How do YOU go about studying

[klinzou]

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For just regualr classes? How much time do you spend studying(not including h/w since a lot of ppl I know consider it the same thing *cough business majors *cough)? I know everyone is different but I've gotta do something to change up my studying b/c I don't really do any....4.0 this spring!!

 

[Noeljan]

Hey there
honestly for me personally (despite what many people will say, like they learn nothing in class) the best way for me to study is simply paying attention in class. I mean REALLY paying attention, to the point where you can formulate questions about the material that is being spoken. I know many people go to class and say they were drifting off. Maybe even record the lectures so you can go back and listen if you missed anything. Also, rewriting my notes helps.
good luck.

For just regualr classes? How much time do you spend studying(not including h/w since a lot of ppl I know consider it the same thing *cough business majors *cough)? I know everyone is different but I've gotta do something to change up my studying b/c I don't really do any....4.0 this spring!!

 

[priyanka]

I read the chapter atleast once, before the lecture, so that I can get the flow of what the professor is saying. I can relate to the questions that came up in my mind while reading the chapter. It becomes easy to refer back to the notes once I understand what the professor i s talking about. THe lecture notes do not appear like a mere "outline" to me anymore. If I fall back, i record the lectures so that i can read the chapter first and then listen to the lecture. Chapter readings are no fun. But, oh well....anything to help me not become anxious, trying to decipher the "greek" outline of the lecture.

 

[avinash]

i usually memeorized what was said in lecture and it was a chem or math class i would just go about doing practice problems...

but that apparently didnt work cause i didnt doo well this fall....

 

[swimerpaco]

I find total silence very distracting, so I always have on the TV, music, or I go somewhere public and work.

 

[avinash]

I find total silence very distracting, so I always have on the TV, music, or I go somewhere public and work.

yea i used to listen to music, but i dont know if that helping me anymore...

 

[UCLAstudent]

I can't study very well with music. I usually just go through lecture notes several times (highlighting the first time, underlining with a pen subsequent times ... it keeps me focused/on task). For chem/math/physics classes, I do lots of practice problems.

 

[chicadehuskers]

I have worked with high school and college students who are trying to improve their study skills. I know these things sound really dorky, but they actually work for some people. Obviously everyone learns differently. One of the most important keys to learning information is to prepare yourself before lecture. Read the information and use the lecture as a method of highlighting important information, and clarifying other information. Treat school like a job. Make a study schedule for yourself and stick to it, even if you are not in class. For instance, schedule yourself to study every weekday from 8 to 5 (scheduling around class, meals, and working out if necessary). Pencil in an extra hour of prep. and study time for each credit hour of a class. For instance, a three hour bio lecture would require an extra hour, three days per week of study time. Even if you don't have anything you have to do for a class, make yourself do something during the scheduled study time.

Then, once you get to class there is something called the SLANT method to help you pay attention. Now this one really sounds dorky, but it does work for many people. S = sit up straight, L = lean forward, A= ask questions, N= nod, T=take notes.

Hope this can offer some help for you. I hear that the biggest shock for many graduate and professional students is that they never learned how to study, so I'm glad to hear you are trying to change your study habits before the fact. Good luck!

 

[drguy22]

Hey there
honestly for me personally (despite what many people will say, like they learn nothing in class) the best way for me to study is simply paying attention in class. I mean REALLY paying attention, to the point where you can formulate questions about the material that is being spoken. I know many people go to class and say they were drifting off. Maybe even record the lectures so you can go back and listen if you missed anything. Also, rewriting my notes helps.
good luck.

yup exactly wat he said...i really pay attention in class...if i dont get something i IMMEDIATLY after class fill in the missing info....and then a day b4 the exam....i start to go over all the material....it works...4.0 this past semester🙂 and the last semester 4.0 and the one b4 that 3.917.....the one b4 the 3.9 i didnt use this method...and so i got 3.1 and 3.38.... 👍

 

[PuKcAo]

Red bulls! 🙂

 

[DrHopeless]

For me

Easy class: Study for about a day or two (normal work day with classes and everything) before the exam
Hard class: Study for about the weekend before the exam (ie, all sat/sun), and use whatever time left for pure review.
Insane class: Study for at the least 4 days (preferably weekend/a few normal day) and keep on going over the materials with any sparetime left. These class often need you to read the book in detail (either due to the complexity of the materials or your teacher sucks, typically it is a combination of both.)

This work especially well with a good study partner. Of course, you need to listen closely in class, this is crucial for me at the least.

seems to work well for the past 3 years or so. I know I have to change this as soon as I hit Med School, because I know it won't work there. Too much materials to do this sort of thing.

 

[exilio]

Study habits vary by person and material.

