I didn't even study....and got an A

[CaptainSSO]

That is a direct reference to me. If you read the rest of it critically, you'd know the purpose of my post was not an ego stroke. OP was claiming most people make stuff up when they say stuff like that. I gave an example of two test I did not study for and still ended up with an A in the class. Meaning...even though some may exaggerate, sometimes there may be some truth to their statements. To just simplify it by claiming everyone else is lying is pain ignorance. That itself can be seen as an "ego stroking" defense mechanism.

BTW, in real life, I did not tell anyone about this because it never came up. Posting this online wouldn't stroke my ego as no one knows who I am. But i guess posting a real life experience in a thread about that very subject makes me the "liar", "insecure", or looking to "stroke my ego".

Yea, keep "laughing" at this thread, I'm laughing right back at you. Because on this subject you think you know, but I actually know.

It was actually not a direct reference to you (I have no idea who you are), but nice job getting defensive and pointing out your own insecurity.

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[Earl Grey]

I find that a good amount of lower division classes you can generally get by without studying as long as you can listen intently.

For science and math-based classes, it definitely takes some studying. For some not so much as others but it most people definitely need a double take on the material.

Personally I don't need to study too much but I go to one of those super easy state schools where my high school AP classes are twice as hard as their college equivalent.

 

[tncekm]

You know those pre-meds- they make the nefarious claim of not having studied for an exam, and STILL making that "A". I hate them. Why? Because of four reasons:

1) Their claim is completely false

2) They say it to embellish their grade and ego

3) They throw your study skills out of whack (or at least try to)

4) They are almost always the gunner pre-meds.

My question is: Why bother? Have you guys had any such experiences? How do you respond?

Some people don't lie about it, some people do. It doesn't matter, honestly. Med school isn't all for "braniacs", it's for hard workers. A good work ethic is a much better asset than a huge brain in medical school. I'm willing to trade IQ points for the ability to study like a mad man.

 

[VOP]

It was actually not a direct reference to you (I have no idea who you are), but nice job getting defensive and pointing out your own insecurity.

Taking a stance in your position is not insecurity, the example you were mimicking was almost exactly as the post I had listed. But instead of seeing how it could be misunderstood if that wasn't your intention, you went right for the "insult". That behavior itself could be seen was "insecure"

 

[libraryismyhome]

It happens a lot.

For me, it took me about 3 days to study for physics which would normally take 1 to 2 weeks for the most. But I need to study for bio for like 10 days and this would take 5 days for the stellar premeds.

 

[thesauce]

OP: there are quite different definitions of the phrase "not studying"

It's even worse in medical school. You'll hear people say this just before going home and feverishly putting in 8hrs.

One day, we were in a small group session for biochem and someone was saying how he "never studied." Another student challenged him on it and he said "seriously, I don't start preparing for the exam until 2 weeks before!" Everyone just started laughing.

 

[s1lver]

Am I the only one who always say I got a D or F every time?

 

[Suenya]

Hahaha yea that is exactly what this thread is. An ego stroking session. People are listing off class after class that they didn't study for, followed by naming a class they studied for and got a B. Got to at least keep up appearances.

By they way, guys -- I didn't study for organic, biochemistry, physics, calculus I or II, anatomy and physiology, or cell bio. BUT I'm not bragging! I studied a lot for basket weaving and still got a B+. There was a guy in my class who studied far less than me and got a far better grade. So I hate when people brag about getting As w/o studying.


Saying it online is pretty cool, though. You da man!

Yes, noone could be drawn to the thread by the over strong generalizations of the OP to try to give him some evidence to the contrary. Of course, any evidence to the contrary is bragging.

Along those lines:

Noone ever got over a 28 on the MCAT. If they said they did, it's just to make those that didn't get a 28 feel bad.

Anyway, go troll more. I'm sure its appreciated.

 

[tncekm]

OP: there are quite different definitions of the phrase "not studying"

It's even worse in medical school. You'll hear people say this just before going home and feverishly putting in 8hrs.

One day, we were in a small group session for biochem and someone was saying how he "never studied." Another student challenged him on it and he said "seriously, I don't start preparing for the exam until 2 weeks before!" Everyone just started laughing.

LOL. That always cracks me up. It's very true though, "not studying" is a relative thing.

 

[riverjib]

LOL. That always cracks me up. It's very true though, "not studying" is a relative thing.

