Best way to a 4.0?

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Meliora

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Hello,
I am currently doing my final pickings between colleges for pre med and I was wondering if you guys could help me out with two things:
1. Pros/cons of staying at home for college vs going out of city and living in a dorm away from home? I want to be able to have the least distractions to get as good as GPA as possible.
2. How can i do very well for my freshman classes like gen Chem and intro to bio??
Thanks in advance!


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Meliora said:
Hello,
I am currently doing my final pickings between colleges for pre med and I was wondering if you guys could help me out with two things:
1. Pros/cons of staying at home for college vs going out of city and living in a dorm away from home? I want to be able to have the least distractions to get as good as GPA as possible.
2. How can i do very well for my freshman classes like gen Chem and intro to bio??
Thanks in advance!
Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
1) See Lucca's post above
2) Lose the perfectionism or it will destroy you
 
I would suspect staying at college would be a fun experience.

What I did for a 4.0, always read ahead, and never a miss a day of studying. But that was just for me. You need to find what works for you.
 
Last edited:
redsox93 said:
What?? Did you legit read the textbook for your classes? Ochem was the only class I read the book for, everything else the professor would test directly from their slides.
Click to expand...
Yes for BIO 1 and CHEM 1 + 2

I enjoyed it.
 
Meliora said:
Hello,
I am currently doing my final pickings between colleges for pre med and I was wondering if you guys could help me out with two things:
1. Pros/cons of staying at home for college vs going out of city and living in a dorm away from home? I want to be able to have the least distractions to get as good as GPA as possible.
2. How can i do very well for my freshman classes like gen Chem and intro to bio??
Thanks in advance!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
The answers for both of your questions largely vary from person to person. However, maybe a few things to think about:

1. Determine where the distractions are likely to stem from.
In my case, I preferred to stay at home, and I would say this was largely a cultural upbringing thing. There was no distraction in my case. You know what type of person you are. If you're going to be distracted at home it may be worth living away. On the other hand, depending on how your home life is setup, living at home can be both cost and time effective. Consider whether the college "experience" is important to you.

2. I take it you are a Bio major or thinking about it? Freshman science classes lay the foundation for your entire undergraduate career as it pertains to your major. Definitely focus on clearly understanding the concepts. You'll see that there is a reasonable amount of overlap as you progress to the upper level classes as these classes take what you know and revisit the topic with more detail or introduce a new aspect of the field dependent on what you already know. Absolutely make sure you have a solid foundation by doing well in your introduction classes. At your stage of the game for sure (and I'd argue in general) concepts > minutiae.
 
redsox93 said:
What?? Did you legit read the textbook for your classes? Ochem was the only class I read the book for, everything else the professor would test directly from their slides.
Click to expand...
Oddly enough orgo is the only class I don't read my textbook.
 
I think its very challenging for people to get involved on campus when they live at home, which I think is pivotal to developing as a future health professional. You'll be a premed student, learn how your study best and do that. Always shoot for a 4.0, but don't be bummed out if you fall short. Way more people in med school that don't have a 4.0 than do.
 
redsox93 said:
What?? Did you legit read the textbook for your classes? Ochem was the only class I read the book for, everything else the professor would test directly from their slides.
Click to expand...
I only used slides as guides, reading the books definitely helped me get a better understanding of the material. I do agree that It would've been overkill if I just wanted to "do well" but I'm way too curious to just wanna "do well".
 
The advice I always give to freshman is to get involved and communicate with all of your professors. Sit in the front of the classrooms, attend every lecture, ask and answer questions, and go to office hours so they know who you are.
 
What are the pros and cons of each in your mind OP?

I lived at home for all of undergrad and I'd do it all over again. Zero distractions, zero debt (parents would pay for everything but tuition if I stayed home), zero weight gain and a great support system. I knew I'd be more successful at home and could possibly be debt free when I graduated, so I went with that.

Have fun in college though. I didn't think about it as "I'm doing my premed here", it's more than grades. Do fun things, take on new challenges. A lot of the applicants I met during interview season were really cool people that had done some really cool stuff. That's not a coincidence.
 
For getting A's I'd recommend that you read this book!!
ImageUploadedBySDN1492436618.818812.jpg


I also highly recommend living in campus. As someone already said, it's the best way to be involved in activities on campus.