For classes that require knowing formulas, methodology, and calculations...you must practice, practice, practice. The more you work on problems the easier it will be come test day. I cannot underscore this enough, practice. Find problems online, buy a workbook, if the teacher only assigns odds do the evens.

For material that must be read and appreciated, i.e. English, philosophy etc. READ IT ALL. And create an outline of what you have read. Attach key terminology and phrases together. Be able to explain what you have read to someone else...have an opinion about the material.

There has been a lot of good advice already, and one bit that I would like to repeat is schedule your schoolwork as though it were a job. You wouldn't just start watching TV at work would you? Or take off to do something with your friends...will at least not all the time. 😉 Anyways, the point being, if you are scheduled, then you have already marked that time off for your studies.

Here are two key words you must learn, know and live:

DISCIPLINE and FOCUS

If you have discipline and focus you will succeed. Don't let anything stand in your way. I write this response as advice to you and to further reinforce it for myself. We both share the same dream, and that is to be a doctor; discipline and focus will help you get there.

The other great thing about being scheduled is that you will feel less guilty about your free time spent not studying. Plus you won't have that dreaded feeling of test anxiety, or at least less of the feeling.

In closing, I will not wish you good luck, but rather a Japanese expression I learned several years ago: "Do your best."

 

[cfdavid]

Hey there
honestly for me personally (despite what many people will say, like they learn nothing in class) the best way for me to study is simply paying attention in class. I mean REALLY paying attention, to the point where you can formulate questions about the material that is being spoken. I know many people go to class and say they were drifting off. Maybe even record the lectures so you can go back and listen if you missed anything. Also, rewriting my notes helps.
good luck.

There's some really good advice here. I agree that it's important to take going to class seriously. It's "free" study time, when you're sitting in lecture.

Also, another person mentioned prereading the chapters etc. before class. I started doing that and it really has helped. Also, to study in spurts and try to never really get behind, versus cramming all the time. You just retain better that way, and it makes test taking and finals a whole lot easier.

As an undergrad I remember it being a sort of bragging right for some people to get A's and "never study". Well, you can listen to that hype if you want. But, most people that get 4.0's in tough math and science classes study a lot, and work really hard. So, put in your time.

 

[UCLAstudent]

I agree with reading the book ahead of class. It makes listening to lecture much easier. However, remember that the book is usually MUCH more detailed than what you will learn in lecture. I can remember times where I would freak out before a test because I thought I had to know every little detail in the book. Wrong. Use the book as a resource, not as your study guide.

 

[drguy22]

There's some really good advice here. I agree that it's important to take going to class seriously. It's "free" study time, when you're sitting in lecture.

Also, another person mentioned prereading the chapters etc. before class. I started doing that and it really has helped. Also, to study in spurts and try to never really get behind, versus cramming all the time. You just retain better that way, and it makes test taking and finals a whole lot easier.

As an undergrad I remember it being a sort of bragging right for some people to get A's and "never study". Well, you can listen to that hype if you want. But, most people that get 4.0's in tough math and science classes study a lot, and work really hard. So, put in your time.

very true...the people that claim tat they get 4.0's in thr tough classes and didnt study is a bunch of crap dont get too intimidated by them...they have to study too....they just want to have bragging rites.....just study 🙂

 

[priyanka]

I agree with reading the book ahead of class. It makes listening to lecture much easier. However, remember that the book is usually MUCH more detailed than what you will learn in lecture. I can remember times where I would freak out before a test because I thought I had to know every little detail in the book. Wrong. Use the book as a resource, not as your study guide.

agreed. I usually just make a table of the titles and the related subtitles from the text while skimming through it. I cross out topics that are not covered during or after the lecture. I go back to the text and read the corresponding topics, the thoroughness of which is directly proportional to how much weightage the professor gives to each of them, during the lecture.

 

[hnbui]

For just regualr classes? How much time do you spend studying(not including h/w since a lot of ppl I know consider it the same thing *cough business majors *cough)? I know everyone is different but I've gotta do something to change up my studying b/c I don't really do any....4.0 this spring!!

i cram the night before the test. But if i need todo any reading befoe hand or because of catch up i usually go to the library.

 

[N1DERL&]

Also, review your notes daily. Just skim through and refamiliarize. It'll pay off big in the long run.

Also, be an engaged reader. Predict, if possible, summarize, make questions along the way. Passive reading isn't going to help you remember the material.

Good luck!

 

[swifteagle43]

study hard....harder...harder..........ohhhhh soooooooo hard...


damn its hard to focus on school with so many hot girls around

 

[flash]

N1Derl (2 posts above me) is absolutely on the money...particularly with MCAT in mind. Passive reading won't help u learn or, most importantly, really understand material (particularly with physics, orgo imo).

