How do you handle 3 (or more) science classes in a semester?

[Auron]

I'm taking physics (with lab), genetics and human physiology and 2 gen eds this semester.

I'm finding it really difficult to study for all 3 sciences, as each one takes a lot of time to study for. And I usually have tests for all 3of them all in the same week. I seriously feel like I'm sinking at times because I think of everything I need to study and it makes me very anxious despite how hard I try to fight the feeling.

How early do you begin studying for your tests? How are you guys able to pull of A's in all of them? Any advice, strategies, would be much appreciated. I really want to do well in all these classes.


ps. I hate physics...stupid kinetmatics.

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[Caesar]

I'm taking physics (with lab), genetics and human physiology and 2 gen eds this semester.

I'm finding it difficult to study for all 3, as each one takes a lot of time to study for. And I usually have tests in them all in the same week.

How early do you begin studying for your tests? How are you guys able to pull of A's in all of them? Any advice, strategies, would be much appreciated.


ps. I hate physics...stupid kinetmatics.

I am in Physics, Organic Chem, Human Sexuality and reproduction, and two gen eds. basically if you dont have a life and spend all your time studying you still cant get an A in physics. I can't... Its annoying. Good luck to ya! Im in the same boat.

(next semester I have Physics II, Genetics, Organic Chem, 6 Hour Organic Chem lab, and Maybe EMT training. Just think "at least Im not RA1987" that should get ya through.

 

[Cataract]

My crowning achievement was last semester: I took Organic Chem II, 2 Biomedical Engineering classes, Molecular and Cellular Signaling, and Advanced Human Physiology. I pulled a 4.0 somehow, but I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.

It seemed mostly time management. You really have to know what's your best study method and camp out at the library during exam season. Draw pictures and diagrams for Biology courses. Try not to memorize, but make connections between concepts so they're logical bridges in your head. Try to love the material and make it relevant!

 

[Auron]

My crowning achievement was last semester: I took Organic Chem II, 2 Biomedical Engineering classes, Molecular and Cellular Signaling, and Advanced Human Physiology. I pulled a 4.0 somehow, but I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.

It seemed mostly time management. You really have to know what's your best study method and camp out at the library during exam season. Draw pictures and diagrams for Biology courses. Try not to memorize, but make connections between concepts so they're logical bridges in your head. Try to love the material and make it relevant!

That must've been tough. Congrats 👍

Thank you for the advice

 

[RaVen777]

Yeah.. i had a semester or two like that.

one semester was Advanced organic chem, Genetics, biosynthesis, Ecology.. like 4 labs or something sick like that.

but I usually plan my schedule so I can sleep or study.

 

[jdf46]

Second semester sophomore year I did honors orgo, orgo lab, physics, biochem, and a random humanities class. It ended up alright in the end and probably did me a favor when I took the MCAT a couple months later. Just stick to your guns and forget about partying for awhile, you can make it up for it later on... It helps to actually not hate science/physics though.

 

[ryandote]

I'm taking physics (with lab), genetics and human physiology and 2 gen eds this semester.
....

ps. I hate physics...stupid kinetmatics.

Hopefully the same way you are going to handle medical school. Lots of studying.

 

[SDN2013]

My life sux hard startin from high school.
HS Fresh: Calc I
Soph: Calc II
Junior: Multi Variable calc, linear alg and diff eq, taken at city's univ, which I attend now
Senior: Discrete math, intro to cryptography.

So due to those 4 courses in my last 2 years of hs, i come in college with a 3.125 GPA over 12 credits.

Then I had:
Fresh Fall: Chemistry, Biostatistics, Statics (engr physics), Intro Engineering
Fresh Spring: Analytical Chemistry w/ Honors Project, Organic Chemistry I, Honors Economics, English
Fresh Summer: Organic Chem II, Organic chem lab

I got through fresh year pretty well, A's in all science courses etc, had an AB each semester, but summer I had an AB in ochem II, and a B in lab.

