Nontraditionals School Hack: How Do We Get Straight As (And Other Pro Tips)

[DrBelle]

I'm a comeback kid and going back to do all of my pre-requisites. I, like many people here, have a very shoddy academic past to make up for so I want to get as close to straight A's as possible. I just came out of a year of school (nursing) so I'm not going back into the classroom cold but this time around I want to arm myself with every advantage, strategy, and tip I can to succeed at the college level.

Never finished HS due to family stuff so I studied and did a GED. Total First Gen kid, never had a heads up growing up on how the college thing worked and what anything was for. Doesn't even matter, I'm only explaining for context that there are just some things people (like me) don't even know are out there.

So lets compile an arsenal of tips and tools for those of us playing catch up. I'm 100% devoted to making this happen and know so many of you are too

How do you land straight As in college?
Whats the best way to study science and math when you have no background in these subjects?
What free resources are available that'll help us hack an A?
How do we make this (dare I say it?) fun?
Time management. Lol. Wut iz dis?

I don't even know what I don't know. What should a nontraditional student who is going to win know for sure?

If you've got an A and don't mind sharing your wizardy, I mean strategy, I'm all ears!

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[esob]

The biggest lesson I learned last time I was back in school as a non trad (2007 - 2010) was that if you have been away from writing at an "academic level" for a while, grammatical, syntax, etc. errors can turn an otherwise A paper into a B. Thus, its best to use the free resources in your writing center to proof your papers or, if money is not an issue you can use an online service such as papercheck. One of my only two B's I received was a direct result of this. I had a religion prof give me a 92 on a paper and then deek it to 70 for writing errors (such as whether I placed periods before or after parenthesis). There were only 3 papers in that class and I even pulled my final up to a an 89 but couldn't get to an A. Had I taken the time to have the paper proofed by someone who was adept at syntax and punctuation for that first paper I would have easily gotten an A in that class. Since that paper I've never turned in another without having it proofed by either the writing center or an online service.

 

[Seattle Mariners Fan]

Khan acaemdy, then readings, then problem sets, then lectures. Do whatever practice tests or study guides a professor will put up.

Avoid the professor who hands out a 2.1 or who likes shouting.

For labs, your lab TF's relationship with you matters a lot. Be super-sickly sweet to them at all times. If opposite sex and you're physically attractive, be mildly flirtatious.

 

[DrBelle]

Khan acaemdy, then readings, then problem sets, then lectures. Do whatever practice tests or study guides a professor will put up.

Avoid the professor who hands out a 2.1 or who likes shouting.

who hands out a 2.1? What do you mean by this?

For labs, your lab TF's relationship with you matters a lot. Be super-sickly sweet to them at all times. If opposite sex and you're physically attractive, be mildly flirtatious.

positively shameless! devious! but I have to say.. I don't hate your commitment to the cause! lol

 

[DrBelle]

The biggest lesson I learned last time I was back in school as a non trad (2007 - 2010) was that if you have been away from writing at an "academic level" for a while, grammatical, syntax, etc. errors can turn an otherwise A paper into a B. Thus, its best to use the free resources in your writing center to proof your papers or, if money is not an issue you can use an online service such as papercheck. One of my only two B's I received was a direct result of this. I had a religion prof give me a 92 on a paper and then deek it to 70 for writing errors (such as whether I placed periods before or after parenthesis). There were only 3 papers in that class and I even pulled my final up to a an 89 but couldn't get to an A. Had I taken the time to have the paper proofed by someone who was adept at syntax and punctuation for that first paper I would have easily gotten an A in that class. Since that paper I've never turned in another without having it proofed by either the writing center or an online service.

This is exactly the kind of thing that would crush my 4.0 (from here on out) dreams before I even started. I can put a sentence together and being around people who don't even try on paper makes me think I'm ok. But not at the college level I'm not. I would breeze past the writing center off to stress about some sort of math instead. Only to get served with a red pen mid semester. Nope.
Thank you for the tip. I will make it my business to step into a writing center this semester and see how I can make it work for me.

