Time Management Advice (Post-Bacc Student)

[MedSun]

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Hello, everyone!
I'll be starting a formal post-bacc this fall and I need your help to make my schedule as efficient as possible.
I'm a career changer, got my B.A. in psych, so it will be a very big transition for me to take 3 science classes at once. I'll be talking 3 standard pre-med classes in the fall: Bio, Gen Chemistry, and Physics. All of them have labs (of course). I'm not planning to work.

I would appreciate any advice you might have regarding study skills. How should I plan my school days vs weekends?
What works best for science classes: making flash cards? studying in groups? watching youtube videos? studying ahead?

Thank you very much!

 

[stickgirl390]

Hello Doppleganger, did you steal my life story? Lol swap the Psych degree for Film and your situation is the exact same as mine! Feel free to PM me for any questions you have.

I started off my post bacc with bio 1, chem 1, and physics 1 my first semester. As far as being able to handle three lab sciences at once, it all depends on what kind of a student you are. I know many students who struggled with chem 1, but for me it was an easy A. I can say that as a post bacc, I was easier to motivate than the recent high school grads. (We have more insight about what college requires for success.)

My advice is focus on chemistry the most. You need to understand, and really LEARN the material, to be successful in ochem and Biochem. Don't memorize just to pass a test; make sure you're learning in a way that will shape how you interact with the sciences.

I would also recommend purchasing some MCAT prep books NOW, and study them along with your course material. It will help you compartmentalize what information you need to master for the MCAT.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I completed all the med school pre reqs in 4 semesters. I took only math and science courses for the entire thing. As far as flash cards vs study groups etc, it really depends on your study style. I've used pretty much every study method.

 

[ab_kaka8]

I graduated with a Psych degree also, but I took the pre-medical prerequisites as well. I worked part-time for 4 years and played Division 2 and Division 3 soccer, which took about 35 hours a week including practices and games. Factoring in clinical and non-clinical volunteering hours, I am still unsure how I got through everything. Time management was key! I think the transition from psych courses to science courses will be difficult at first because of the study approach you are accustomed to. However, if it takes you a couple of hours for a chapter of a respected science, you will know where you stand in terms of understanding that amount of material in the time you did. From there, you can adjust your schedule. I suggest you make weekly schedules with goals. What helped me was I would make unrealistic goals for the week and will almost always fall short. However, it was enough to get me through and stay on track. Don't just bury your head into the textbook. Multiple sources of exposure will help you grasp the material much better and it will stick for the MCAT. Don't take shortcuts because you will have to make it up when you study for the MCAT. Definitely study the material before class lectures by reading the textbook. Physics is much different than biology and chemistry. You should focus on doing as many practice problems (problem sets, textbook problems, etc.) after you understand the material. Prioritize your time. If you fall behind, make sure you make it up. Try different methods and see what works best for you. I study alone because I like moving at my own pace. Good luck!