Very true! Not studying for me means that (in most cases) I have attended lectures but haven't looked at the material outside of lecture, and I intend to cram in the few days before the exam. Others haven't attended lectures, read, or looked at the posted material on the course website...that is truly NOT studying until the last minute.

Last week, I had an exam. Monday morning, my classmate approached me in lecture, feverishly insisting we should get together to study because she hadn't studied at all, and was convinced she was screwed. We met in the library Tuesday, and I was woefully unprepared, having just started my reading the day before. She quickly got fed up, and told me to just look at her notes. Her notes were carefully prepared third drafts of her lecture notes that included everything from our text and online resources! She had spent at least five hours with TA's and our professors asking questions.

So define studying! She did more before "formally" studying than I do when studying for an exam. She spent four days intensely studying the material, after weeks of preparing thoroughly. She was always the one who claimed she "hardly studied" but still managed to sleep the night before our major exams. Now I understand why...she was studying harder than most all along, but only chose to call it studying in the days before the exam. I'm certainly not attacking her for working hard and keeping on top of her (relatively light) course load, but she's a perfect example of those who claim to effortlessly ace an exam, despite putting in more hours than most of us to on three courses for each class she takes!

 

[apumic]

Very true! Not studying for me means that (in most cases) I have attended lectures but haven't looked at the material outside of lecture, and I intend to cram in the few days before the exam. Others haven't attended lectures, read, or looked at the posted material on the course website...that is truly NOT studying until the last minute.

Last week, I had an exam. Monday morning, my classmate approached me in lecture, feverishly insisting we should get together to study because she hadn't studied at all, and was convinced she was screwed. We met in the library Tuesday, and I was woefully unprepared, having just started my reading the day before. She quickly got fed up, and told me to just look at her notes. Her notes were carefully prepared third drafts of her lecture notes that included everything from our text and online resources! She had spent at least five hours with TA's and our professors asking questions.

So define studying! She did more before "formally" studying than I do when studying for an exam. She spent four days intensely studying the material, after weeks of preparing thoroughly. She was always the one who claimed she "hardly studied" but still managed to sleep the night before our major exams. Now I understand why...she was studying harder than most all along, but only chose to call it studying in the days before the exam. I'm certainly not attacking her for working hard and keeping on top of her (relatively light) course load, but she's a perfect example of those who claim to effortlessly ace an exam, despite putting in more hours than most of us to on three courses for each class she takes!

Haha, I guess we need to come up w/ an operational definition of "no studying," then. How about we call hours of studying "any contact w/ material outside of going to lecture, to include discussions with peers about said subjects, reading before or after class, doing non-credited problems (i.e., those for which no course credit/points is/are given), going to office hours, reading supplemental materials, or doing any other activity which one might reasonably expect to enhance performance in that subject area except that which would be reasonably expected to enhance performance in ANY/ALL [academic] performance areas (i.e., sleeping, eating properly, etc.)," and then consider how many hours/week of "studying" (by the above definition) one needs to obtain an "A" in O-Chem. Per that definition, I studied <<1 hr/wk on non-test weeks and about 3-5 hrs the week of the test.

 

[riverjib]

Haha, I guess we need to come up w/ an operational definition of "no studying," then. How about we call hours of studying "any contact w/ material outside of going to lecture, to include discussions with peers about said subjects, reading before or after class, doing non-credited problems (i.e., those for which no course credit/points is/are given), going to office hours, reading supplemental materials, or doing any other activity which one might reasonably expect to enhance performance in that subject area except that which would be reasonably expected to enhance performance in ANY/ALL [academic] performance areas (i.e., sleeping, eating properly, etc.)," and then consider how many hours/week of "studying" (by the above definition) one needs to obtain an "A" in O-Chem. Per that definition, I studied <<1 hr/wk on non-test weeks and about 3-5 hrs the week of the test.

Wow! I'm impressed. I don't go to biochem lectures--the professors in this particular class are simultaneously rude and completely uninspiring. I did literally nothing before last week, but that's unusual for me. Typically, I go to lecture and study a few days in advance. Our lectures weren't even posted online, so Monday, I got all the lecture material, and started reading Monday night. I spent all my free time in the next few days studying.

If you have a 4.0 (or close to it) studying as little as you do, you're either incredibly blessed, or your school has fairly low standards lol! Either way, I'm jealous I had to study. We had to know everything about translation and transcription, including the various pathways and enzymes for DNA/RNA synthesis in pro/eukaryotes, as well as repair systems. If you can get all of that down to the point where you can draw out all the different pathways in under 5 hours, you're my hero!

