how do you study "smart" and not "hard"?

[qualityhealth]

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everyone says "study smart" or don't study at all. but what exactly does that entail?

 

[Tenacity]

Study efficiently. That means knowing what will be tested, and not simply memorizing the information but understanding the concepts too. Once you understand, recollection occurs naturally. I find that making sure you understand any homework does wonders.

 

[Rotinaj]

I'm going to cut and paste this from another thread I posted this into tonight.

Here's my strategy for avoiding burnout, and this comes from a guy who's made his fair share of mistakes in school:

Step 1: RateMyProfessor.com
Find the professors that provide in-class note packets and that students generally regard as having interesting lectures that cover the scope of the material. I've gotten A's in many classes without ever having to open my book because the professor provided excellent notes and explained things well. A good teacher is invaluable and can eliminate a lot of unnecessary studying which means less burnout.

Step 2: Make sure you get enough sleep for you. Most people don't remember jack if they're running off of 6 hours or less, so if you go to class all tired, unless you're a stud, you're going to be up late studying. It turns into a viscious cycle fast.

Step 3: Class time is sacred. When you're in class, avoid daydreaming at all costs and make sure to write down little bits of information that are key during the class, even if its sole purpose is to make sure you're paying attention. Caffeine is optional. Never miss any classes if you can avoid it.

Step 4: NEVER procrastinate. Cramming sucks and countless studies show that you forget the information quickly. Remember that your MCATs are going to be over all the information you've accumulated in Math, Physics, Biology and Chemistry, so it's best to have it lodged in your head by learning it the right way rather than just for the exam. The earlier you start, the less pressured you are to finish and the more likely you are to actually get it done. For a lot of people, if something seems insurmountable, their brain says, "What's the use, why try?" but if it seems within their reach, the brain is thinking, "I can do this, I'm excited to finish this and get it over with."

Other personal preferences:

Shorter classes and more of them. Anything over 50 minutes kills my attention span, and having more than 4 hours in a single day starts to get old. I like MTWRF classes for 5 credit hour courses whenever possible.

Taking breaks. Internet, Scrubs, Porn, anything that makes me happy. Unless I'm writing a paper (I have an unnatural love for writing, if you haven't noticed), I like to hit something hard for about 30 minutes to an hour and then take a while to relax.

Summer Classes. It gets a lot of stuff out of the way quickly so that you can further structure your semesters for success. Nothing like a 12-hour semester near the end of your college to help you take it easy.🙂 I've already charted out what my semesters will look like in the future, and while it will change, those summer courses have given me a ton of flexibility hour-wise.

 

[Isoprop]

I like to hit something hard for about 30 minutes to an hour and then take a while to relax.

reminds of a molecular bio final i was cramming for. i take 15 minutes breaks every 10 minutes. yes that's TEN minutes. really difficult exam (class average was a ~15/50?) and i aced the final (still got a B in the class though).

 

[Rotinaj]

reminds of a molecular bio final i was cramming for. i take 15 minutes breaks every 10 minutes. yes that's TEN minutes. really difficult exam (class average was a ~15/50?) and i aced the final (still got a B in the class though).

15/50!? Your professor should think of a new career... If I were him, I would be embarrassed if my class average on a final was that bad. Congratulations on beating the trend.

 

[TheRealMD]

1) Do not skip class for whatever reason. For most classes, you will spend at LEAST 2x as much time figuring out what you missed than going to the class itself. When people skip a lot, this is what makes cramming especially painful.

2) Read BEFORE class, not after.

3) Study little by little every day.

Now, I honestly didn't attempt to follow this advice until this semester when I realized that I am easily getting my butt whipped from having at least 1-2 tests each week. It really does pile up!

 

[Isoprop]

15/50!? Your professor should think of a new career... If I were him, I would be embarrassed if my class average on a final was that bad. Congratulations on beating the trend.

actually, he won a teaching award at that university if i remember correctly. he was an excellent professor. the exam was written by the department in an effort to "standardize" the grading (lots of complains about the disparity among the difficult of different professors). it didn't go well.

 

[Isoprop]

2) Read BEFORE class, not after.

i can vouch for this! a 10 minute skim of the material before class and a 10 minute skim after class = 1-2 hours of good studying any other time

 

[Isoprop]

there are some classes worth skipping because going to them disrupts with your sleep schedule, making you feeling like doodoo for the rest of the day. some classes like ochem are not worthwhile going to (at least in my opinion) so it's better to bust out the book at home. but don't ditch class to douche around, use that time to study. why waste your time in class when you have to study at home anyway?

i agree there are classes worth skipping but i wouldn't pigeonhole all ochem classes to be this way.