 

[esob]

who hands out a 2.1? What do you mean by this?

I think they meant maybe scan ratemyprofessor and avoid the profs that have a bad reputation for handing out low grades. Unfortunately in the hard sciences that's often hard to do, as most tenured hard science professors are adept at their subject, but not necessarily good at teaching it. That said, even large universities often only have one or two profs for their science major courses, and you may be forced into taking organic chem from a bad prof regardless. I'm in that situation atm with my school. I have to take physics 1+2 and every physics prof at my school is notorious for being a bad teacher and a harsh grader. It leaves me with the conundrum of taking them and hoping for the best or taking those courses at another school during the summer and then having to explain the reasoning to an adcom.

 

[Goro]

Go to your school's learning or education center for help finding answers to all of these.

I'm a comeback kid and going back to do all of my pre-requisites. I, like many people here, have a very shoddy academic past to make up for so I want to get as close to straight A's as possible. I just came out of a year of school (nursing) so I'm not going back into the classroom cold but this time around I want to arm myself with every advantage, strategy, and tip I can to succeed at the college level.

Never finished HS due to family stuff so I studied and did a GED. Total First Gen kid, never had a heads up growing up on how the college thing worked and what anything was for. Doesn't even matter, I'm only explaining for context that there are just some things people (like me) don't even know are out there.

So lets compile an arsenal of tips and tools for those of us playing catch up. I'm 100% devoted to making this happen and know so many of you are too

How do you land straight As in college?
Whats the best way to study science and math when you have no background in these subjects?
What free resources are available that'll help us hack an A?
How do we make this (dare I say it?) fun?
Time management. Lol. Wut iz dis?

I don't even know what I don't know. What should a nontraditional student who is going to win know for sure?

If you've got an A and don't mind sharing your wizardy, I mean strategy, I'm all ears!

 

[CajunMedic]

I think they meant maybe scan ratemyprofessor and avoid the profs that have a bad reputation for handing out low grades. Unfortunately in the hard sciences that's often hard to do, as most tenured hard science professors are adept at their subject, but not necessarily good at teaching it. That said, even large universities often only have one or two profs for their science major courses, and you may be forced into taking organic chem from a bad prof regardless.

DISCLAIMER: I didn't make straight A's, but had quite a few.
I'm an OMS-2, here's what worked for me

Once I transferred from a CC to a 4 year institution, and decided on a degree, I used Excel, laid everything out by semester, and when it came time to register, used ratemyprofessor vs. what I was going to take to help make my schedule. Plus, I made entries for MCAT Date, AACOMAS open, etc.

Talk to whoever does the advising for your school's pre-med committee. If they're good, they can help. I was an older non-trad, still working full time, so ours was only marginally helpful, they weren't that experienced with non-trads.

Think about possible letter writers as well with professors. Most, if not all committees will need a science professor letter. Don't hesitate to get help from a professor early (i.e. office hours). That can give them an opportunity to get to know you and could potentially write you a better recommendation. (paid off for me)

Best way to study math and science? You'll have to find what works best for you. I took trig and calculus during fall semesters and read "Trig for Dummies" and "Calculus for dummies" the summers before. YouTube has TONS of resources. Especially in Physics-work problems. I also bought a Chegg subscription to help with homework.

How to make it fun? I have no idea. I didn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, that didn't have a train attached to it until my last semester.

Time Management? Didn't do it so much in undergrad. But in medical school I use an excel spreadsheet that is broken down by hour, color coded by subject, and calculates the time I spend on each subject. I black out when I'm in class, etc. and plug in everything else. You could make something like that for your schedule.



Best of luck to you, hope this at least a little bit helpful.