 

[JoshUNCW]

Pshhh, I've never ounce opened a book or been to a lecture. Did I mention I have a solid 4.0 GPA? Oh yeah. Did I just throw all your studying out of whack again?

Dude, who cares what others say about their studying. Worry about your own studying. It's comical that someone saying they don't study could mess with people so hard.

 

[African]

In my med school, i do not know anyone who gets an A without studying, i get A's and study like hell for it, but i do have to concede that i never studied hard in primary and middle school but still topped my class, but university is a whole lot different, i might be wrong, but if you do not study for biochem and still get an A, you must be in some second tier college, where a watered down biochem course is taught with not so challenging exam.

 

[tncekm]

In my med school, i do not know anyone who gets an A without studying, i get A's and study like hell for it, but i do have to concede that i never studied hard in primary and middle school but still topped my class, but university is a whole lot different, i might be wrong, but if you do not study for biochem and still get an A, you must be in some second tier college, where a watered down biochem course is taught with not so challenging exam.

That might be the case for some people, but not for others. I know of a guy who put in about 4-6hrs on the morning of his biochem final exam, and that was it, and not only did he receive the highest score in the class on the final, but also the highest score in the class altogether. Maybe it was a 2nd rate class, maybe not. I tend to think not because this guy also tended to score toward the top of his medical school biochemistry exams without significant effort, but much more so than in undergrad.

 

[JoshUNCW]

Some people are just smarter than other people. Even in college. Even in med school. These smarter people will be able to study far less and receive the same or a higher grade just because they can retain information easier and are able to put it together in a meaningful way. Doesn't make them better or worse. But also doesn't make them "liars." They just are who they are.

 

[African]

That might be the case for some people, but not for others. I know of a guy who put in about 4-6hrs on the morning of his biochem final exam, and that was it, and not only did he receive the highest score in the class on the final, but also the highest score in the class altogether. Maybe it was a 2nd rate class, maybe not. I tend to think not because this guy also tended to score toward the top of his medical school biochemistry exams without significant effort, but much more so than in undergrad.

I am in a class of 400, and i pretty much know those who do really well in exams and they study like hell for them. Chemistry and Biochem have always been my favourites and if anybody should pass them with no problems it should be me, True i hardly go to class and when i do i sleep thru it, lectures are just boring, but i still make sure i get an A BY STUDYING LIKE AN ANIMAL.

I will give some weight to the argument that american courses being way too easy, here in belgium where i study NO ONE would dare study for 8hours for a 2000 page course with practicals and expect to pass it, seriously, the exam is both written and oral, the questions the prof will ask in the oral part are just too detailed, without memorizing stuff you will definitely FAIL. NO genius can pass in our exams without studying for them, that is how they are set, period. If this helps we take a competitive entrance exam to get admitted to med school and the best and the brightest get in, we are not a bunch of average kids.

 

[298609]

i didn't study....and got an A. but then again we've got a situation up in my head.

 

[OCizzle]

i didn't study....and got an A. but then again we've got a situation up in my head.

 

[tncekm]

I am in a class of 400, and i pretty much know those who do really well in exams and they study like hell for them. Chemistry and Biochem have always been my favourites and if anybody should pass them with no problems it should be me, True i hardly go to class and when i do i sleep thru it, lectures are just boring, but i still make sure i get an A BY STUDYING LIKE AN ANIMAL.

And, that's the case for the vast majority of people who do really well.

I will give some weight to the argument that american courses being way too easy

Go ahead. Do whatever you want. But, while that may be true for many US public high schools, that doesn't work for our undergraduate institutions. Say what you want, many of our universities are considered the best in the world.

NO genius can pass in our exams without studying for them, that is how they are set, period. If this helps we take a competitive entrance exam to get admitted to med school and the best and the brightest get in, we are not a bunch of average kids.

That depends greatly on the type of test, and even then I'm still positive there are people who can get away with it. E.g. people with incredibly photographic memories can probably get away with studying a minimal amount for a class that requires extensive memorization. People who have incredible problem solving abilities may get away with studying minimally for a physiology exam, etc.

While I agree that MOST people who say they don't study much are liars, there REALLY are people who are smart enough that they can put in a ridiculously limited study session and do well. I know, I know... it's hard to comprehend when your brain isn't capable of it. But, people like that REALLY do exist.

