Good Study techniques in Undergrad?

[MedicallyEnthused]

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I don't really know if my current study techniques are good, as i start to take upper level sciences courses.

I am easily able to get A's on pretty much everything except for Exams. (mostly B's, some A's)
I generally just make flashcards off of the professors power points, and some key concepts from the textbooks. After studying, i also try answering practice quizzes and questions in the textbooks. I also watch educational youtube videos if i am not clear on something.

When it comes to visual (such as in anatomy) i go to open lab alot and just learn from that, which actually works quite well.

I don't know if my "flashcard" technique is useful anymore, or i just have text anxiety or something. I used to get A's from studying from purely flashcards off my notes/professors notes all the time, but now my exam scores are starting to look lower.

Any tips/suggestions are much appreciated.

 

[Mavs88]

For the most part, your technique is solid. I'm not sure what kinds of exam questions you deal with...but for ME, flashcards don't cut it...not since high school.

My biology exams have no basic vocabulary type of stuff on it. It's all application. So I'd say still use the flashcards, but perhaps focus more on the practice questions.

Also, how early do you study before exam? Few days before is optimal for me. Never do night before unless you absolutely know everything.

 

[MedicallyEnthused]

For the most part, your technique is solid. I'm not sure what kinds of exam questions you deal with...but for ME, flashcards don't cut it...not since high school.

My biology exams have no basic vocabulary type of stuff on it. It's all application. So I'd say still use the flashcards, but perhaps focus more on the practice questions.

Also, how early do you study before exam? Few days before is optimal for me. Never do night before unless you absolutely know everything.

Alot of my flashcards are both principles and application questions, but i usually make them a week before, and actually study for 2-3 days; the weekend before.

The Majority of my B's feel like A's after taking the test, but when i get the results, it is definitely not what i expected.

they are 100 question multiple choice.
When i know people with other professors taking the same class have like 60 multiple choice/40 essay questions.

I don't know... i feel like my study technique is good, but i am just not happy with getting a B on a test. I am starting to study a week in advance (after have flashcards made) so i really have everything down (really more than i need to know to be honest). Hopefully I do better that way.

 

[DrOneDay7]

Alot of my flashcards are both principles and application questions, but i usually make them a week before, and actually study for 2-3 days; the weekend before.

The Majority of my B's feel like A's after taking the test, but when i get the results, it is definitely not what i expected.

they are 100 question multiple choice.
When i know people with other professors taking the same class have like 60 multiple choice/40 essay questions.

I don't know... i feel like my study technique is good, but i am just not happy with getting a B on a test. I am starting to study a week in advance (after have flashcards made) so i really have everything down (really more than i need to know to be honest). Hopefully I do better that way.

I found that I had to cater my study techniques to the specific subject. In other words, I studied for chemistry differently than how I studied for biology.

For chem and physics, I learned basic vocabulary but focused almost exclusively on practice problems and understanding the equations and how to manipulate them. Most of my profs went through a couple example problems during lecture. I always made sure to copy down the in-class problems in order to refer back to when studying b/c my exams almost always had similar questions, but just with different numbers used. Oh, and Khan Academy was also a lifesaver.

For biology, I took notes while reading my textbook, did end of chapter quizzes in the textbook, read through lecture notes, and created flashcards on specific concepts/applications.


The first exam in a class is very telling as to how the rest of the exams will be structured. Try to make a careful mental note of your first exam in each class, as in how in-depth the questions are, whether they're regurgitation questions or application-based, how closely the questions reflect your lecture notes/powerpoints, etc. That way, you'll get a better idea of how to prepare for the next exam.

 

[yehhhboiii]

do practice exams
you can find some if you google
if you can't find any then just look for problems to do
it's the best way to find your weak points and target them imo