 

[TheRealMD]

note:
my method only works if the course is completely taught out of the book or if the lectures are recorded

Recorded lectures are a luxury, but not usually the norm. Otherwise, throw out everything I said. Class is now when YOU want it to be. Just pace yourself.

And typically profs do stuff like turn off their mics during certain portions of lecture to "reward" students who come to class. It's just so they aren't teaching an empty lecture hall (because that honestly would suck!)

 

[TheRealMD]

that's a d*ck move

Is it? Honestly, with the abuse recorded lectures get, there's a good reason besides cost that it hasn't been implemented in every classroom nationwide. No one would honestly come anymore.

 

[Rotinaj]

I guess I'm weird, but I actually enjoy science classes. If I have a good professor, finding out how stuff works is like watching something light on the History channel. Bad professors are the absolute worst.

 

[Isoprop]

i had a class with 90 people on the roster and only 7 attending every morning thanks to MediaVision 👍👍👍. this was an 8:30 class on bioinstrumentation (yuck)

great way to get an LOR by going to class.

 

[munnabhai]

Honestly I find those people who determine their entire curriculum / elective classes based on pick-a-prof to be unenlightened. I mean, a good GPA is important, but it should come secondary to learning. Skipping classes and selective studying is cheap.

but enough of the rant.

To do well, study hard... study not to get a 90 in the class, but rather to get a 100 on the test. If you strive for perfection (knowing all the details even if they werent covered in class) your understanding of the material will be very solid and grades wont be a worry. It is hard, but it is most rewarding.

 

[adamMD]

Is it? Honestly, with the abuse recorded lectures get, there's a good reason besides cost that it hasn't been implemented in every classroom nationwide. No one would honestly come anymore.

If you don't understand a concept, you can't raise your hand and ask a video. For this reason, going to class will always be superior to watching a video.

 

[adamMD]

To do well, study hard... study not to get a 90 in the class, but rather to get a 100 on the test. If you strive for perfection (knowing all the details even if they werent covered in class) your understanding of the material will be very solid and grades wont be a worry. It is hard, but it is most rewarding.

I have to disagree here. I understand that this may work for you, but no one will have time to do this in med school. With my feeble brain, I'll be lucky to remember half the material covered in med school lecture let alone try and learn material not covered in class. However, your point of making grades secondary to learning is right on. I never try to get an A in a course. Instead, I just try to learn as much as possible and attempt to form lasting memories of the really important areas.

 

[45408]

Is it? Honestly, with the abuse recorded lectures get, there's a good reason besides cost that it hasn't been implemented in every classroom nationwide. No one would honestly come anymore.

Yes, it is a jerk maneuver. I understand that professors like to lecture to a full hall, but lest they forget, I paid for college. They didn't pay me to come there and laugh at their dumb jokes and fall asleep as they explain a concept poorly. I went to almost all of my classes in undergrad, but I almost always resented being forced to go to them. Professors are usually at a university so they can do their research, and as a condition of that, they're required to teach. Some of these professors are terrible instructors, and forcing attendance is a ploy pulled by those who can't otherwise provide a compelling reason to attend class, and yes, I think that turning off the microphone is akin to forcing attendance.

 

[45408]

great way to get an LOR by going to class.

God forbid that he try to get his LOR from a prof that lectures at 11. 🙄

 

[Rotinaj]

Honestly I find those people who determine their entire curriculum / elective classes based on pick-a-prof to be unenlightened.

I wouldn't say anyone uses it to determine their entire curriculum. I use it mainly to avoid a truly bad professor. I also tend to stray from cakewalk professors unless it's a fluff course like Econ I for a biology major. Cakewalk professors don't teach you anything, they simply give you a copy of the test to study and lecture specifically on the most common questions. My favorite professors have graded pretty damn hard, but it was easy to learn the material from them because they were personable and intelligent.

 

[Bartelby]

Yes, it is a jerk maneuver. I understand that professors like to lecture to a full hall, but lest they forget, I paid for college.

Good point. A professor's job as far as teaching is concerned is to make sure students learn effectively. If they do so by staying at home and watching the lecture, why wreck it for them?

On how to study smart, read "actively." Don't just plunge in and start skimming your eyes over the page. Take a preview of what you will be reading, think about the topic before starting, and then pay attention to and think about what you are reading. Don't just read the material, learn it.

Also, don't underestimate a last minute "cramming" session. Reading and re-reading the material shortly before an exam (1-2 days) will keep the details fresh in your mind, and having the exam looming over you will help you keep your focus up.

 

[45408]

What's a "jerk maneuver"? Why don't you guys ever say it as it is on SDN? It's a d*ck move. Period.

Because that will earn you the title of "Probationary Status," good sir.