EDIT: That same guy I told you about who studied for his biochem class the morning of and recieved the highest grade in the class overall and on the final, he also studied for his physics (algebra based, he was a premed) final for one day before the exam and score the only 100% that professor said he ever remembered giving out on a final. And, this professor was teaching physics at a big UC prior to getting the job at this particular university as head of the physics dept. He also studied minimally for his organic chemistry class and final, putting in about 1/2 day for his nationally standardized ACS exam. He scored in the 94th percentile nationally on the ACS and had the highest grade in the class that the organic chem professor had ever given out. I know FOR A FACT that this guy isn't lying. And, you know what? There are waaaaay smarter people than this guy in our world.

 

[tncekm]

Some people are just smarter than other people. Even in college. Even in med school. These smarter people will be able to study far less and receive the same or a higher grade just because they can retain information easier and are able to put it together in a meaningful way. Doesn't make them better or worse. But also doesn't make them "liars." They just are who they are.

Bingo. It also won't make them better at what they do. Far more than intelligence, motivation defines people!

 

[TehDoc]

Honestly I don't ask people about their grades or tell people my grades but if they ask, I tell them the truth. Most of the time I read or go over math problems mentally the morning before a test. Although sometimes I just say I studied all weekend or something along those lines.

 

[apumic]

And, that's the case for the vast majority of people who do really well.

Go ahead. Do whatever you want. But, while that may be true for many US public high schools, that doesn't work for our undergraduate institutions. Say what you want, many of our universities are considered the best in the world.


That depends greatly on the type of test, and even then I'm still positive there are people who can get away with it. E.g. people with incredibly photographic memories can probably get away with studying a minimal amount for a class that requires extensive memorization. People who have incredible problem solving abilities may get away with studying minimally for a physiology exam, etc.

While I agree that MOST people who say they don't study much are liars, there REALLY are people who are smart enough that they can put in a ridiculously limited study session and do well. I know, I know... it's hard to comprehend when your brain isn't capable of it. But, people like that REALLY do exist.

EDIT: That same guy I told you about who studied for his biochem class the morning of and recieved the highest grade in the class overall and on the final, he also studied for his physics (algebra based, he was a premed) final for one day before the exam and score the only 100% that professor said he ever remembered giving out on a final. And, this professor was teaching physics at a big UC prior to getting the job at this particular university as head of the physics dept. He also studied minimally for his organic chemistry class and final, putting in about 1/2 day for his nationally standardized ACS exam. He scored in the 94th percentile nationally on the ACS and had the highest grade in the class that the organic chem professor had ever given out. I know FOR A FACT that this guy isn't lying. And, you know what? There are waaaaay smarter people than this guy in our world.

^This is THE TRUTH.


The mentor of a former professor of mine was one of these people. His area of research was in quantitative psychology and psychometrics. You could hand him a multiple choice test in a language he had never seen before and he would always get above a 75% on it w/o even having to know what the test questions were asking!

Other people I have known are similar to what you described in that it takes very little studying to receive an A. For those people, it's actually somewhat difficult to imagine having to work that hard to attain a similar grade -- just as it is hard for you to believe such people exist! Personally, I can't imagine spending 20+ hrs studying for an ochem exam. It sounds like hell to do it very often. Committing 100 hrs to practicing for a recital is one thing -- you see progress and have something to show for it -- but 20+ hrs on ochem for every test just sounds kind of tedious and frustrating to me; I'd want my life back!

 

[Slowpoke]

is this thread really still going on?

Heres the low down:

If you are able to study minimally and still do well on your exam, good for you, keep it to yourself. Why? Because your classmates who bust their butts and get lower grades than you will ostrictize you for being so far up your own crevice that you gloat to everyone. These are the types of individuals that make the "pre-med" image look bad. Consistenly trying to 1-up everyone and being "that" guy. There are exceptions as when it is appropiate to share this information, but most of the time I've heard it in a very egotistical way that you just want to roundhouse kick the individual.

 

[GoRiceOwls]

is this thread really still going on?

Took the words out of my mouth!

 

[tncekm]

^This is THE TRUTH.


The mentor of a former professor of mine was one of these people. His area of research was in quantitative psychology and psychometrics. You could hand him a multiple choice test in a language he had never seen before and he would always get above a 75% on it w/o even having to know what the test questions were asking!