 

[avinash]

study hard....harder...harder..........ohhhhh soooooooo hard...


damn its hard to focus on school with so many hot girls around

yes i have this problem when im at the library....of all places....

 

[acl3623]

read the chapter (or skim before class at least), take good notes...and rewrite them when you get home. that way its still fresh and you can go over stuff before you forget about it. and if you have questions you can go to your prof. for me its all about reviewing. the more you review the material, the more sense it makes.

 

[avinash]

read the chapter (or skim before class at least), take good notes...and rewrite them when you get home. that way its still fresh and you can go over stuff before you forget about it. and if you have questions you can go to your prof. for me its all about reviewing. the more you review the material, the more sense it makes.

whats with the re writing notes? is it cause you like scribble while in lecutre?

 

[hnbui]

whats with the re writing notes? is it cause you like scribble while in lecutre?

no it's because more than likely your notes from the lecture will be disorganized and missing some pieces.

 

[avinash]

no it's because more than likely your notes from the lecture will be disorganized and missing some pieces.

yea i know what you mean

 

[TripleDegree]

I find total silence very distracting, so I always have on the TV, music, or I go somewhere public and work.

Yeah, me too. Can't study without the TV on, or some side distraction. Thats why libraries never work for me - too damn quiet! The silence is deafening. 😀

 

[vicinihil]

this is such a good post...im in need of study advice, i tend to side track often esp with my computer around. I find studying in groups is the best way to stay on track, not with like 4 or 5 people but with just 1 other. I find it to work the best.

 

[cfdavid]

It seemed that some profs had a major preference for either following the text very closely, and then those that made you wonder why you bought the text in the first place.
It always helped me to try to get a feel for their teaching style. That way you don't waste your time studying the "wrong" material.

 

[tc13]

I use a digital stop watch to time my actual study time. If there is an interruption, I hit stop and only restart when I'm focused again. Just because I have a book and some notes opened on my desk doesn't mean I'm studying. Keeping track of my true study numbers helps me to make adjustments.

 

[QofQuimica]

I agree with the posters who suggested reading the chapters before class, rewriting your notes, and doing all of the practice problems for math/science classes. I would actually type up my notes every day after class, and then go back and highlight important things and write notes in the margins as needed. Making flashcards can be helpful for classes that require a lot of memorization, like anatomy. Also, since no one has mentioned this yet, you should take advantage of TA and professor office hours to ask questions and get extra help if you need it.

My last suggestion is to write notes in your textbook, NOT with a highlighter. I know that writing in books is a huge no-no in high school, so it's hard to get used to the idea when you get to college, but it's a great thing to help you study. Write notes to yourself in the margin, dogear pages that you have questions about, and write down your answers to the practice questions in the chapters. Don't worry about the book losing its resale value. Even if you bought it new, it isn't going to be new when you finish with it, if you actually use it! The books cost a fortune, so try to get your money's worth of use out of them!

 

[kc222]

Everyone has their own style of studying and on top of that different classes require different methods as well...for instance....

straight memorization classes = short term studying
conceptual = everyday studying; could be recopying notes, listening to lectures then recopying notes, outlining the lecture(in case ur prof goes on billions of tangents🙂)

Then some prof don't even use a textbook so you don't have to read it. In a sense, what I have experienced numerous times is that you take the professors not really the class. Meaning you have to figure out the prof's style of testing which will guide you in determining what kinda study technique to use. You gotta stick to what works for you in that particular class.

I would also saystudy smart cuz sometimes you find yourself studying your butt off and don't get the results you want. It's also about studying efficiently in that you get into your own groove.

Hope this helps!

 

[americanangel]

I definately agree that everyone has their own style of studying....
For me though, I always make note cards for any class that has terminology and concepts....I love note cards for biology, organic chemistry (awesome way to learn reactions!!!) and anything else that requires a lot of memorization or even understanding!!!! Physics and math, practice lots and lots of problems!!!! I took one of the composition notebooks that I had left from lab, and filled the whole notebook up with problems for the final!!!! I'm a bit excessive, but I think that practicing problems is the best way to learn!!!!

 

[flash]

I use a digital stop watch to time my actual study time. If there is an interruption, I hit stop and only restart when I'm focused again. Just because I have a book and some notes opened on my desk doesn't mean I'm studying. Keeping track of my true study numbers helps me to make adjustments.

dude...

 

[avinash]

I use a digital stop watch to time my actual study time. If there is an interruption, I hit stop and only restart when I'm focused again. Just because I have a book and some notes opened on my desk doesn't mean I'm studying. Keeping track of my true study numbers helps me to make adjustments.

ready set go!!!!

break that 10 min mark!!!!