmen year) of college because I thought it was going to be high school part 2. I learned that MD/DO schools do not take AP Credits or very rarely do and certainly do not accept a 3. I will now have to take Bio 101 soon.

I am currently taking Microbiology (Bio 221) and I have not purchased a textbook, I have not looked AT a textbook, and I'm taking the final exam on thursday...I have a 95 in the class. The exam is on Thursday and covers Antimicrobial drugs, Adaptive Immunity, Innate Immunity, and Pathogenic Mechanisms.

I will start studying literally 2-3 days before, if the test is hard or usually on the day of the exam and will cram all the information in. I know how ineffective this is and I know I am not retaining the information but how do I even begin to LEARN the information in a logical manner?

When I took organic chem, physics, calculus, etc...I was told these would be the hardest classes, the classes that weed out the pre-meds. I completely destroyed Organic and Physics, earning high A's in both of them. I was stressed out and did poorly on one exam in both classes due to not studying properly but found the bulk of the curriculum easy to learn because it was very LOGICAL.

How does one study for a class like microbiology or bio 101?
Are classes pertaining to biology similar to my lower level bio courses? How about in the sense that I have to memorize lots of minute details and seemingly useless facts?

If I am not retaining the information in my biology classes now, how will this affect me in my later biology classes? If I hate biology now, will I hate med school level biology or will it be a very specialized and logical subsection of biology that has relevant and practical uses that I will encounter on a daily basis?

What is the best method of study for biology?

For many classes you can actually understand the material and that really helps in your ability to recall and synthesize information. For classes like Biol 101 and Microbiology, it's just so general that you just have memorize a bunch of stuff. This is why I hate learning about fields that are just so broad.

 

[passerine]

How does one study for a class like microbiology or bio 101?
Are classes pertaining to biology similar to my lower level bio courses? How about in the sense that I have to memorize lots of minute details and seemingly useless facts?

If I am not retaining the information in my biology classes now, how will this affect me in my later biology classes? If I hate biology now, will I hate med school level biology or will it be a very specialized and logical subsection of biology that has relevant and practical uses that I will encounter on a daily basis?

What is the best method of study for biology?

Biology has a few main themes; once you learn those, you see how each concept in your course will fall into line with one of those themes. Take the relationship between structure and function in biology, for example. Then when you learn about how enzymes become denatured in heat, you understand why they no longer function correctly.

It's all about getting a feel for the big picture, and then filling in the details. I would suggest making yourself a study guide about a week before the exam. Boil everything down to the most important points for each concept so that you understand the main ideas, then figure out which details you can reason through using those concepts and which you have to memorize. You can do it!

 

[ShenanigansMD]

I don't know if this is efficient, but my strategy is reviewing PowerPoint slides 999 times over... which I guess is brute memorization.

 

[TrojanBacteria]

Any advice would probably be a bit too late for your Microbiology class, since you're taking the final soon. My only recommendation for that is to start looking over the material now and make sure you understand all the topics. Also...why did you not get a textbook??

Suggestions for future Bio courses:
1. READ THE DARN TEXTBOOK!!
2. Don't cram. In theory, you should be briskly flipping through the text once before going to lecture, taking very light notes during lecture, and reading the book in detail a second time after class. A few days before the exam, you should be briefly reviewing (this would be your 4th time seeing the material!) and only studying concepts that you still don't fully understand or can't remember.

Yes, this method takes A LOT of time. But you can't rush studying for Bio if you want to do it effectively. From what you're saying, it seems like the way you're studying is what's giving you problems. You might ace a few tests, but you also run the risk of brutally failing an exam. A bad exam might seem like just a fluke, but it's more likely indicative of bad study habits. Like another poster mentioned, Biology is primarily memorization and more importantly, visualization. But since it's such a vast topic, it's not exactly memorization of trivial facts. It involves lots of understanding and synthesis, and thus it takes a lot of time for all the info to properly sink in. Cramming doesn't work well in the long run.

From what I'm reading, you seem like a pretty intelligent dude. Many pre-meds fall under the wrath of Chem/Physics because they just can't seem to grasp the logic behind the concepts. It seems like you don't have that problem, so good for you! Just remember: don't just cram, plan ahead, and study smart.

 

[cuculici1]

I was always more of a logically oriented thinker, performing well in math based courses without having to put in a lot of work. These type of classes come more naturally to me (perhaps I am in the wrong field, haha). That being said, it took me a bit longer to figure out how to study for biology (after screwing up the first try). Here's what worked for me, and has been echoed by a few others on this thread:

1. Read the textbook, this is key in understanding "why" things happen and also provides extra detail and background to the lecture material.
2. Find a way to memorize that works best for you. While some people like note cards or other written based methods, I personally find them a waste of time. Writing things down works for me, but only because it is material to memorize from. After a few cycles through this method, I found that I wasted hours copying down the important information from lecture slides, without having actually memorized it. You should be able to look at your notes, lecture material, or the book and just memorize it by going through it multiple times. Repetition is key.
3. Try to remember concepts, not just facts. Know why things happen, rather than just what happens.

Hope this helps.

