Old stuff for master's program

[KitCat]

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For those of you that went on to a master's program did you use any of your books or assignments from undergrad?

I've thought of getting a MS in Biology and was just going to throw all my old school assignments out and sell all my textbooks (thinking I wouldn't need them for vet school) but would I need them for an MS?

 

[nichocj]

I think it depends what type of master's program it is (masters by course-work or masters by research). I did a masters by research, so I haven't looked at anything from my undergrad. All of my reading was journal articles, and I haven't opened a textbook in 2 years.

I'm not that well acquainted with masters programs by course-work, so work/textbooks from undergrad might be useful

 

[drbigidea]

l

 

[WulfpackChica]

I am doing a Profesional Masters and I have looked some stuff just to refresh, but it was mostly old notes and what not. There was quite a gap between Undergrad and Grad School and I just happened to keep all my notes. I had some irrational fear of needing them at some point in time.

I store all my old stuff at my parent's house and if I need it, then I go over there and dig it out (they live like 20 minutes from me).

 

[KitCat]

I think it depends what type of master's program it is (masters by course-work or masters by research). I did a masters by research, so I haven't looked at anything from my undergrad. All of my reading was journal articles, and I haven't opened a textbook in 2 years.

I'm not that well acquainted with masters programs by course-work, so work/textbooks from undergrad might be useful

I was looking at doing an MS in biology but haven't decided on whether I would want to do the thesis or non-thesis option.

 

[485501]

I haven't done a master's, but my general advice to anyone about this type of question is that it depends on how good your books and notes are. If you've got a textbook and it's really clearly laid out for how you learn and has really good examples and you can just glance at it and be reminded of all kinds of concepts and such, etc, etc, then keep it. If it's a book you read a chapter out of and then never used again because it didn't help you at all, sell it. If your notes are really clear and you used them a lot and they were always helpful, keep them. If your notes were just stuff you scribbled down in class because you thought "why not?" and the professor's notes/powerpoint slides were WAY more helpful, ditch 'em.

I will note that I selectively kept several textbooks and all my notes from undergrad, and have sucessfully re-taught myself calculus and enzyme kinetics out of them, and am using two of the books to teach someone metabolism and immunology basics right now. You never know what you'll want to use a really good textbook for.