Smart guy, bad grades, learning issues?

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MidwestLovin

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I guess I always got through school with no studying.
But as soon as I entered college and I tried to stick to my old ways, I got hit with a few C's...

I clearly don't have good study habits and my school does not have a learning center. They tell you to see a psychologist here and I'm emotionally great?

What to do?
 
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Start studying. Developing good habits takes a bit of practice, just try out different methods and see what works best for you.
 
Classic story.

High school was easy mode. College isn't very hard. You just have to actually work 5% of the time. Open up your book/lectures/etc and write down the info. Whatever class you have is probably 80% short-term memorization.
 
You always go through school without studying.

You tried not studying in college and got C's.

Then you come here asking for advice on what to do?

Good god, man. Study!

MidwestLovin said:
I guess I always got through school with no studying.
But as soon as I entered college and I tried to stick to my old ways, I got hit with a few C's...

I clearly don't have good study habits and my school does not have a learning center. They tell you to see a psychologist here and I'm emotionally great?

What to do?
Click to expand...
 
Mr Roboto said:
You always go through school without studying.

You tried not studying in college and got C's.

Then you come here asking for advice on what to do?

Good god, man. Study!
Click to expand...
Well of course I study, just clearly not well. 😵
 
Even if I do amazing from now on, I'll have a 3.4 BCPM... Not good enough.
 
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Sorry, I meant I never learned to study. Then college/my attempts at studying clearly suck. I think I could get great grades, but I don't?
 
CSqueed said:
You and 90% of the premeds... The other 10% get into medical school.

Study more.
Click to expand...

+1

GPA in college is literally 100% about time spent studying. If you're getting C's, you need to study at least double what you were before. Most people don't turn it around, though. Most people keep getting C's. Use that as your motivation.
 
6 days a week live breathe and eat college, and nothing else. 1 day a week go nuts (rob a bank, etc..) and avoid anything college. Rinse and repeat for 4 years.
 
Everyone thinks they are smart.... (100% of pre-meds think they will make it to med school; 10% do)

Work harder....
 
Sit down and study how to study. Learning is an "art form".

I finished my first undergraduate degree with a 1.96. I didn't study because I didn't care. I decided I wanted to do something else with my existence, so I enrolled in another degree. 2 months before classes started, I looked up multiple studying strategies, found the ones that were most commonly associated with success. I then implemented them.

I currently have a 4.0 GPA in a Biochemistry degree. I don't know if I'm a "smart guy", but I know I work really hard.
 
You're not alone. That's oh so typical for freshman once they get their first taste of college. Frankly, American pre-college education is subpar, focused more on getting kids to just get by with barely passing grades rather actually delivering appropriate education.

So now you know that studying is your weak point. Now's the perfect time to experiment with different studying techniques and see what works best for you. Here's one of a million articles on effective study tips: http://psychcentral.com/lib/top-10-most-effective-study-habits/000599/3

Don't overwhelm yourself by trying all the tips at once. Incorporate a few a time and then evaluate whether they're working for you or not. Everybody studies in their own way, and one person's way may not the best way for someone else. It's going to be trial and error before you find a good way for yourself.

Good luck.
 
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Pacna said:
+1

GPA in college is literally 100% about time spent studying. If you're getting C's, you need to study at least double what you were before. Most people don't turn it around, though. Most people keep getting C's. Use that as your motivation.
Click to expand...

Seriously. So true. When people chalk up high GPAs to being "really intelligent" or anything along those lines, it's BS. It's all work ethic. Obviously, you have to be decently smart; but it's ALL work ethic.
 
MidwestLovin said:
I guess I always got through school with no studying.
But as soon as I entered college and I tried to stick to my old ways, I got hit with a few C's...

I clearly don't have good study habits and my school does not have a learning center. They tell you to see a psychologist here and I'm emotionally great?

What to do?
Click to expand...

Take a deep breath! It takes a lot of courage to ask for help. You're taking a big step in the right direction.

1. I recommend that you start by taking a free online test that will tell you what your learning style is: auditory, kinesthetic or visual.

2. Try out some of the strategies that are recommended for your learning style.

3. Create a study schedule and stick to it.

It works best if you can schedule your study time immediately after lectures so that you can reinforce the information rather than waste time relearning material. I've recently written an article on how to improve your GPA, attached here. Hope it's helpful!
 
Thank you all for the advice.
I guess I was just admitted to a school with students above my level of intelligence and that fact keeps me from studying.

If I were to have the upward trend of 2.8 BCPM to 3.4, would it be worth applying MD?
 
MidwestLovin said:
Thank you all for the advice.
I guess I was just admitted to a school with students above my level of intelligence and that fact keeps me from studying.

