Study tips

[what]

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I just had an exam in which i scored 50%
Most of my marks are in the lower quartile of my class...

I was wondering if you guys had any study tips or anything useful which can bring me out of the 50s and 60s.

I just can't really motivate myself to study during the course, and i end up cramming before the exams. Which is why i'm in the lower quartile.

Are there any tips to help me get motivated to study? and how much time do you think I should spend studying on an average day?

 

[labangel]

I know it's hard to stay motivated, but I've found that you definitely need to put in study time every day. It's very easy to get behind...I know there's no way I could cram all of this stuff in by just studying right before the exam. I try to put in about 4 solid study hours a day. I know some people can sit in the library for hours at a time, but I'm not that type. I study for about an hour, take a break, then study some more, etc. Makes the studying seem less tedious. I would also try to read through your notes mulitple times. Spend one day really studying the material and then review it again later. It's easier to remember the material if you've reviewed it several times, even if you only take a short time to do it each time. I hope this helps! Good luck! 🙂

 

[IlianaSedai]

Boy oh boy, I started out in the bottom of my class and barely scraping through. And I was working really hard learning most of the material the week before the exam, like you-- all to not much effect.

The thing with learning all the stuff at once before the exam, is that at most you let yourself go over the material really well ONCE or TWICE. But then you read too much from the text, and don't repeat, and don't manage to get a clear idea of how to study systematically for the exam. Once or twice the first time through before the exam is not enough, I discovered it was necessary to repeat the ESSENTIALS (just the essentials, not the lengthy text readings and stuff) FOUR or FIVE times.

My problem was that my mind likes focusing on one thing at a time, so I'd want to do ALL of my studying for one subject in one week, all for another subject the next week, etc. However, this put me behind and didn't allow me time to repeat stuff. I think it's better to really make an effort to go lecture by lecture and REPEAT FROM MEMORY the lecture notes FOUR OR FIVE TIMES.

The first time, I would draw a picture of the essential concept (10min maybe). Then, I would visualize the picture from memory while grocery shopping, doing dishes, etc (you lose no time this way, and it's easy and fast), and EXPLAIN the important facts to myself several times throughout the day. That sunk it in pretty quickly. Then I would run through it again a couple of times the next day amid drawing concepts for new material.

That probably doesn't work for everyone... but the repetition from memory (whether it's with words or pictures or anything else) is really important. It comes naturally to some people, but didn't to me, so it took me months to figure it out.

 

[the_equalizer]

Sorry for the pretentious title, but I'm just trying to lend a little credence to the advice I'm about to give.

There are several motivation points you can use, but remember that you don't want to become a premed that works hard just for the sake of doing better than everyone else. Study because you must. It is your job and you have to rip it up. Just sit down and tear your classes a new one.

Obviously, this isn't really a motivating way to do things. The motivation comes in when you apply to med school and you spend then latter part (post MCAT) of your junior year seriously chilling and you spend your senior year as a farewell tour of sorts, rather than running around worried about med schools. This is what I did, I got in ED, and I got so bored last semester that I got several accounts banned off this website (heard of mightymouseal?) even though I was already in med school.

Please take my advice to heart, there are many things in life that you must do. I loved my major, biochemistry, and I took electives that interested me, so i guess I actually enjoyed the subject matter that I had to ace. If you're not so lucky, consider changing your major, but you still have to deal with the premed reqs. Just buckle down and take care of business guys, really. And believe me, its only going to get harder to motivate yourself as times goes on, especially if you don't start now.

 

[Stitch]

I wasn't doing so well either for a while, and I'm still only at the middle, but I'm pretty happy with that. I make note cards to study from. I'll read it through once with a highlighter, then go back and make notes on index cards with one or two words on the front and a whole lot of info on the back. That way I can quiz myself and go over the material several times. IlianaSedai is definitely right: repetition is key. I can't imagine cramming and even passing. I just don't have the capacity. Hope that helps.

BTW IlianaSedai: Are you getting the new Wheel book tomorrow? Crossroads of Twilight!

 

[DrMom]

Originally posted by Stitch
I make note cards to study from. I'll read it through once with a highlighter, then go back and make notes on index cards with one or two words on the front and a whole lot of info on the back. That way I can quiz myself and go over the material several times. IlianaSedai is definitely right: repetition is key.

I agree 100%. This is exactly what works for me.

 

[IlianaSedai]

Originally posted by Stitch
BTW IlianaSedai: Are you getting the new Wheel book tomorrow? Crossroads of Twilight!

Stitch-- my 😍 (significant other) got a copy of it a couple of weeks ago and posted his review to our web site (see link in my signature, below), so I will probably read his copy over the next year. But I won't be reading it cover to cover immediately, due to (guess what) exams. 🙄

Stop by for a peek at our site, though-- one of these days we <B>will</B> blackmail RJ into posting. 😀

And now, back to study tips.....

 

[phllystyl]

i lived with some robert jordan fans for a year.....

*bites tongue*

 

[Stitch]

Originally posted by IlianaSedai
Stitch-- my 😍 (significant other) got a copy of it a couple of weeks ago and posted his review to our web site (see link in my signature, below), so I will probably read his copy over the next year. But I won't be reading it cover to cover immediately, due to (guess what) exams. 🙄

Stop by for a peek at our site, though-- one of these days we <B>will</B> blackmail RJ into posting. 😀

And now, back to study tips.....

that's awsome Iliana.
Personally, I'm jealous you've already read it, but I'll be picking up my copy today at borders. Cool site too!