 

[brainnurse]

How do you land straight As in college? Hang out with people who are getting As. Join their super obnoxious study groups. Seriously. I hated this part. I preferred alone time over hanging with people so-many-years my junior who seemed to be absorbing material better than I was. But this helped. Some professors use question banks. Find as many sample tests online on the tested topics as you can. Answer them. Then answer them again. Use Chegg, Quizlet, etc. For the sciences, use Khan or, the only way I pulled a 76 and a 69 to an impossible A in Biochemistry, Moof University.

Make it fun by sharing it with people who are on the same boat as you (ie, nontraditionals who have lives beyond school). I managed to rope another nurse into becoming a premed. She makes my life fun. Also, celebrate after each semester that you did well in. I take trips, go to concerts, buy myself really decadent coffee.. Anything to make the grind less rough.

Time management: now this, I am admittedly horrible at. Google Calendar is my friend. I input every. single. thing. in it and rely on it more than I should. It tells me what I need to be doing RIGHT NOW.

The best way to study science is to memorize (FLASH CARDS, YO!) and memorize some more. I never believed in flash cards until my biology professor taught me the proper way to use them. It's the best tool for memorization out there. Make sure you understand the basics, because Science subjects build upon themselves.

Math/Physcs: Do problems. Over and over and over and over. Keep doing the same types of problems, use the mathlabs they make you buy anyway. Just keep doing it. That's it. That's all.

Oh, develop relationships with your science professors. I fail at this. Miserably. I have no idea how to ask for LORs.

 

[Dral]

Treat courses as something as a means to an end: No

Go into a course with thoughts that, regardless of how mundane, you will finish as a more well rounded knowledgeable individual: Yes

Sounds a little self-righteous, I know...but it worked for me.

I remember taking Earth and space science in 8th grade instead of starting 'hard science' classes. Sure I didn't get to take extra AP science courses by the end, but I learned some really cool stuff that I probably wouldn't have gotten otherwise.

 

[DrBelle]

I like how people are just stopping by and dropping pure gold in this thread. Thank you so much guys

@Goro I'm going to be honest. I don't know what a learning or education center is. It sounds like something that probably exists but I've never seen. I am going to be a visiting student this semester, working on transferring so I will go find out in this new institution what/where this is and what its supposed to do. 5+ year member? I assume you know what you're talking about.

@CajunMedic Dude. Many thanks. Super helpful. I hope no one glosses over the RateMyProfessor tip. This is how I am scheduling this semester. I don't need unpleasant surprises because a teacher doesn't believe in A's or other quirks.
As far as LOR. Im about to take a bio class with a prof who doesn't write letters as a rule. 700 kids they said. I don't even know how thats possible. I am going to work on finding a way to get to know science profs.. maybe upper division.. also thank you for making me feel a little less silly about my pre-class prep. I dont want to feel so clueless and freeze up in a math or science class this time.

@brainnurse new nurse here I love your ideas about injecting fun into your life. In the past I always acted like this didn't matter. No it matters very much. I have no interest in hating my life until the end of the journey. I want to learn to be decent to myself down to a decadent cup of coffee. This is a perk of being a nontrad imo. Perspective. At least for me. LOL I'm the same with study groups but I'm going to take your advice and give it a shot. I dont know how to find study groups yet.. Bah your whole post is awesome

@Dral doesn't sound self righteous. Sounds like good advice. I used to go to class because I had to and god must have hated me. Its because I did not understand and so I was not curious. You should see me when I'm curious. Insatiable for knowledge. If I can tap into that, I think I will be ok.

 

[tankaer]

Chegg, Quizlet, regular old fashioned flash cards (I learn more writing them than studying them).

Tutors! At the end of the semester how much would you be willing to pay to turn that B into an A? That's how much tutoring you can afford.

Go to class every day and sit in the front row. Make sure the prof knows you're there. If you have trouble they are much more willing to help people who they know are trying and your going to need a LOR anyway.

Hang out and study with the other premed kids. They were more than a decade younger than me but I really enjoyed it and the study groups were a big help for Orgo. Sometimes the regular undergrads have access to old tests and other resources that aren't otherwise accessible.