Other people I have known are similar to what you described in that it takes very little studying to receive an A. For those people, it's actually somewhat difficult to imagine having to work that hard to attain a similar grade -- just as it is hard for you to believe such people exist! Personally, I can't imagine spending 20+ hrs studying for an ochem exam. It sounds like hell to do it very often. Committing 100 hrs to practicing for a recital is one thing -- you see progress and have something to show for it -- but 20+ hrs on ochem for every test just sounds kind of tedious and frustrating to me; I'd want my life back!

Yah, the drawback to it all is that when you DO have to study hard, say like when you get into med school, you're not very well prepared for it. lol... or at least that's what that dude I know says

 

[apumic]

Yah, the drawback to it all is that when you DO have to study hard, say like when you get into med school, you're not very well prepared for it. lol... or at least that's what that dude I know says

Yep. 'Tis true. I've hit "walls" before and it's a steeper curve than I suspect it would be otherwise. I think overall it's better to be near the middle of the curve as that's where people are challenged most consistently. Being "to the right" can be both a blessing and a curse. I just find the OP's statement kind of annoying and I think I'd find it insulting if I were one of his friends/peers and being called "a liar" right now. Fact is we all have our strengths and weaknesses and they are what make us unique. On SDN, it's funny how it's okay to talk about weaknesses or to insult those with strengths we don't possess but responses to those strengths by people who possess them are found to be "offensive" or boastful, regardless of how they are delivered.

 

[murfettie]

sometimes classes like this make me feel pretty concerned.
i think i'm a terrible student, who doesn't put in enough time, doesn't know the stuff well, etc.
so whenever i do well, without putting in really that much time, i feel very.. hm.. apprehensive, i don't think i understand the stuff well at all...
but i never tell people in my class that i don't study, sometiems i say "i don't feel comfortable with the material"..

 

[tncekm]

On SDN, it's funny how it's okay to talk about weaknesses or to insult those with strengths we don't possess but responses to those strengths by people who possess them are found to be "offensive" or boastful, regardless of how they are delivered.

It's not just SDN, it's life in general. People are essentially punished all the time for excellence by the "majority" whenever they have the chance--often through legislation / legal proceedings, where numbers matter.

Our culuture has gotten all twisted up and backward. We used to reward excellence, now we try to equalize; that's a bad thing when the lower end carries a much heavier weight.

 

[apumic]

sometimes classes like this make me feel pretty concerned.
i think i'm a terrible student, who doesn't put in enough time, doesn't know the stuff well, etc.
so whenever i do well, without putting in really that much time, i feel very.. hm.. apprehensive, i don't think i understand the stuff well at all...
but i never tell people in my class that i don't study, sometiems i say "i don't feel comfortable with the material"..

IME, that often means you're actually one of the smartest students. I've noticed that for friends I've had that are in the top 5% or so of every class we have together, they usually far underestimate their command of the material. On tests, they get challenged a bit and think they "blew it" but end up with a 95% or a 99% or whatever because they knew how to get the answer without being sure they were doing it right. If you are doing well most of the time w/o having to study, I would guess you are one of those top students. Sometimes they don't feel as strong as they are.

It's not just SDN, it's life in general. People are essentially punished all the time for excellence by the "majority" whenever they have the chance--often through legislation / legal proceedings, where numbers matter.

Our culuture has gotten all twisted up and backward. We used to reward excellence, now we try to equalize; that's a bad thing when the lower end carries a much heavier weight.

Sadly, you're right. It's been that way throughout history. Think of the great philosophers and scientists. Many (most?) were exiled, "excommunicated," or killed (or threatened with death) for their "transgressions" of disagreeing with the [false] majority opinion of the time. Ugh....

 

[sewcurious]

IME, that often means you're actually one of the smartest students. I've noticed that for friends I've had that are in the top 5% or so of every class we have together, they usually far underestimate their command of the material. On tests, they get challenged a bit and think they "blew it" but end up with a 95% or a 99% or whatever because they knew how to get the answer without being sure they were doing it right. If you are doing well most of the time w/o having to study, I would guess you are one of those top students. Sometimes they don't feel as strong as they are.



Sadly, you're right. It's been that way throughout history. Think of the great philosophers and scientists. Many (most?) were exiled, "excommunicated," or killed (or threatened with death) for their "transgressions" of disagreeing with the [false] majority opinion of the time. Ugh....

