Pre-alol strikes again. Also, goodbye HughMyron. We will miss you while you're at dat dere band camp.
Tips / advice on how to get an A every time
- Thread starter medibot
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The whole study hard and focus good thing is great.
The first thing I did was use those prof eval sites to find out which teachers graded the easiest, gave the most A's, etc.
The second thing was to get a hold of old tests if at all possible. Ask around the class, someone in virtually every class has them.
Do the book problems for math based courses and Organic. So many professors are too lazy to write their own test questions and use book questions or modified book questions. If you can do the book questions, you'll usually kill the test.
The first thing I did was use those prof eval sites to find out which teachers graded the easiest, gave the most A's, etc.
The second thing was to get a hold of old tests if at all possible. Ask around the class, someone in virtually every class has them.
Do the book problems for math based courses and Organic. So many professors are too lazy to write their own test questions and use book questions or modified book questions. If you can do the book questions, you'll usually kill the test.
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One thing that made a huge difference for me was mapping out my tests on a giant dry erase calendar board. Basically, I would concentrate on one or two tests with the most priority. I would start studying 3-5 days out.
I seriously doubt this will work in medical school, though, so I do plan on greatly altering my habits next year.
I seriously doubt this will work in medical school, though, so I do plan on greatly altering my habits next year.
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Don't forget about requiring a little bit of luck! 
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Just memorize everything and have some modicum of critical thinking ability. A's are easy to get if you put in the work.
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By old tests do you mean old tests from my professor? Because I have no idea where I would find those. I do have an AP Chem Barron's Review book. But I'm mostly wondering if there's a good way to go about learning the material in chem. I had a bit of trouble adjusting to my new amount of credits so I feel like I don't know the material as well as I really should because I couldn't find as much time to devote to studying it. My chem professor is the same as last semester, but it seems like now she zips through the lecture so much faster and I end up frantically writing barely legible notes (to rewrite later) and probably not paying attention to what she's saying as a result. She rarely ever posts any part of her lectures online. I've been recording the lectures, but I feel like it's just too time consuming to listen to every single 50 minute lecture again.
The first test I had in Anthropology was fill in the blank, matching, circle this or that, give a couple of examples sort of thing. I got an A. But then again, that one particular "section" of anthropology she actually did discuss a lot in class. Our last test was two weeks ago. Last week we watched a film about Easter Island. That's about all I got in class. I know I don't really have to read everything for college classes but in this case I think I really do. Because she didn't do any lectures on this stuff at all. So I'm just wondering if anyone has tips of any sort that would be helpful. She gave us a study guide, but it's really intense and we have to just find our own examples for everything. I'm just wondering if anyone thinks that would be sufficient without actually reading the material.
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Sometimes, thorough studying isn't enough. For "subjective" assignments or tests (of the free response nature), be predictive of the rubric that the teacher is using to grade if it is not provided. Use common sense.
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You'll see everyone posting how to study, memorize, etc. I think motivation is key. You have to be unsatisfied with anything less than an A. Honestly. If you got an A- in a class and thought you did well, forget it. Don't make excuses about how certain classes are harder, how the students are too competitive, how your teacher is fair. Do the work, study the material, and score the A.
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Ask around the classroom. In every class, there's someone that took that professor because someone else told them to--because they took that professor.
And old tests=learning. Your professor isn't going to give you the same exact questions he used last semester. Learn how to do the problems on that test. That's obviously what he finds important--that'll get you the grade. But you hhave to know how to do the problems on test day. You can't just memorize 9.225 g was the answer for #1.
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+100 to not procrastinating. As are easy, so long as I can stay motivated.
I'm guilty of spending an hour studying, followed by a ten-minute-break-turned-hour on SDN/Facebook/Tumblr/email/Wikipedia (that random article button can distract me for hours). Suffice to say, I don't get enough done like that. I finally ended up just downloading ColdTurkey on my PC and SelfControl on my iMac + airplane mode for the phone (or silencing all but my family from calling) so I could literally put myself on a timed black list from websites I waste time on.
Also, I started keeping a log of how much time I spend studying for each subject each day in excel, with hourly goals for the week. I'm toyed with the idea of adding a spot for how much time I waste texting/web surfing, but I think that would be entirely too depressing.
I'm guilty of spending an hour studying, followed by a ten-minute-break-turned-hour on SDN/Facebook/Tumblr/email/Wikipedia (that random article button can distract me for hours). Suffice to say, I don't get enough done like that. I finally ended up just downloading ColdTurkey on my PC and SelfControl on my iMac + airplane mode for the phone (or silencing all but my family from calling) so I could literally put myself on a timed black list from websites I waste time on.
Also, I started keeping a log of how much time I spend studying for each subject each day in excel, with hourly goals for the week. I'm toyed with the idea of adding a spot for how much time I waste texting/web surfing, but I think that would be entirely too depressing.
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For classes such as chem and physics: go to class, read the book and take some notes while trying to logically understand why a formula is what it is and also trying to understand all the concepts (for some reason writing things down seems to help me with following the logic of things), then doing some practice problems/assignments. This is the best approach for me.