Good point. A professor's job as far as teaching is concerned is to make sure students learn effectively. If they do so by staying at home and watching the lecture, why wreck it for them?

Because it's depressing to lecture to an empty lecture hall, and if you're a terrible lecturer, it's probably too much work to actually become a good professor. Much easier to mandate attendance.

 

[munnabhai]

I have to disagree here. I understand that this may work for you, but no one will have time to do this in med school. With my feeble brain, I'll be lucky to remember half the material covered in med school lecture let alone try and learn material not covered in class. However, your point of making grades secondary to learning is right on. I never try to get an A in a course. Instead, I just try to learn as much as possible and attempt to form lasting memories of the really important areas.

As I am only a feeble premed, I cannot attest to how this strategy will work for med schools.

 

[luv2sd]

I realized that the best way to "study smart" is to attend every single lecture whether it's raining, snowing, thunderstorming, etc..

 

[jp61852n]

Definitely study whatever will be covered in lecture before class. What I do is for every class I outline the chapter to be covered before class and just put notes in the margin during lecture. Also by study smart not hard, I don't think anyone brought it up (I skipped a few on the way down), but don't stay up all night cramming. Study taking semi frequent breaks, and then get a damn good nights sleep, even if you don't finish all the material covered. Knowing the material isn't going to help if you can't think because you didn't get any sleep last night. And of course don't freak out. That'll just make you lose focus anyway. Pretty much all the obvious little things your teachers tell you. If you outline the material before class it sticks in your head, and then studying will seem easier and you'll absorb more!

 

[Flaxmoore]

If you can study to know everything, great. Do it. That's how I got through undergrad.

However, when you make it to medical school, this is impossible. The volume of data is simply too high, and with that, there are two words that may as well be written in gold...

High. Yield.

A perfect high yield question is one that has the chances of getting it right perfectly correlated with the score on the exam. 90% score, 90% chance. 50% score, 50% chance. Those are golden questions. Low yield? Those are more along the lines of "What is my cat named?". Random chance rules, unless you happen to remember that bit of minutia.

Go high yield, and all is well. I did this in the two med school blocks I too as an MS, and got an 82 and 81. 🙂

 

[Isoprop]

If you can study to know everything, great. Do it. That's how I got through undergrad.

However, when you make it to medical school, this is impossible. The volume of data is simply too high, and with that, there are two words that may as well be written in gold...

High. Yield.

A perfect high yield question is one that has the chances of getting it right perfectly correlated with the score on the exam. 90% score, 90% chance. 50% score, 50% chance. Those are golden questions. Low yield? Those are more along the lines of "What is my cat named?". Random chance rules, unless you happen to remember that bit of minutia.

Go high yield, and all is well. I did this in the two med school blocks I too as an MS, and got an 82 and 81. 🙂

AMEN!!! and congrats on your scores.

 

[TheRealMD]

If you don't understand a concept, you can't raise your hand and ask a video. For this reason, going to class will always be superior to watching a video.

People never ask questions in class (despite all the opportunities to do so). Besides, that's what office hours are for.

 

[TheRealMD]

I wouldn't say anyone uses it to determine their entire curriculum. I use it mainly to avoid a truly bad professor. I also tend to stray from cakewalk professors unless it's a fluff course like Econ I for a biology major. Cakewalk professors don't teach you anything, they simply give you a copy of the test to study and lecture specifically on the most common questions. My favorite professors have graded pretty damn hard, but it was easy to learn the material from them because they were personable and intelligent.

For example, I would have avoided a prof that I have now that it is their first time teaching. You have absolutely no idea what you need to know (and they barely do either). Lectures consist of reading from powerpoints and muttering "uhm" every 5 seconds.

Not that I'm so paranoid as to purposefully pick professors based on pick-a-prof (I've never paid for it), but it has it's uses once in a while. Of course, with med school, you don't get to pick your professors so sometimes pot luck is better. Gets you used to annoying lecture styles!

 

[MDpride]

well, different people have different learning style.
find out what kind of learner are you.
Also, try to learn other styles of learning.
visual, auditory, tactile etc.. are different styles of learning.

In addition to paying attention in lecture which happens sometimes , I like reading book because book has several examples to associate and remember the concept.

Also, book has diagrams that make learning and revision easier.

When I review, I look at the diagram and recall as much I can. Then, work on what I can't remember.

ONLY 3-5 ABSENCES ALLOWED IN MY COLLEGE PER SEM PER CLASS.

 

[Techmed07]

.....Study content so well that you can teach it.

And if you have friends less prepared than yourself find them and teach them the subject.


I believe some people call this "Study groups". Usually the only person studying (really..) is the person who knows the most and is teaching the subject

 

[sawood]

Someone mentioned high yield, this is totally the way to go.