I think there is a bit of hubris up in here. People getting upset at someone who brags (whether it is true or not) insensitively are not persecuting you they are responding (right or wrong) to how you are making them feel (like ****). People who do it are not doing it to help, nor are they discovering that we actually live in a heliocentric universe, they are being rude and classless purposefully to make other people feel insecure. If you can not study and do great. Congrats, that's amazing! The academic part of you life must be easier than most. But the OP, ur classmates, your professors, etc don't want to hear about it. Have some self-confidence and keep it to yourself, just be sensitive to others and realize that in our society most people in America distrust academics because they see them as condescending (which you only give evidence of when you brag).

As to the people persecuted, I absolutely agree. But overall, every person in the history of the world who was killed by someone else occurred because one person felt the other person was somehow less than them and they therefore had the right to do whatever they wanted to them. Kind of like when people are unempathetic to their classmates and decide that their desire to feel better about themselves matters more than how they make their classmate feel.

As doctors many of our patients (esp. during training) will be poor with limited educational accomplishments. How about we practice being sensitive on people we should be able to relate to even more...our classmates.

 

[anonymous555]

Look, the people that rub it in your face are *******s. However, there really are people that don't study (much) and get an 'A'. However, those people either learn to study at some point, or don't really go that far. They just have an easier ride for a while. A lot of people would consider me to be like that. Fortunately I also know how to work my ass off, but I didn't always.

I was a terrible high school student, and a terrible student my first ~2 years of undergrad. I managed to get pretty reasonable grades the entire time though. For me, I always just hated going to class. I never bragged about outscoring classmates, but if a professor ever made a comment about my grades or somebody happened to see one of my scores, it was apparent what was going on since they'd never see me in class. For example, in first semester gen chem, I went to lecture a total of 4 times (first day, 2 midterms, and the final), read the book the day before the test, and got an A-. I did the same for calc-based physics I and got a B+. Certainly not stellar grades, but there were also people that worked there ass off for lesser scores. Again, I tried my best to hide any of that simply because I don't like that kind of attention. I was simply a bad student who would actually do OK on tests, and I knew that would rub a lot of people the wrong way.

After a couple of years, I got the partying out of my system, started becoming more interested in the material, and would study things simply because I was interested in them. I work my ass off now, and it feels good. The people that noticed I got good grades without working when I was a freshmen that were able to not be jealous / bitter / whatever about it became good study partners later on. They realized I was smart and would come to me with questions, and in turn their work ethic wore off on me. The people that were competitive with me and never let it go would still try to compete with me even though I wasn't competing. It didn't do them any good, and I really couldn't care less because they were *******s about that too.

I think it's important to realize that being smart has the potential disadvantage that you don't need to learn how to work hard until you're pretty far along. In fact, if you're the right kind of lazy, you can get by without ever working very hard at all. Those people will never go on to be surgeons or revolutionize their field simply because those things take work regardless of how intelligent you are. I know a few people like that.

Long story short, if someone is bragging to you about how they don't study, it's probably bull****. However, those people really are out there, but they're probably not who you think they are. Regardless, what does it matter to you? As someone pointed out earlier, you should do what YOU need to do to be successful. The recipe isn't the same for everyone. If it means studying 40 hours a week, do that. If it means relaxing the day before a test, do that. Don't get into this cutthroat, I-need-to-outdo-everyone rut, otherwise you could easily get stuck in that for a very long time. Find a few classmates that you enjoy being with, that push you to be better without competing with you, and ignore the rest.

 

[NameAlreadyTake]

Plain and simple some schools are just easier than others. The material taught may be similar, but the teaching methods, the difficulty of the textbooks, the difficulty of the exams, the grading, etc won't be. Also I think the only time someone can say they didn't study for a test/exam is if the only thing they did was attend lectures/labs/tutorials.

 

[CaptainSSO]

Yes, noone could be drawn to the thread by the over strong generalizations of the OP to try to give him some evidence to the contrary. Of course, any evidence to the contrary is bragging.

Along those lines:

Noone ever got over a 28 on the MCAT. If they said they did, it's just to make those that didn't get a 28 feel bad.

Anyway, go troll more. I'm sure its appreciated.

I have no idea what you are trying to say. Please learn how to form a coherent, rational thought. I'm sure it would be appreciated.

 

[riverjib]

Some people don't lie about it, some people do. It doesn't matter, honestly. Med school isn't all for "braniacs", it's for hard workers. A good work ethic is a much better asset than a huge brain in medical school. I'm willing to trade IQ points for the ability to study like a mad man.