If I were to have the upward trend of 2.8 BCPM to 3.4, would it be worth applying MD?
Click to expand...
Come back with actual GPAs, not hypotheticals. Never let blind optimism get the best of you. Less SDN, more learning effective studying skills.
 
I feel like if I don't know if it's possible, I shouldn't even try.
 
MidwestLovin said:
I feel like if I don't know if it's possible, I shouldn't even try.
Click to expand...
Well, you've already lost the war if that's the mentality you're going to have. Why not DO? You're not in a position to be having any issues with any med school option, so quit the MD superiority thing.

Lol dude you're only facing a studying problem. You're not homeless, raising two kids, bogged down by family illnesses, or facing mental health issues (at least you've given no indication of those hardships here, God knows what your life is like). Buckle down and get to it. Come back when you got more news for is.
 
People have problem concentrating which I feel is the problem with you as well, if you take more online and offline tests you will be inclined to a subject and start concentrating.
 
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Talent can't carry you through college. The material isn't easy like high school where you can logic BS the whole test. The concepts are a lot more advanced and require studying. Grades are literally more about time put into the class.
 
Many freshmen are hit with this problem, especially those who did really well with their standardized tests too. Snarky as this sounds, that's why some courses are known as "weeders". Those are the ones that'll really test whether you're made for med school. By the time you take the MCATs, you'll discover what you're capable of. It's purely content-based.
 
High school was easy, going through it without studying doesn't make you smart. Smart means realizing how important your academics are for your future and cracking a book. Change your habits or a couple C's will be just the beginning
 
OP you literally just have to study wayyy more! I had to adjust to this as well when I first came into college, for the tougher classes like chem, physics, orgo you really have to know the stuff fluently and that will usually land you a 90+. I am talking study it till you are bored with how easy it is. If you are of average intelligence you can do very well as a pre-med providing you work hard. Contrary to what many believe, pre-med doesn't require high innate intelligence--rather just a disciplined, determined studier. I consider myself right about average level intelligence. Got about an 1800 on my sat's was a B student in high school just to give you an idea, (didn't do ****), and now am a junior at 4 year U and have 3.89 cumulative GPA and 3.86 BCPM. I just study a lot. lol. If I can do it you can too!🙂
 
Where is all this time? By the time I'm done with class and dinner, I have 4 hours a night. This is barely enough for required work.
 
Ugh 35 ACT, didn't realize I have a problem until now. I know smartd plays only a small factor, but I feel like I dug myself a hole I can't get out of.
 
Try using a plannet or an excel spreadsheet to plan your day/week. Once you do that, you'll see how much time you have and Im pretty sure you have more than 4 hours to study. If not, use your weekends to study as well. In addition, study effectively and effeciently--this means phone off, no facebook twitter or reddit, just make sure its you and your books. Make sure to keep track of time as well.

What courses are you struggling in?
 
Theafoni said:
Try using a plannet or an excel spreadsheet to plan your day/week. Once you do that, you'll see how much time you have and Im pretty sure you have more than 4 hours to study. If not, use your weekends to study as well. In addition, study effectively and effeciently--this means phone off, no facebook twitter or reddit, just make sure its you and your books. Make sure to keep track of time as well.

What courses are you struggling in?
Click to expand...
All, I think I'm just lazy. Like, I just wasted an hour I could have been studying, "relaxing".
BUT IS IT SO BAD TO RELAX A LITTLE? LOL.
 
MidwestLovin said:
All, I think I'm just lazy. Like, I just wasted an hour I could have been studying, "relaxing".
BUT IS IT SO BAD TO RELAX A LITTLE? LOL.
Click to expand...

Nahhhh relax! This country was built by taking breaks. Not to mention with welfare and all, more people can relax all the time!

Honestly, if you can tell yourself you really tried the hardest you possibly could, you don't have to be down about your grades.
 
CSqueed said:
Nahhhh relax! This country was built by taking breaks. Not to mention with welfare and all, more people can relax all the time!

Honestly, if you can tell yourself you really tried the hardest you possibly could, you don't have to be down about your grades.
Click to expand...
I know, I don't. I know I could do so much better.
There's no way I shouldn't have 2 hours or so a day for harder classes, I don't know why I don't. I'll map out hours.
 
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Do you have breaks between classes at school? Do you study during these breaks?

If not, you should probably start. The more work I get done at school, the more time I have for ECs and sleep.
 
MidwestLovin said:
Ugh 35 ACT, didn't realize I have a problem until now. I know smartd plays only a small factor, but I feel like I dug myself a hole I can't get out of.
Click to expand...

This is gonna sound really bad, but I'm an anonymous dude on the internet so here goes. Didn't work hard in HS at all. Seriously, slept through all my classes (teachers stop trying to wake you after the first quarter) cause I thought I was some hotshot genius (spoiler: I'm not). Well HS was "easy mode" so I still did well in classes, and did real well on the SAT (2370 ~= 35 ACT). I got into a very competitive school, but the girl I tutored daily in AP chem/physics ended up as valedictorian with a scholarship to Stanford (first person from my HS even accepted there in decades too). So at the end of HS, I was basically you (though you may be a more respectable person than I was).