 

[Napoletana1007]

I hated lower level bio classes so I actually changed my major to physics bc I hate knowing what and not why... When I started taking upper level classes like physiology which require understanding not just memorization I loved them. Advice for studying= understand don't memorize. As for AP classes, if your undergrad recognizes he 3 you don't HAVE to retake as long as you take higher level bio classes.

 

[SpaceHamsterBoo]

any advice would probably be a bit too late for your microbiology class, since you're taking the final soon. My only recommendation for that is to start looking over the material now and make sure you understand all the topics. Also...why did you not get a textbook??

Suggestions for future bio courses:
1. Read the darn textbook!!
2. Don't cram. In theory, you should be briskly flipping through the text once before going to lecture, taking very light notes during lecture, and reading the book in detail a second time after class. A few days before the exam, you should be briefly reviewing (this would be your 4th time seeing the material!) and only studying concepts that you still don't fully understand or can't remember.

Yes, this method takes a lot of time. But you can't rush studying for bio if you want to do it effectively. From what you're saying, it seems like the way you're studying is what's giving you problems. You might ace a few tests, but you also run the risk of brutally failing an exam. A bad exam might seem like just a fluke, but it's more likely indicative of bad study habits. Like another poster mentioned, biology is primarily memorization and more importantly, visualization. But since it's such a vast topic, it's not exactly memorization of trivial facts. It involves lots of understanding and synthesis, and thus it takes a lot of time for all the info to properly sink in. Cramming doesn't work well in the long run.

From what i'm reading, you seem like a pretty intelligent dude. Many pre-meds fall under the wrath of chem/physics because they just can't seem to grasp the logic behind the concepts. It seems like you don't have that problem, so good for you! Just remember: Don't just cram, plan ahead, and study smart.

i <3 u

 

[SpaceHamsterBoo]

I hated lower level bio classes so I actually changed my major to physics bc I hate knowing what and not why... When I started taking upper level classes like physiology which require understanding not just memorization I loved them. Advice for studying= understand don't memorize. As for AP classes, if your undergrad recognizes he 3 you don't HAVE to retake as long as you take higher level bio classes.

I have spoken with many universities and even for UG, if my 1st college accepts it but the 2nd does not (in the scenario of a transfer), then I have to retake the skipped bio courses at the 2nd college.

AP system = scam, except for the humanities courses like psychology and government.
Most majors end up retaking the calc, physics, chem, bio courses anyways.

I don't know if this is efficient, but my strategy is reviewing PowerPoint slides 999 times over... which I guess is brute memorization.

Is that what batman would do?

 

[kpcrew]

You don't like biology but you want to be a doctor?

 

[SpaceHamsterBoo]

You don't like biology but you want to be a doctor?

I don't like intro level courses that everyone hates.

You like kpop but you want to be a doctor?

 

[TwistinD]

Wait, your school accepted a 3 in AP Bio? Wow. Mine would accept no less than a 5. (definitely not trying to be critical - I just thought most uni's were more tough on AP credits).

I remember telling my pre-med advisor I did not want to major in biology because I didn't want to take some of the requirements like botany - she just looked at me and said, "well clearly you don't want to be a doctor then."

HAHA. Sorry, not entirely helpful for you, but wanted to share how ridiculous people can be

 

[DietSexy5000]

Have fun in cell bio for real though you have something going for you. You made high A's in organic? That's tough. I'm not looking forward to it. But the good news is, bio classes just take memorization and visualization. Basically you can lazy your way through physics but not bio.

This is a joke right?

OP: Biology is a silly younger brother to chemistry and physics. Success comes from staring at pictures or remembering random facts. The best advice was given above; identify concepts then slot in details that support it. I've found this most helpful and I'm very similar to you (physics major) in that I love math and knowing why things are the way they are, not just that some random kinase phosphorylates random protein A then some other voodoo goes on and you get a fetus. Play to your strengths as best you can with biology and move on. The stuff you encounter in medical school, if I understand correctly, is largely systems and processes based so there's more of a logical flow to things.

 

[Praefectus]

I remember telling my pre-med advisor I did not want to major in biology because I didn't want to take some of the requirements like botany - she just looked at me and said, "well clearly you don't want to be a doctor then."

What?!? You don't want to know how plants work? Clearly, you're not cut out for a field that focuses on the human body. It's a shame...I had such high hopes for you.

 

[TwistinD]

What?!? You don't want to know how plants work? Clearly, you're not cut out for a field that focuses on the human body. It's a shame...I had such high hopes for you.

Do you think medical schools will screen out my app because I was more interested in biochemistry and neuro?!?!

All joking aside though, OP, you really should have some type of interest in the biological sciences that pertain to med school classes. I wasn't a huge fan of the basics either, but I knew they were necessary in order to explain and get to the fun stuff. I agree with the other posters - start by reading the textbook, and then try explaining it to yourself (and others) in different ways. If you find that you can teach others the concepts, then you obviously know them. In order to retain the info - you have to review it often. No cramming! That way you'll also be more prepared for the MCAT (and a lot more relieved about not having to relearn all the concepts for it).

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Honestly the prereqs are all about repetition, spend 2-3 days before the test going over the material and try to relate it to your daily life and previous knowledge.