So true! Medical school is about assimilating incredible quantities of information in a ridiculously short amount of time. I'm still trying to learn study techniques that will help me in med school...undergrad science classes may be more detailed, but time is on our side. Med school requires such a different skill set that I'm forced to think that the MCAT actually is the best predictor of success (though I hate the exam) because you have to integrate so much knowledge so quickly.

 

[Morsetlis]

Oh god this thread is still alive.

 

[sewcurious]

.

 

[ar2388]

also, those people will get to medical school and will get a rude wake up call when they are expected to know every single detail of the 15 lectures youve covered over the past 2 weeks and the only way to do that is to go over the material 2-5 times (person dependent)

 

[starkcrazy]

the best study plans are individualized. just because one person says they 'never study' and get all As - doesn't neccessarily mean that it will work for everyone else.

also, i've found that in medical school - often the ones who talk the talk dont neccessarily have the grades to back it up. it's all an intimidation tactic (or a pathetic attempt of boosing one's ego). our top scorers are actually humble quiet and not as caught up with the latest thing to stress out over.

 

[thesauce]

also, those people will get to medical school and will get a rude wake up call when they are expected to know every single detail of the 15 lectures youve covered over the past 2 weeks and the only way to do that is to go over the material 2-5 times (person dependent)

And FYI: it gets even worse. When our school combined Path and Pharm, they started giving an exam every 2 weeks so as not to make it overwhelming. Our first couple exams were over 20 lectures, then 25 for a few more, then 40 for the second to last one, and then 61 for the very last test! It was unreal, but people still managed to get in the 90s on it!

 

[FutureOrthoDoc]

Me nevur studyed fore inglish, and it is my bestest subjekt.

 

[ar2388]

And FYI: it gets even worse. When our school combined Path and Pharm, they started giving an exam every 2 weeks so as not to make it overwhelming. Our first couple exams were over 20 lectures, then 25 for a few more, then 40 for the second to last one, and then 61 for the very last test! It was unreal, but people still managed to get in the 90s on it!

how does one even process that? we have exams every 10-14 days usually.. 61 lectures?? our worst was probably 25ish so far i think

 

[thesauce]

how does one even process that? we have exams every 10-14 days usually.. 61 lectures?? our worst was probably 25ish so far i think

It was obscene. I did well on the 40 lecture one, but not that last one. I'm simply unable to do 61 lectures in 2 weeks. I know that now.

 

[JenniferRU]

I never brag about exams.. because i find that it always comes back to bite you in the A** when you do brag.
I keep quiet, when asked i just answer yeah i studied.

 

[jpatel]

This thread is absolute crap. Anyone here or anywhere who claims they didn't study is BSing. Nothing comes easy. Everyone needs to sit down and study to absorb and understand material.

I see people in here acting like how physics just comes to them. F = ma might be easy but still learning the normal force and frictional force and how they work takes time to understand. They don't just come to people. Gen Chem isn't easy either. Looking back as seniors, we might feel its easy now but it wasn't easy when u learned it. Algebra doesn't come naturally to people. You and I all had to struggle to learn it may be when we were in 9th grade. It is easier for some people to understand lets say organic chemistry compared to physics but they still spend time learning organic chemistry.

Even the most brightest had to study and would easily qualify as "studying" no matter what definition you use. And lets all not forget just because we can learn something from the book, memorize facts and perform well on test doesn't mean we are going to be successful. Noone is going to care what your gpa or mcat score was 10 years from now. Real life is completely different.

 

[tncekm]

This thread is absolute crap. Anyone here or anywhere who claims they didn't study is BSing. Nothing comes easy. Everyone needs to sit down and study to absorb and understand material.

I see people in here acting like how physics just comes to them. F = ma might be easy but still learning the normal force and frictional force and how they work takes time to understand. They don't just come to people.

Yes, it does just come easy to some people. Ha, ha. Like I said, someone I know exceptionally well was that exact case for physics, biochem, etc. Heck, he did that well and was practically a high school dropout without any experience in the sciences in high school (graduated from an "alternative school") and only very basic math education (9th grade algebra) when he started college. I understand that since it seems impossible to you, you're unable to comprehend it. But, it's the truth.

 

[tncekm]

also, those people will get to medical school and will get a rude wake up call when they are expected to know every single detail of the 15 lectures youve covered over the past 2 weeks and the only way to do that is to go over the material 2-5 times (person dependent)

Absolutely. We often have about 30 lectures per test, and it's intense. It's NOTHING like undergrad. Ha, ha. Just soooooo many details--and, memorizing details is much different from simply understanding concepts.