Let no resource go unused.

 

[Labrat07]

Any of you got A in english classes?? I got all As in sciences so far (about 56 credits i think). I need 2 english classes and one speech. English is my 2nd language of course. From what I gather here, use the student center or online service to proofread. Any other recommendation?

online service: papercheck

 

[Labrat07]

For me, science classes are not hard to get A once you know your teacher.
1/before taking classes, check online ratemyprofessor...Check the teacher out first. Save you ton of trouble later on.
2/Be diligent, be there everyday. Do every extra credit/homework. Even if you're sick, do it. Ex: I was so sick last semester for couple days. Cough left and right but I still showed up with a mask. It's important because once you skip something minor, you get lazy and skip other....
3/Study your ass off for the first test. Cover everything. Then analyze the test and downgrade a bit base on it.
4/I used to study in group but then I realize it's not efficient for me. I alway end up teaching the other students anyway. So I prefer study by myself at work. If my classmate ask for help, I do set aside time to teach them though. I do emphasize the important of seeking better students for their tips though. For example, one student taught me that study for understanding not the detail. Try to connect the subject matter into other subject and expand your understanding. That really did push me into another level of studying. There're so many smarter people out there. learn from them.
5/I'm opposite from @brainurse here. I usually go all out when focusing on something. I sacrificed a lot of social events/friendship for school. It's so difficult for me with 2 jobs/volunteer/part time school/family...I also enjoyed work out tremedously. For me, it's acceptable sacrafice. It depend on person imo.
6/use other online resource if the teacher is not your style. Now they have so much info online. Use it.

That's all I did. Hope it help and good luck

 

[allojay]

Every post above me is quite accurate but if there's one thing I would highly recommend for long term memory retention, it's Anki. Anki has changed how I learn things and if you use it the right way, your grades will soar greatly.

 

[Goro]

Your college will have some function known as Student Services. They might be found under "resources" for "current students".

They're the people who have student counseling, career advising etc. They will point you in the right direction.

Just picking a random University as an example, I found these:

http://www.valpo.edu/academicsuccess/index.php

http://www.valpo.edu/college-of-engineering/academics/academic-support/
(more specific to a particular program, but another example).

If all else fails, inquire at your school's library!

@Goro I'm going to be honest. I don't know what a learning or education center is. It sounds like something that probably exists but I've never seen. I am going to be a visiting student this semester, working on transferring so I will go find out in this new institution what/where this is and what its supposed to do. 5+ year member? I assume you know what you're talking about.

 

[tankaer]

Any of you got A in english classes?? I got all As in sciences so far (about 56 credits i think). I need 2 english classes and one speech. English is my 2nd language of course. From what I gather here, use the student center or online service to proofread. Any other recommendation?

online service: papercheck

Try hemingwayapp.com. It is a minimalist tool that checks some grammar and readability. It is geared more towards formal or scientific writing than creative but it is a great resource. There is also a Stanford MOOC called writing in the sciences. The whole course is great and widely applicable but the first half of the lessons are more focused on general writing. It's also free, and the prof is really engaging.

 

[futuremdforme]

Every post above me is quite accurate but if there's one thing I would highly recommend for long term memory retention, it's Anki. Anki has changed how I learn things and if you use it the right way, your grades will soar greatly.

I'm a big fan too. There's definitely a learning curve but once you get the hang of it, it's great.

 

[esob]

Also, it never hurts to go to one of the clubs or whatever is associated with your major. You will often find out some golden info that you might otherwise have missed. For example, even though I'm not attending UTA, I found out that for every prof in the bio dept, the dept keeps a copy of the previous semester's test (along with the answer key) on file in the bio dept. You can check it out and study it (in that room only ofc) but I mean c'mon, it doesn't get much better than that. Normally you have to join a frat and spend a semester being hazed to get access to last semester's tests