Physics makes me feel slow and stupid

[ZwitterionMike]

I am a good student but studying physics makes me feel slow and stupid. It takes me literally 4 times longer to go through a chapter of physics than a chaper of anything else even Analytical Chemistry.

I bet I am not the only one who is humbled by physics.

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[szhao]

physics = NEVER READ THE BOOK course, just do the homework and look up examples and make sure you understand the examples. i got through all my upper level physics that way.

 

[sirus_virus]

I am a good student but studying physics makes me feel slow and stupid. It takes me literally 4 times longer to go through a chapter of physics than a chaper of anything else even Analytical Chemistry.

I bet I am not the only one who is humbled by physics.

You are not the only one, but that is usually a sign that you should get help from a tutor or your teacher.

 

[Haemulon]

I am a good student but studying physics makes me feel slow and stupid. It takes me literally 4 times longer to go through a chapter of physics than a chaper of anything else even Analytical Chemistry.

I bet I am not the only one who is humbled by physics.

I used to really like physics. I enjoy the theories more than working problems and crunching numbers. But being away from it for 8 years or so really hurt me when I went to take the MCAT. Now that PS score is really holding me back. 🙁

 

[Cirrus83]

MCAT level physics is all just about knowing how to use those few formulas you need to know, and just plugging numbers in and crunching them. The sin of some angle times the friction coefficient or whatever.

I know how you feel though, my brain feels like it's dying when I try to wrap it around organic chemistry-and I don't usually feel that way about any subject =(. Funny thing is that I know I can actually learn it, it's just hard for me to "get" orgo out of a book the way I can get most other subjects.

Anyways, just keep kickin' at it, it's largely a matter of practice with Physics.

 

[DoctorPardi]

I study for physics by doing all the end of the chapter problems, and our professor gives us a practice test. So we have 7 or so problems that are somewhat similar to what we might expect on the test. It is a matter of being able to work every problem in a given chapter for any given variable.

I sometimes read the chapters and sometimes I don't. The in text problems in our book are usually very helpful, so in solving the end of the chapter problems I usually have to reference the text first.

If before every test you've worked all the end of the chapter problems I think you should be good. Also making sure you keep track of significant digits and signs is huge.

Usually we'll have more than enough time to take our test, so I usually redo all the math on a problem just to make sure I didn't type in .01 instead .001 or something stupid like that.

 

[spicedmanna]

I used to really like physics. I enjoy the theories more than working problems and crunching numbers. But being away from it for 8 years or so really hurt me when I went to take the MCAT. Now that PS score is really holding me back. 🙁

You and me both, Haemulon! Looks like we are score cousins.

OP, you aren't in any way "slow" for not groking physics immediately. I got owned by the PS section of the MCAT, even though I did well in physics I and II, the calculus-based version (I studied hard, struggled through the text, and did problems). I agree that reading a bad text with poorly explained and interlaced formulae is no fun. I did a lot of skimming. I loved writing lab reports and enjoyed the more theoretical aspects of physics (derivations, second-order differential equations, Maxwell's equations, etc.), but hated the more concrete Newtonian mechanics.

Guess what showed up in abundance on the MCAT? Yeah.

Anyway, stop judging yourself and get the help that you need. You are not your physics ability. For one thing, personal interest, the quality of the text, and being able to see how it all elegantly connects together are huge factors. Do whatever it takes to learn the stuff. Use other resources to learn the material, if the book is terrible, and start a study group where you can talk it over and reason it out with others. Dialogue often helps. Do as many problems as you can; as my physics I teacher often told me, physics isn't a spectator sport. You literally learn by doing. Reading formulae pretty much sucks universally, unless you are the type that can "see" in symbols. Manipulate and play with the concepts and formulae until you can see them in three-dimensional technicolor, Jaws addition, if you know what I mean. You'll need this ability for the MCAT.

Good luck and don't be afraid to seek help. Solid knowledge of the material is crucial for the MCAT, don't leave any stone unturned.