Then I totally blew horse feces sophomore year

Sopho Fall: Biochem I, Immunology, Honors Biology, Honors Bio Lab, European Geography I
Sopho Spring: Biochem II, Honors Bio II, Honors Bio Lab II, European Geog II, and a really really easy math class for the mathematically challenged
Sopho Summer: Human Physiology

So I end up with 2 C's in biochem and 2 B's in biology, even though I had B and A's heading into finals. I find that in finals week, I simply crash because I get so stressed out, catch flu/cold, feel like crap and then just give up and don't study anymore.
I also had a C in human physiology because the grading system was really stupid, no curve at all and you have to get a 90% for an A, tests are 50 Q multi choice so if u mess up more than 5 u are screwed. I had a B going into final, and failed final because I didn't study for it. Figured I needed 67 to keep my B, or a a 108 (impossible) for an A, didn't study and got a 58.

Now I'm currently retaking my biochem, since it's my major, and I'm doing well in all my classes so far.
Junior Fall: Biochem I, Honors Bio III, Physics II, Neurobiology I

I find that it really helps to stay organized, buy an expensive DailyPlanner (mine was like $30 but it's been worth it so far), plan each week ahead of time, mark the office hours on ur planner and goto as many as you can, even if it's to just chat or just talk to the professor about what you know, helps you remember better that way. I haven't used flash cards much so far, I just summarize each lecture by rewriting the important stuff on a new sheet of paper, so by the midterm, I'd have like 10 sheets of summary notes, rather than having to go through 50 pages of notes.

Doing problem sets and practice exams also help alot, I don't do questions from the textbooks, just the ones professors give out. Also, it would help alot if you have a tablet (for science tablet is a must, either that or use pen and paper), I'm gonna buy a tablet this week so I can organize better.

Hope this helps, I'm speaking from experience after a major mess up in sophomore year

 

[mustymullet]

I'm taking physics with lab, orgo 2, cell structure and function (so much detail🙁) and geography (fluff class) as well as research every wednesday. The best thing to do for your sciences in my opinion is for physics just do problems and examples and dont waste your time reading every chapter of the book. Physics is more like math. Genetics is also not that bad, just problems. Hope you dont stress too much this semester👍

 

[ryandote]

My life sux hard startin from high school.
HS Fresh: Calc I
Soph: Calc II
Junior: Multi Variable calc, linear alg and diff eq, taken at city's univ, which I attend now
Senior: Discrete math, intro to cryptography.

So due to those 4 courses in my last 2 years of hs, i come in college with a 3.125 GPA over 12 credits.

Then I had:
Fresh Fall: Chemistry, Biostatistics, Statics (engr physics), Intro Engineering
Fresh Spring: Analytical Chemistry w/ Honors Project, Organic Chemistry I, Honors Economics, English
Fresh Summer: Organic Chem II, Organic chem lab

I got through fresh year pretty well, A's in all science courses etc, had an AB each semester, but summer I had an AB in ochem II, and a B in lab.

Then I totally blew horse feces sophomore year

Sopho Fall: Biochem I, Immunology, Honors Biology, Honors Bio Lab, European Geography I
Sopho Spring: Biochem II, Honors Bio II, Honors Bio Lab II, European Geog II, and a really really easy math class for the mathematically challenged
Sopho Summer: Human Physiology

So I end up with 2 C's in biochem and 2 B's in biology, even though I had B and A's heading into finals. I find that in finals week, I simply crash because I get so stressed out, catch flu/cold, feel like crap and then just give up and don't study anymore.
I also had a C in human physiology because the grading system was really stupid, no curve at all and you have to get a 90% for an A, tests are 50 Q multi choice so if u mess up more than 5 u are screwed. I had a B going into final, and failed final because I didn't study for it. Figured I needed 67 to keep my B, or a a 108 (impossible) for an A, didn't study and got a 58.

Now I'm currently retaking my biochem, since it's my major, and I'm doing well in all my classes so far.
Junior Fall: Biochem I, Honors Bio III, Physics II, Neurobiology I

I find that it really helps to stay organized, buy an expensive DailyPlanner (mine was like $30 but it's been worth it so far), plan each week ahead of time, mark the office hours on ur planner and goto as many as you can, even if it's to just chat or just talk to the professor about what you know, helps you remember better that way. I haven't used flash cards much so far, I just summarize each lecture by rewriting the important stuff on a new sheet of paper, so by the midterm, I'd have like 10 sheets of summary notes, rather than having to go through 50 pages of notes.

