I am starting a postbacc program in January. I hold a B.S. Psychology with little science or math work in my undergrad record (biology I, environmental science and a stats class). I would like to use this month or so to get a leg up. Can anyone give me a sample study plan or perhaps suggestions on books.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.🙂
Good luck with starting your new postbacc! Regarding study plan suggestions, I'm not sure what you're looking for, exactly. Here, have some vague suggestions:
I'd recommend Chemistry as a Second Language, and Organic Chemistry as a Second Language by Klein. Don't waste your money on Physics as a Second Language, though. Pre-reading in gen chem made all the difference to me. If there's a student solutions manual for your text books, get it. Use it not only to check your work but also to check your problem-solving process.
With gen chem, physics & orgo, do the practice problems in the chapter. Nothing will help you learn as much as doing problems. If you get a problem wrong, try to figure out why. Redo the problem, even once you figured out your mistake. Work through example problems in the chapters, even if the solution is provided in the text.
Be prepared to put in a TON of time. I'm in a formal postbacc program right now, and I spend between 16-24 hours in any given weekend in the library, and varying hours each weekday depending on class schedule. I have some classmates who do enough work during the week that they don't need to put in much time over the weekend, so obviously your mileage may vary. Some of us stay up late to work, some of us get up early, we all work out a study schedule that matches our personal needs and abilities.
Regardless of when you study, be prepared to spend WAY more time on it than you did in your undergrad courses. Sometimes that's overkill, but most times it isn't quite enough. Don't put things off, even if you think you'll have time to catch up.
It is easy to start obsessing about grades and how one less-than-perfect score will affect your chances of admission. (Answer: it won't.) That said, if you are struggling, ask for help early. Go to the TA, go to office hours, whatever. Most of this subject matter builds on itself. You can get yourself in trouble if you don't understand the basic info about each subject.
As a sort-of contradiction: find ways to take a break. Start going to the gym on the first day/first week and stick to that schedule religiously. Play a sport, find a hobby, whatever. Find a way to maintain balance. One of my classmates wakes up early every morning in order to read a chapter or two in a novel. One of them is training for a marathon. Several of them are musicians who play in clubs near the school. Whatever your thing is, try to find time to fit it in.
Volunteer or shadow. I see posts on the SDN boards that talk about volunteering or shadowing like it is just a box to check off on the application, but shadowing is keeping me *sane* this semester. It's fun! It's fascinating, and exciting, and is the carrot I need on days when I'm feeling especially sulky about physics or orgo. *G*
To sum up: I am working harder at school than I have ever worked, but already this is incredibly rewarding and - call me crazy - kind of fun. Enjoy the process as much as you can, keep your eyes on the prize, maintain balance. You can do this. Good luck!
Good luck and be sure to have fun while studying!