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I stayed in my hometown and I am very glad I did. All of my friends who left to go to the huge state schools are doing terribly. But they are also idiots, so... just my experience! Oh and I am involved in quite a bit. Its not too difficult to find awesome activities if you're willing to put yourself out there and you're liked.
 
Meliora said:
Hello,
I am currently doing my final pickings between colleges for pre med and I was wondering if you guys could help me out with two things:
1. Pros/cons of staying at home for college vs going out of city and living in a dorm away from home? I want to be able to have the least distractions to get as good as GPA as possible.
2. How can i do very well for my freshman classes like gen Chem and intro to bio??
Thanks in advance!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
Just curious since your username is "Meliora," are you thinking URochester?
 
redsox93 said:
What?? Did you legit read the textbook for your classes? Ochem was the only class I read the book for, everything else the professor would test directly from their slides.
Click to expand...
I never pay attention in class, everything I learn is from the textbook lol
 
holycrap said:
I never pay attention in class, everything I learn is from the textbook lol
Click to expand...
There is not one class I have ever taken where the material in the text book was accurately reflected and tested on an exam.

I don't got to lecture either unless there's no recordings and the slides are poor.

Lecture = professor's every word is fair game for the test. Every topic not covered is not fair game for the test. Same goes for power points.

Reading textbooks may work for you but it certainly was never going to be an efficient approach for me.
 
kb1900 said:
There is not one class I have ever taken where the material in the text book was accurately reflected and tested on an exam.

I don't got to lecture either unless there's no recordings and the slides are poor.

Lecture = professor's every word is fair game for the test. Every topic not covered is not fair game for the test. Same goes for power points.

Reading textbooks may work for you but it certainly was never going to be an efficient approach for me.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I saved hundreds of dollars by not buying text books and spent my time more efficiently studying on my own and not going to lecture.
 
studying +time management. didn't actually start substantially studying till gen chem II too though so it's really relative. I'd deal with the perfectionism trait first since it's far worse when u can't handle a low exam grade and manage to let that one misgiving really damage your overall grades. Staying at home but pretty much study just on campus (it saves me tons of money so I'm cool with it), tbh there's not a formula it's just studying and working hard
 
If you memorize every possible detail and do every possible practice question an A is actually quite simple. But there are better things to do in life
 
kb1900 said:
There is not one class I have ever taken where the material in the text book was accurately reflected and tested on an exam.

I don't got to lecture either unless there's no recordings and the slides are poor.

Lecture = professor's every word is fair game for the test. Every topic not covered is not fair game for the test. Same goes for power points.

Reading textbooks may work for you but it certainly was never going to be an efficient approach for me.
Click to expand...
My professors don't use textbooks unless they are relevant to the work and exams, some even make their own books so I guess that's why it works for me
 
redsox93 said:
Agreed. I saved hundreds of dollars by not buying text books and spent my time more efficiently studying on my own and not going to lecture.
Click to expand...
I don't buy textbooks either I just use it at the library and take pictures of the pages on my phone
 
Take notes multiple time works for me. In orgo, do notes and concept maps of the book. IN genetics I do the same thing ( its one of the bio classes that needs the book).
I take notes in class, and then go over them. It's really good for memorization ( if you're a bio major).
Also do practice problems more than once, especially for physics/orgo. Try to fine out *why* the electrons are moving like that, why the ball moves that way, etc.
 
The one thing nobody talks about is getting a motivated study buddy. I've got a couple other #gunners that I study with and we are in constant competition to answer questions before one another or one up each other. Studying on your own gives you no real metrics to decide if you really know the material or where you stand relative to your classmates. My study group for ochem is done with the material for the semester already, meaning we are 3 weeks ahead of the professor at this point. In the classes I don't have with these guys I'm just on track with the profs.
 
I kept up with readings, occasionally reviewed material, and paid attention in class... There wasn't much else to it. I think anyone with the proper motivation and consistency can strike a 4.0 with ease.

It's all about that consistency.
 
Some students will be able to get piss drunk the night before and still make an A on the ochem exam next morning.

There is no shame in striving to be the student who went to the same party and pulled off a B the next morning.

I was neither student.
 
Weirdy said:
Some students will be able to get piss drunk the night before and still make an A on the ochem exam next morning.

There is no shame in striving to be the student who went to the same party and pulled off a B the next morning.

I was neither student.
Click to expand...
Were you the smart student you never got drunk before exams?
 
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