SN2ed Study Organization

[Cawolf]

Hello,

I am about to start my 4 month Sn2ed study plan and I was looking to hear how others approached their organization of materials.

I have never really tried to take notes on the computer and have always worked in notebooks through my courses. This is how I envision going through the plan:

-Reading chapters and taking notes in small bound notebooks, with a dedicated folder for each subject.
-Working though practice problems in small bound notebooks, with a dedicated folder for each subject.
-Taking verbal passages notes and writing answers in a notebook.
-Having a notebook to analyze my full lengths.
-Having a folder/spreadsheet to chart my progress and target weaknesses.

This is how I would normally approach studying, but it means I would have 11 notebooks!

I am wondering or asking if anyone has any advice or created any excel sheets they are willing to share that would cut down on my destruction of trees. Maybe a tracking form or something? Or any hindsight on how you wish had organized yourself?

Thanks!

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[justadream]

@Cawolf

I finished content review a few days ago. I really didn't try to organize stuff that much.

I don't know about you but I think it takes WAY too long to take notes. I'd recommend taking minimal notes on just the stuff you don't know well. Many people use flashcards (either electronic or paper). As you might guess, many of mine have to do with fluids lol. The benefit of electronic flashcards is easy searching ability (it's like a mini-encyclopedia of MCAT stuff).

Also, the knowledge you can gain from reading the chapters is limited in comparison to doing the problems. If I were to choose between taking more notes or doing more problems, I'd do the latter.

 

[Cawolf]

Thanks @justadream , I figure I will find what works for me when I actually start.

Did you organize your scores on your daily passages at all?

 

[justadream]

Did you organize your scores on your daily passages at all?

Before the passages, TBR has a page listing all the passages for each topic. I usually checked off which passages I had finished (to keep track of the 1/3's) and wrote how many I missed. I never really focused much on that though.

When I'd miss a question, I'd often post it in SDN's Q&A. I'd also often make a notecard for that concept/problem I missed.

 

[DoctorInASaree]

@Cawolf meet http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/sn2d-first-day.1074344

an SN2ED support group. Have fun you two.

 

[Cawolf]

@DoctorInASaree, thanks - I have posted in there a couple times, but things seem to get lost as the thread is much more . . . socially oriented.

 

[sps27]

Whatever it is you do, make sure that you note down your mistakes, missed questions, etc., carefully (don't have to write a thesis on it, just a small note will do) -- right from the very beginning of your prep. Consider it a "felony" to miss the same question twice. The worst feeling in the world come exam day is 'damn I know this; I have done this exact same question before and got it wrong, but cannot recall now, i hope I do not fall for it twice'. It is not simply a matter of content, but also how well you recall it, how sure you are of what you know......maybe, should be, could be, most probably, yada yada yada......should not happen, but will happen nonetheless, so minimize it. And that surety of knowledge comes with time, revision and practice, almost like a gazillion times.....

 

[Cawolf]

Thanks, that's my plan.

I was looking more for logistical aid as to managing the large volume of notes/books/etc I will generating as I move through the plan.

 

[sps27]

Thanks, that's my plan.

I was looking more for logistical aid as to managing the large volume of notes/books/etc I will generating as I move through the plan.

I had notes all over the place, scribbling's in the books, side lines, empty pages etc., and when it became un-manageable, I took a week off and made 4 notebooks out of it; phy, gchem, ochem and bio. Didn't do it for verbal. should have perhaps. And a spreadsheet for FL's reviews. Am not a laptop person per say. Still like writing in notebooks better than typing. When flash cards became too many, I consolidated them into notebooks as well. So just have 4 notebooks.....

 

[TXhopeful]

Since we're kind of tailoring the SN2ed schedule to ourselves, about how many questions should be completed each day? I mean, with all the books, there are thousands of questions, which is great, since the first round of studying didn't go so well without practice questions.