 

[EBI831]

yeah i'm with you on that one. i freaking sucked it up at physics last year and on the mcat the first time through. but this summer when studying for the mcat i realized i went about it all wrong and started from like page one and went through it all and it somehow became easier to grasp( i mean i still couldn't do most of it on the first try) and after doing 1001 problems and i actually did all of them, it wasn't so bad. i started scoring highest in PS. so this is just to say, it sucks and you might fail it in class but that doesn't mean you'll fail it on the mcat; just go through on your own time and learn it your way.

 

[BeatrixKiddo]

It's not just a feeling.

BAM.

 

[Haemulon]

Your right EBI831, I went about prepping for the PS in MCAT all wrong too. I read through the book and reviewed concepts rather than practicing problems and doing practice tests. Dumb move, I know. But if I have to re-take it for next cycle at least I know what I did wrong.

 

[Haemulon]

You and me both, Haemulon! Looks like we are score cousins.

Just hang in there man. We both still have a shot. But come Feb., I will start prepping to re-take that beast again if I have not heard any encouraging news.

 

[ClockworkDoc]

physics = NEVER READ THE BOOK course, just do the homework and look up examples and make sure you understand the examples. i got through all my upper level physics that way.

Totally agreed. The book may be the worse way to learn physics.

 

[boo-yeh]

Every professor has his/her own way of teaching physics, so I really think that the book is not that necessary to study from in most cases unless that professor is the lazy type that gets all of the test material from the book. Lecture material and practice problems are key.

If you're having problems with it then I would really suggest getting some tutoring...physics is really hard until you get into the mindset of approaching problems in the right manner. After you get the angle with which you have to solve the problems it gets a LOT easier. Getting a tutor really helped me figure this out.

 

[boomerang]

I am a good student but studying physics makes me feel slow and stupid. It takes me literally 4 times longer to go through a chapter of physics than a chaper of anything else even Analytical Chemistry.

I bet I am not the only one who is humbled by physics.

My dear Mickey:

I failed Physics, twice! in college (F and D+). I had perfect scores in orgo and gen chem. I liked Calc more than Physics. I felt like I was exposed and everyone was looking at my flaws. It didn't help that I took Calc based Physics either. I felt so dumb and incompetent!

Finally, I took Physics during my Post-bacc (NOT Calc-BASED) and got an A- and an 11 on the Physical science sections (previously got a 7 and 8). It helped that I didn't take Calc-based Physics because it was less punching and more conceptual. Did I mention I made an 11!

Don't feel pressured to take Calc-based Physics because you don't need that level for med school or the MCAT. A good grade in a college level course is better than an average one in a higher level course.

Certainly do a lot of problems, and learn the concepts! Learn the concept!

Good luck, and remember you are not alone so don't let anyone tell you otherwise

 

[DOPharmMD]

I looked forward to regular physics when I signed up for it. Unfortunately, as we got deeper into the semester, I no longer had the 'emotional' stamina to work other problems. I LOVE SCIENCE! I'm not talented or anything, but I just love the materials. I usually teach myself the courses (and perhaps college is really this way), it helps if one has a professor that can fuel one's desire to work conceptual problems. My professor was a brilliant chemist/physicist who was almost impossible to understand. No, he did not go too fast. In fact, he took almost 45 mn to explain one problem... and I mean every gory details and in the process, he lost everybody. I passed with a lousy C. I could do better and I know it. So, next semester I signed up for Physics for scientist and engineers (Physics/calc) as I already took Calc I; I also signed up for Calc II (I plan to take physics/calc II in the future) and Organic Chemistry.

The moral is to believe in yourself. I did not feel stupid, I just felt it was better to take another professor. At my school, once you pass the class, you can't repeat. So the only option was to take the calc based physics. I am also studying early for the MCAT even though I'll be taking it in 08! I am nontrad and I'll be transferring to university for junior year next year!

Keep studying!

 

[mychelle774]

Biometrics makes me feel slow and stupid. 🙁