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When I write essays (I got the idea from somewhere here on sdn), I listen to lot of the rings soundtrack; it feels mad glorious even though you're writing about the most mundane of things. Those other concentration soundtracks aren't too bad either - I use those to flush out the ambient noise my college library has (i.e. papers rustling, people "whispering," chairs pushed around).
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Imagine yourself in the professor's shoes, trying to teach the subject. Try and think about it the way they do. You can get clues on how they approach the subject through the ways they talk and present the information. Then, go over each concept that way. The reason they teach is usually because everything makes sense to them and they understand it. Now try to think about it in that way.
It's a very difficult concept to explain so I probably make no sense right now, but it works for me. If you can master the gibberish I'm saying, you'll be faster at going through material. Also, this method obviously does not apply to pure memorization subjects, since you still have to put the effort to memorize stuff.
It's a very difficult concept to explain so I probably make no sense right now, but it works for me. If you can master the gibberish I'm saying, you'll be faster at going through material. Also, this method obviously does not apply to pure memorization subjects, since you still have to put the effort to memorize stuff.
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I honestly think I might have given you that idea. I definitely posted about that a few times 😳
It makes you feel so powerful, heh
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It was you?!? Thank you! Oh god everytime I write I feel so empowered. It's like being in middle earth but when you look up you're in the library lol
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For chem, fix the problem of making time to study for the subject. It is a bad thing to cram studying all at once before an exam. Also, do you preview your notes/chapters in book before class and review notes after class? If this is done, then it seriously cuts down the amount of time studying before an exam (because this is active studying and not passive). Another question is does your class provide practice questions or a book with practice problems? If so, utilize it because, unlike bio, chemistry is better learned through doing practice problems than pure memorization.
As for anthro, the way to study for this class can vary. I would think it is best to set up a time to talk with your professor and figure out how you are evaluated. If it is through an exam, then find out from the professor what is expected to be known for the exam. Then organize a study plan that will prepare you in that manner (ex. writing essays or answering questions from the books etc.).
Remember that motivation and hard work are not the only things needed to get an A. The most important thing is studying smart. Do not study material you don't need to and make sure to figure out what material is high yield and what is low yield. This will save time and energy when studying for an exam and you will do better.
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1) Be born female with large breasts
2) Keep note cards with all of the answers for each exam tucked just inside your bra
3) Pleasure the professor a few times just to be safe
4) ...???
5) PROFIT!
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The best bit of advice I could give:
Don't get caught up in the rat race of HAVING to get A's. If you relax and don't let yourself get psyched out by the material, the workload, your grade, etc. you're way more likely to succeed. This applies both to your grade and understanding of the material. You need to also have the perspective that if you get something less than an A, it's not the end of the world. It's easy to let one B snowball into multiple sub-A grades if you have a poor outlook.
Don't get caught up in the rat race of HAVING to get A's. If you relax and don't let yourself get psyched out by the material, the workload, your grade, etc. you're way more likely to succeed. This applies both to your grade and understanding of the material. You need to also have the perspective that if you get something less than an A, it's not the end of the world. It's easy to let one B snowball into multiple sub-A grades if you have a poor outlook.
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Apparently not genius enough.
You probably shouldn't waste much time trying to become a part of MENSA.
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I haven't read much of the previous replies so I apologize if this has been said before:
My advice to everyone, no matter the class, is to learn todays lesson before next class. After class on Monday, but before class on Wednesday, you should sit down and really study what you learned on Monday. It doesn't have to be complete mastery but at least 75%. Then after wednesdays class, do the same before Friday. On the weekends you master what you learned at the end of the week BUT do not forget to go back over the earlier week material again at least once. This method means when test time comes you are simply looking over what you already conquered weeks before. I know this is essentially just "learn it as you go, don't cram" but many people don't realize this until too late.
My advice to everyone, no matter the class, is to learn todays lesson before next class. After class on Monday, but before class on Wednesday, you should sit down and really study what you learned on Monday. It doesn't have to be complete mastery but at least 75%. Then after wednesdays class, do the same before Friday. On the weekends you master what you learned at the end of the week BUT do not forget to go back over the earlier week material again at least once. This method means when test time comes you are simply looking over what you already conquered weeks before. I know this is essentially just "learn it as you go, don't cram" but many people don't realize this until too late.
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Not the way to become a motivated person but I have a formula that has had a 100% success rate for me and may for you as well if you are at a large university:
1) Look up all the professors for a class on ratemyprofessors.com.
2) Take the class with the professor with the highest "Easiness" rating.
3) Get ahold of old exams if they are available.
4) ????
5) Profit
4) Clearly being go to med school and become a doctor.
1) Look up all the professors for a class on ratemyprofessors.com.
2) Take the class with the professor with the highest "Easiness" rating.
3) Get ahold of old exams if they are available.
4) ????
5) Profit
4) Clearly being go to med school and become a doctor.