So I got to my new school and everyone is all elitist and pretentious and I'm just some kid from public school who never gave two s***s about anything. I decided within the first couple weeks, with all these kids talking about grades and being obnoxious about it, that I wasn't going to let some kids who were "dumber than me" (a dumb viewpoint in itself) become more successful than me. I literally just let pride take over and studied hard for 4 years. Yup, I rode my stubborn pride to a great GPA in college, which is ironically not my proudest admission, but you have to find that thing that unleashes your motivation Midwest. It's not always pretty, but that's because it has to be honest. Happy, satisfied people don't push themselves as hard as it takes to get a 4.0 without something to prove.
 
MidwestLovin said:
Ugh 35 ACT, didn't realize I have a problem until now. I know smartd plays only a small factor, but I feel like I dug myself a hole I can't get out of.
Click to expand...
Man, grow up out of the high school world already. The ACT was/is a joke. Easiest standardized test I've ever taken; laughed my way out with a 36 (36/36/36/36). Quit referencing your high school stats. Accept that you're struggling and something needs to change. Leave the past; you're not in high school anymore. You're with the big boys now.
 
EngineerPreMD said:
This is gonna sound really bad, but I'm an anonymous dude on the internet so here goes. Didn't work hard in HS at all. Seriously, slept through all my classes (teachers stop trying to wake you after the first quarter) cause I thought I was some hotshot genius (spoiler: I'm not). Well HS was "easy mode" so I still did well in classes, and did real well on the SAT (2370 ~= 35 ACT). I got into a very competitive school, but the girl I tutored daily in AP chem/physics ended up as valedictorian with a scholarship to Stanford (first person from my HS even accepted there in decades too). So at the end of HS, I was basically you (though you may be a more respectable person than I was).

So I got to my new school and everyone is all elitist and pretentious and I'm just some kid from public school who never gave two s***s about anything. I decided within the first couple weeks, with all these kids talking about grades and being obnoxious about it, that I wasn't going to let some kids who were "dumber than me" (a dumb viewpoint in itself) become more successful than me. I literally just let pride take over and studied hard for 4 years. Yup, I rode my stubborn pride to a great GPA in college, which is ironically not my proudest admission, but you have to find that thing that unleashes your motivation Midwest. It's not always pretty, but that's because it has to be honest. Happy, satisfied people don't push themselves as hard as it takes to get a 4.0 without something to prove.
Click to expand...
Haha pretty cool, I wish my motivation stayed with me!
 
moop said:
Man, grow up out of the high school world already. The ACT was/is a joke. Easiest standardized test I've ever taken; laughed my way out with a 36 (36/36/36/36). Quit referencing your high school stats. Accept that you're struggling and something needs to change. Leave the past; you're not in high school anymore. You're with the big boys now.
Click to expand...
I didn't state my ACT because I thought it proves I should get into medical school, just because I know I have the ability.
 
moop said:
Man, grow up out of the high school world already. The ACT was/is a joke. Easiest standardized test I've ever taken; laughed my way out with a 36 (36/36/36/36). Quit referencing your high school stats. Accept that you're struggling and something needs to change. Leave the past; you're not in high school anymore. You're with the big boys now.
Click to expand...
College... big boys... lol
 
MidwestLovin said:
I guess I always got through school with no studying.
But as soon as I entered college and I tried to stick to my old ways, I got hit with a few C's...

I clearly don't have good study habits and my school does not have a learning center. They tell you to see a psychologist here and I'm emotionally great?

What to do?
Click to expand...
I feel like anyone who says they are smart ... Aren't very smart :/
 
MidwestLovin said:
I didn't state my ACT because I thought it proves I should get into medical school, just because I know I have the ability.
Click to expand...
..performance on ACT does not imply anything about ability; the damn test is so easy I do not know where to start describing the uselessness it has in predicting anything. I didn't say anything about getting into med school, did I? I said you need to stop referencing high school achievements and how they are representative about your abilities, because news flash: they're not.

Basically, shut up and go study more. Harsh but true. /thread.
 
Except if you didn't perform well.....

Anyways, I know. But my school's too hard for me, my fault. At least I'll have a pretty name on my Resume.
moop said:
..performance on ACT does not imply anything about ability; the damn test is so easy I do not know where to start describing the uselessness it has in predicting anything. I didn't say anything about getting into med school, did I? I said you need to stop referencing high school achievements and how they are representative about your abilities, because news flash: they're not.

Basically, shut up and go study more. Harsh but true. /thread.
Click to expand...
 
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