 

[StormingWynn]

Yes, it does just come easy to some people. Ha, ha. Like I said, someone I know exceptionally well was that exact case for physics, biochem, etc. Heck, he did that well and was practically a high school dropout without any experience in the sciences in high school (graduated from an "alternative school") and only very basic math education (9th grade algebra) when he started college. I understand that since it seems impossible to you, you're unable to comprehend it. But, it's the truth.

So true. Some people are just able to grasp concepts on their first time seeing the material and don't require extraneous amounts of time outside of class preparing and understanding the material. I myself was one and still am one of those people. I was able to understand physics concepts on my first or second time seeing it and the only "studying" I did was the require homework (professor made us do 20 problems for the book, he would then pick 5 random ones and that'd be worth 20 percent of our grade). I managed to get A's in all 5 exams and was the only person to get 90+ on the final (I got a 96). However, in other subjects, I'm the complete opposite. I have to spend a lot of time studying and improving myself. My ability to do the "not study and still get A's" only applies to certain subjects, so don't get me wrong and mark me as "un-humble." lol

 

[riverjib]

This thread is absolute crap. Anyone here or anywhere who claims they didn't study is BSing. Nothing comes easy. Everyone needs to sit down and study to absorb and understand material.

I see people in here acting like how physics just comes to them. F = ma might be easy but still learning the normal force and frictional force and how they work takes time to understand. They don't just come to people. Gen Chem isn't easy either. Looking back as seniors, we might feel its easy now but it wasn't easy when u learned it. Algebra doesn't come naturally to people. You and I all had to struggle to learn it may be when we were in 9th grade. It is easier for some people to understand lets say organic chemistry compared to physics but they still spend time learning organic chemistry.

Even the most brightest had to study and would easily qualify as "studying" no matter what definition you use. And lets all not forget just because we can learn something from the book, memorize facts and perform well on test doesn't mean we are going to be successful. Noone is going to care what your gpa or mcat score was 10 years from now. Real life is completely different.

True for some, but not for others. I initially went into engineering because my AP physics professor told me I had an aptitude for it. I didn't! I was good because I studied hard, but engineering kicked my butt.

My brother-in-law had a HUGE wake-up call when he started an engineering PhD program and had to WORK to produce research results. He didn't study physics, math, or chemistry in high school. He was a good student, and graduated salutatorian, but he spent more time on papers and studying for history exams than he ever put into math or physical science. In college, he wasn't worried about grades because he was only interested in getting a degree and not interested in grad school. He played video games and relaxed and pulled off a 3.94 or so without studying. He only worked reasonably hard while he was taking "core" classes like English, history, etc. After that, he relaxed. Grad school was a tough adjustment, because he has to work hard to get results.

I'm not responding only to your statement. I only bring this up because you mentioned physics, but I'm also responding to those who boast that they have such multi-faceted skills that they don't have to put in any time studying. We all have our talents, and for some, conceptual classes like physics and math are really, really easy. But biochem, pharm, and memorization-based classes require work. Conceptually, they're easy, but I challenge anyone who hasn't seen the Krebs cycle to draw it out after seeing it for fifteen minutes in lecture. Surely, there is someone out there who can pull it off, but it's rare for someone to have a truly photographic memory..and it's highly unlikely that the same person with that ability can ace thermonuclear dynamics without studying. Most of us have to work (more than 4-5 hours) to master the material for a biochem final.

And even those who are truly "geniuses" who breeze a triple major in the natural sciences are lacking some other quality, like interpersonal skills. Hell, if you feel the need to boast on a message board that you NEVER studied, you're proving that point. Nobody is so brilliant AND adept with dealing with people that they'll be the perfect physician. We all have to work at it, in some way. In the end, you'll acquire the skills and intuition, but your ability to connect with people will determine how great you are.

 

[ar2388]

i should mention that i barely studied in college.. i was part of like 5 clubs, had 3 jobs, chilled with my boyfriend all the time.. it was great! now, all i do is study. i have no time for a job (i wanted to tutor maybe a few hours every week or two...)... all my free time is basically spent with my boyfriend, relaxing and maybe watching tv, and that isnt much free time.. and the rest of the time we study. like 60-70hours a week id estimate (including listening to lectures on itunes bc i dont go to actual lectures)