Doing problem sets and practice exams also help alot, I don't do questions from the textbooks, just the ones professors give out. Also, it would help alot if you have a tablet (for science tablet is a must, either that or use pen and paper), I'm gonna buy a tablet this week so I can organize better.

Hope this helps, I'm speaking from experience after a major mess up in sophomore year

👍 ? - that's a long post about yourself.

 

[bellacnella]

i took 3 bios two semesters in a row. each time, one class had to suffer because i was also working and stuff

i got a B- in at least one each time. i was too exhausted to go to class

 

[jochi1543]

I'm taking 4.

3 300-levels, and 1 200, but it's A&P, so crapload of info.



I basically come on SDN a lot and vent.

 

[shotdiscus]

There's no magic solution...if you know you're going to have multiple tests in a week and wont be able to cram for all of them, the easiest way to do well is just to stay on top of the material from the get go...Physics really shouldn't be a problem, if you memorize formulas as they come and focus on understanding the processes you should be alright with minimal cramming

 

[Powdermonkey]

Hahaha, you think thats hard? Its just a lot of material, not really alot of thinking and problem solving involved with science classes. Well, except for physics. Thats kinda tough I guess.

Try taking Advanced machine design, Thermodynamics II, Heat transfer, fluid mechanics, dynamics of machinery and energy systems lab. Yeah, thats tough. Got out of class around 2 each day and stayed in the study lounge until at least 1 each night. That was a fun semester, lemme tell you....... 😉

These a&p, biology, and organic classes are a breeze comparatively. Should have been a science major instead, maybe my gpa would be better....

 

[Bacchus]

I'm taking 4.

3 300-levels, and 1 200, but it's A&P, so crapload of info.

Same. My 200 level is clinical microbiology and its straight memorization. Add pchem to the mix and I want to cry. I also have analytical chemistry (souped up gen chem, so meticulous) and biochemistry. Now, to get through all of this I think of the huge bash I'm going to have at the end of the semester to celebrate my 21st (I turn 21 the first day of finals 🙁) and to drink away all my sorrows. Yeah, quite sad that I'm planning on drinking in two or so months, but not in between then, haha. Let me add I have micro lab, analytical lab, and biochem lab (I hate gels). Thing is, its going to hopefully be a good semester, sans Pchem. Hopefully I can make a 3.7 overall, but everything is on the fence now due to high B+ exams.

 

[SDN2013]

.

 

[osli]

If three science classes in one semester are "tough" then med school is going to eat you alive. Well, maybe not... like many pre-meds you might eventually work out effective study strategies. You'll need them!

 

[Gospe1]

the key is to plan ahead and get your work done weeks ahead of time. Also make sure to stagger your exams if you can. Drop as many extracurriculars as often as you can.

 

[emttim]

So this actually brings me to an interesting question...what /is/ everyone's idea of a good studying strategy? Do you read the chapters, or just study lecture notes and work problems for classes like chem and physics? For memorization classes such as biology and ochem, do you read the chapters, or same thing, just study lecture notes and work problems?

I mean hell I already never read my calc book and just work problems and I'm doing fine in calc, so I wonder if that holds true for science classes?

 

[osli]

The overwhelming majority of professors teach in lecture what they feel is important enough to test. Thus, listening and learning in class might be a good way to prepare for an exam. 😉 A textbook is guaranteed to have vastly more information than is tested, and possibly missing something that actually shows up on an exam. If you are provided class notes, that should suffice. If not, take your own. Use a textbook like a reference book, looking up concepts that weren't clear in the notes.

If you try to read the textbook for everything, med school is still going to eat you alive. There isn't enough time to read, let alone learn, everything that way.

 

[Auron]

the key is to plan ahead and get your work done weeks ahead of time. Also make sure to stagger your exams if you can. Drop as many extracurriculars as often as you can.

