How to get it?

[chemdoctor]

So I’m having some trouble getting the full A in Bio courses. I’ll either get an A- or a B+. But was wondering how to really get that A? How do all of you do it? I average low A’s and high B's on the exams and do decently well overall in the coursework, but I always come up short with an A- or a B+ or something. I know it's not a big deal, B's and A-s won't be what keep me out of medical school but I really feel like I can reach my full potential. Don't know what it is I am doing wrong though... Any tips? Have any of you consistently scored a high B low A and then done something else that got you up to that A level?

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[TRPMinus]

tinder EDIT: sorry did not originally read. study harder

 

[Oso]

Speaking broadly:

1. reevaluate your study methods
- what works best, flashcards, rewriting notes, drawing out diagrams/pathways, etc?
- maybe try a few new things out and see if you find any success. You may have to change things up for each class as well

2. reevaluate your time management
- are you spending enough time studying?
- do you start studying early enough?
- is your studying efficient?

3. are you really understanding things?
- are you getting too caught up in the details that you lose sight of overlying concepts?
- are you understanding the concepts but having trouble memorizing the tiny details?
- if you have lingering questions/confusion about the material that you can't figure out, go to office hours

4. test taking strategies
- do you run out of time?
- do you double check your work for silly mistakes?
- do you do poorly w/ a particular format, multiple choice vs short answer vs fill in the blank, etc.?

 

[stickgirl390]

Teach the material to someone else.

 

[Jdp00921]

Just to compliment @Oso, for me, studying consisted of a broad scope of methods. For some topics, I made flash cards, others, I just re-read ppts, others I would draw out diagrams, etc. Really you just need to figure out which type of topic requires which study method for you to really grasp both the big concept as well as the smaller details. Don't get caught up in being too rigid, try new methods. Also, teaching someone else really does help! Mostly, I study alone, but for certain classes it helped me to study with a small group and bounce ideas off of my peers!

Good Luck!

 

[Deleted member 737595]

What I notice in students who consistently make A's is that they study every single day of the week, be it a weekend, a holiday, whatever. They study the least for exams on the night before, and they probably study less overall than other students. But the key is to start studying on Day 1 and to keep studying ever single day, even if its just for thirty minutes or forty minutes per class. If you are not already doing this, I can almost guarantee this will bring you to the high A level.

For example, lets say you have class Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Sunday night: pre-read Monday lecture, read the textbook for the lecture. Write any questions you may have going in to lecture

Monday: go to lecture and take notes. When you go home, go over the notes and try to quiz yourself in some way. Make questions or cover a part and recite it. For biochem, write out the pathway.

Tuesday: redo your review of Monday's notes. It'll be quicker this time. Pre-read Wednesday's lecture

Wednesday: go to lecture and take notes. When you go home, go over the notes and try to quiz yourself in some way. Make questions or cover a part and recite it. Pre-read Thursday lecture

Thursday; go to lecture and take notes, et cetera. Go over wednesday's work.

Friday: Review Thursday material

Saturday/Sunday: Pre-read Monday's material et cetera.

Next week: corresponding to each day, go over last weeks notes and do the same thing. Now you are practicing spaced repetition and will be MILES ahead of the competition just by doing this alone.

 

[TRPMinus]

What I notice in students who consistently make A's is that they study every single day of the week, be it a weekend, a holiday, whatever. They study the least for exams on the night before, and they probably study less overall than other students. But the key is to start studying on Day 1 and to keep studying ever single day, even if its just for thirty minutes or forty minutes per class. If you are not already doing this, I can almost guarantee this will bring you to the high A level.

For example, lets say you have class Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Sunday night: pre-read Monday lecture, read the textbook for the lecture. Write any questions you may have going in to lecture

Monday: go to lecture and take notes. When you go home, go over the notes and try to quiz yourself in some way. Make questions or cover a part and recite it. For biochem, write out the pathway.

Tuesday: redo your review of Monday's notes. It'll be quicker this time. Pre-read Wednesday's lecture

Wednesday: go to lecture and take notes. When you go home, go over the notes and try to quiz yourself in some way. Make questions or cover a part and recite it. Pre-read Thursday lecture

Thursday; go to lecture and take notes, et cetera. Go over wednesday's work.

Friday: Review Thursday material

Saturday/Sunday: Pre-read Monday's material et cetera.

Next week: corresponding to each day, go over last weeks notes and do the same thing. Now you are practicing spaced repetition and will be MILES ahead of the competition just by doing this alone.

Would second this. You won't find the best students staying up all night before the exam, arriving disheveled and looking like they spent a night in jail. They've been doing a little bit all along and let me tell you it pays off

 

[Oso]

Teach the material to someone else.

+ 1

Or at the very least sit in your room and explain stuff out loud to yourself, so much different than just thinking about things in your head.