Details that do not contribute to a foundation of knowledge necessary for more complex concepts will at most lose a few points on a test.

For example:
Understanding properties of hydrophobic or hydrophillic proteins/molecules VS. memorizing whether one particular protein is hydrophobic/philic. The former can be applied broadly, tested in many different ways, is relevent to many other concepts and classes. The latter is only relavent to that protein and will only be worthwhile if the teacher decides to ask that specific question.

Of course, this all depends on the teacher. I had an instructor who would ask several random ultra-specific questions on the tests to reward those students who went to class and didn't fall asleep.

 

[Green Grass]

I agree with most on here, start early and study a little everyday. That way your brain doesn't get fried and you have plenty of time to soak it all in. I normally start 6-7 days in advance of a test and try to cover a certain topic each night.

 

[maestro1625]

What works for me...

1. watching recorded lectures is much more efficient than going to class, especially if you have a fast-talking professor.

2. When studying, when you feel yourself nodding off a bit (usually after around an hour), STOP! Move onto a different subject and take 15 minutes to read Sports Illustrated.

3. Everything said above about high Yield.

4. Listen to "In Rainbows" in the background. I'm convinced this raised by grade by 5%.

5. Realize that perfectionism is illogical. You'll remove a lot of stress that way.

 

[0Complications]

People never ask questions in class (despite all the opportunities to do so). Besides, that's what office hours are for.

Hahahah!!! Obviously you've never had a class with me. I think that questions are paramount to a constantly analyzing, thinking brain. If you aren't coming up with questions either you don't understand what's going on, don't care, or should be teaching the class.

To answer the OP's question, I agree with most people on here; study for understanding of the concepts or umbrella ideas. If you have a solid understanding of the general concepts then you can usually deduce the minutia. Also, I would recommend paying attention to word roots. This is always a good way to narrow down a single unknown word into a more specific context.

 

[custard]

A perfect high yield question is one that has the chances of getting it right perfectly correlated with the score on the exam. 90% score, 90% chance. 50% score, 50% chance. Those are golden questions. Low yield? Those are more along the lines of "What is my cat named?". Random chance rules, unless you happen to remember that bit of minutia.

Can you explain this a little more? I sorta get it, but not quite. 😕

 

[maestro1625]

Hahahah!!! Obviously you've never had a class with me. I think that questions are paramount to a constantly analyzing, thinking brain. If you aren't coming up with questions either you don't understand what's going on, don't care, or should be teaching the class.

To answer the OP's question, I agree with most people on here; study for understanding of the concepts or umbrella ideas. If you have a solid understanding of the general concepts then you can usually deduce the minutia. Also, I would recommend paying attention to word roots. This is always a good way to narrow down a single unknown word into a more specific context.

you sound like one of those "front row kids" who slowed down the whole lecture.

 

[Isoprop]

i was thinking the same thing!

 

[Isoprop]

Can you explain this a little more? I sorta get it, but not quite. 😕

high yield = stuff that's likely to be on exam
low yield = minutia that is not likely to be on the exam or material that will take too long to understand

think of a graph of grade vs time studying. there are three shapes to reach a good grade: log-like, linear, and exponential-like.

you want to be at least linear or log-like but never exponential-like. if you study low yield first, you will spend a lot of time studying but with little return until you hit the high yield stuff, then your grade skyrockets. this is pretty ineffecient.

does this make sense????😕

edit: examples of places to find high yield questions: detailed syllabus, past exams, lecture notes, former students, etc.

 

[Flaxmoore]

Can you explain this a little more? I sorta get it, but not quite. 😕

Sure. A high-yield question is one that is based in major concepts, with enough detail that it requires studying. Ideally, those who study the course material (and thus get high grades) will have a better chance than those who don't study as much.

A high-yield question, for example, may be some biochemical mechanism covered in class. If you were there and studied it, you'll get it. If not, you won't. A low yield question would be something like asking what a professor's children are named- it's not something that is extensively covered, nor is it something that would be studied. Thus, getting it right is a matter of chance, regardless of the person's overall knowledge base.

Most professors shoot for questions that yield about 80% or more. In other words, 80% of those who got it did so because they studied the material, and only 20% guessed. I've seen yields as high as 90-95%, and as low as in the 50% range (those are normally discarded).

 

[custard]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[0Complications]

you sound like one of those "front row kids" who slowed down the whole lecture.

Yep. But I'm a front row kid who understands the material and ask questions to further expand my knowledge. That's what I pay for, right?

Although, I am a considerate front row kid, I try to limit my questions during class or not ask questions that will confuse the class, I save those for after class. 😉