What do you mean by stagger and dropping ec's? Could you elaborate?

 

[SDN2013]

I never read my textbooks, just lecture notes

I should probably stop buying textbooks

Of course, this would change if you have a class that you are tested on material that's covered in the book and not the in the lecture

 

[SDN2013]

stagger is having an midterm exam every week, but no more than 2 a week

 

[Auron]

stagger is having an midterm exam every week, but no more than 2 a week

I have 3 tests, all in the sciences - next week

The exams are set on a schedule, can't be changed. Kill me now...

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Genetics BLAH, Pchem BLAH, A and P, 3 labs, and then on top of that 10-15 hours doing research.


plus i had two other non science classes GPA-4.0

I was proud😀

 

[emttim]

The overwhelming majority of professors teach in lecture what they feel is important enough to test. Thus, listening and learning in class might be a good way to prepare for an exam. 😉 A textbook is guaranteed to have vastly more information than is tested, and possibly missing something that actually shows up on an exam. If you are provided class notes, that should suffice. If not, take your own. Use a textbook like a reference book, looking up concepts that weren't clear in the notes.

If you try to read the textbook for everything, med school is still going to eat you alive. There isn't enough time to read, let alone learn, everything that way.

Osli, I can't even begin to say how useful this information is, thanks for pointing that out. Might as well get in the habit of reducing inefficiency in studying now so I have good habits for later. Much appreciated!

 

[Ailleurs]

Like someone said, it's extremely helpful (and mandatory if you want to stay sane) to have good time management. you can do that by creating a time chart on excel. Like in one column, list times from morning to night and then on the first row, list monday, tuesday... until sunday. And then fill in the appropriate blocks of time and days with the classes and the mandatory commitments you have. and then the remaining free blocks are your free time. now try to approximate study chunks into those empty boxes. if you can try to study for each class for an hour at a time (any more and your attention span might decrease a bit) and then schedule in like a 10-15 minute break and then schedule in another hour to devote to studying for another subject. see if you can schedule in studying a bit of everything everyday. try to make everything reasonable so that you can follow your schedule. here's what mine looks like, although i don't have 3 science classes, only 2, and only am taking 4 classes unless you count the kaplan mcats as "another course." http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1792/schedulexj2.jpg. (people don't laugh T_T..) i haven't scheduled in everything onto my schedule (physics lab for one... we only have 5 lab sessions and it's every other week! what about you?) because i got too lazy lol.

also remember to seek help from a teacher assistant/teaching fellow/your professor/undergraduate tutors/academic tutoring services...etc... whenever you can!

and sometimes during exam week, getting 5 hours of sleep everyday that week instead of 8 may be a little painful but at least it's better than not sleeping for 2 days in a row and cramming everything... and also, the best energy drink IMO is red bull (don't get the sugar free one since that just induces headaches after 1-2 hours). i've tried monster, and even though there's like 2 servings per can, red bull works better for me than monster.. anyway lol.

also from past experience, whenever i have trouble in a subject or know that i'll have difficulty/struggle with a subject, i seek out a tutor. in the end, it's the grade that matters, not the effort so i think to myself that i might as well shell out some cash for a tutor who can help me get my A. i'm in the same boat regarding physics and i hate kinematics (and physics in general..) but i hired a tutor. if you're in the boston area, google knowledge on call. the tutor is relatively inexpensive ($40/hr) and is extremely, extremely good at tutoring in physics. i learned from him that i more or less knew how to do the problems once he went through them, but i just had trouble translating the problem into... what to do. see if you have the same problem in physics. but generally, for kinematics, he told me to focus on the 4 main equations and not the derived equations for launch at zero angle, launch at general angle, projectile motion. equations for range and ymax also come in useful.

PM if you want the equations!

 

[Concordia]

I hope you pull through this semester (and yes, physics are kind of evil). My advice would be to explain to the people in your life that you will be stressed for several months and they should not take it personally if you don't spend time with them. After that it's all about caffeine and no free time. As long as you keep a goal in mind, you are good to go.