Experience with "For Dummies" Books for Science Classes

[Kurk]

Hey all:

I found some of these chemistry/organic chem/calculus/biology for dummies books cheap online. Has anyone had good experience with them as supplemental or pre-class material? If not, did you have better experience with a different brand?

Thank you.

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[bengirlxD]

Organic Chem as a Second Language is by far the best supplemental for Orgo.

 

[caffeine jitters]

I used organic chem as a second language for orgo 1. It was pretty useful, but otherwise I just stuck to lecture notes / youtube videos / online explanations whenever I had an issue with a particular topic. I am not a big fan of course textbooks either, in all honesty. I have found that there is a lot of jargon in them.

 

[Kingfish23]

I suggest YouTube/Chads videos for orgo. I'm not a fan of reading books for learning organic chemistry.

 

[FeralisExtremum]

I think most resources not tailored specifically to your courses will end up being inefficient because of excess information that's just not relevant to the tests of your professor.

 

[Kurk]

Forget Orgo. I'm taking bio and chem this fall. Being the perfectionist I am I'm willing to use additional resources to learn as much as I can.

 

[Jyggaswoop]

You don't need anything. There's already a billion resources online and your professors lectures and or office hours. Work hard and get the A and nothing else matters. Don't waste extra money buying other things.

 

[FeralisExtremum]

EDIT

 

[bengirlxD]

Forget Orgo. I'm taking bio and chem this fall. Being the perfectionist I am I'm willing to use additional resources to learn as much as I can.

Bio and Chem is pretty easy if you manage your time studying well. You don't really need any additional material.

 

[670206]

Study smarter, not harder.

 

[Kurk]

Automatons don't settle for mediocrity. The for dummies book is 3.99 w/shipping on Ebay. I already bought my chem book used for $5.99 w/shipping this week. Can you guess what I'll be doing for the rest of the summer? 😛

 

[Jyggaswoop]

Congrats on wasting money and time. I recommend you return that. Literally every bio class is free as hell because it's all memorizing other than maybe if you have a molecular and genetics professor that asks you understand material more, and chemistry isn't even hard if you put in the work, and there's no reason to put any work in over the summer, because let's be honest you're not going to study any less for exams because you did some chemistry over the summer.

 

[Kurk]

Congrats on wasting money and time. I recommend you return that. Literally every bio class is free as hell because it's all memorizing other than maybe if you have a molecular and genetics professor that asks you understand material more, and chemistry isn't even hard if you put in the work, and there's no reason to put any work in over the summer, because let's be honest you're not going to study any less for exams because you did some chemistry over the summer.

Fair points but I'm incredibly neurotic when it comes to these things. I was able to slack off senior year of high-school since it didn't matter but now it's time to not **** up.

 

[jg4318]

try to find out from upperclassmen at your school about the professor, their style of exams, what to study with as courses really vary between professors and study methods and materials that work extremely well for one class may work terrible for another.

 

[fit2]

Automatons don't settle for mediocrity. The for dummies book is 3.99 w/shipping on Ebay. I already bought my chem book used for $5.99 w/shipping this week. Can you guess what I'll be doing for the rest of the summer? 😛

That sounds sad. Everything you'll know fo sciences you'll learn in your classes. You'll also learn everything if U get the right materials. U don't need to study starting now. Just be consistently good with what you do

 

[caffeine jitters]

I agree with everyone above... you should seriously consider taking a chill pill. Not only will you find yourself studying for exams the same amount regardless, but you also run the risk of burning yourself out at such a early point in your undergrad career. Enjoy your summer dude... RELAX

 

[schmoob]

OP, keep in mind that intelligence and wisdom are different. You have not even started college yet. You're in a forum getting advice from people who have already gone through the process you are only just beginning. The people here are intelligent and educated, many of whom have multiple college degrees.
These are things to consider when asking for advice. As of lately, your requests for advice have been more of requests for validation, because you are rejecting solid guidance if it differs from your opinion, despite asking for it.
Undergrad is nothing like high school. Dental School is nothing like Undergrad.
You're going to have a very tough time if you do not start listening those who have experience. I encourage you to start transitioning from your teenage years into adulthood.

 

[Kurk]

OP, keep in mind that intelligence and wisdom are different. You have not even started college yet. You're in a forum getting advice from people who have already gone through the process you are only just beginning. The people here are intelligent and educated, many of whom have multiple college degrees.
These are things to consider when asking for advice. As of lately, your requests for advice have been more of requests for validation, because you are rejecting solid guidance if it differs from your opinion, despite asking for it.
Undergrad is nothing like high school. Dental School is nothing like Undergrad.
You're going to have a very tough time if you do not start listening those who have experience. I encourage you to start transitioning from your teenage years into adulthood.

What you say is correct.



Seriously though I accept that I am immature. The problem is that I will enter college semi-brain dead if I don't exercise it which would be a horrible thing. I'm already taking an EMT course so adding on self-study material wouldn't hurt in my eyes; but if the majority believe that it is a waste of my time I will honor their advise not to do it.

 

[bengirlxD]

What you say is correct.



Seriously though I accept that I am immature. The problem is that I will enter college semi-brain dead if I don't exercise it which would be a horrible thing. I'm already taking an EMT course so adding on self-study material wouldn't hurt in my eyes; but if the majority believe that it is a waste of my time I will honor their advise not to do it.

How dare you. I am an Ewok, not a Sith!

 

[Kurk]

Also give me until the fall to stop to acting like an idiot. Once I'm around other college students and work in EMS I'll grow a pair. I'm currently under house-arrest (not literally) by parents so I'm not thinking clearly.

 

[CareerNumTwo]

Once I'm around other college students ... I'll grow a pair.

Lol.

As someone who teaches college freshmen, beware the vast majority of "other college students." Typically, when freed from similar parental "house arrest" situations, many young 18-22 year olds take advantage of the new found freedom and go wild.

Choose your friends wisely. (And make sure you don't go the other way and become anti-social... that usually becomes equally problematic for different reasons.)


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[fit2]

OP admitted he doesn't have a pair