What am I doing wrong?

[medlover247]

I am concerned about my sciences classes. First of all, I'm a science major, I love the biological sciences (Biology major), and I am absolutely sure that I want to go to med school. I've gotten mostly B's in my science classes, whereas in my core classes I've gotten all A's.

I have been having a very hard time figuring out what I'm doing wrong. I got straight A's in high school, including my sciences classes (which were AP).

I think it may be in part that I suck at taking tests, or it may be my study habits. I would appreciate any feed back. Thanks!

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[omegaxx]

I am concerned about my sciences classes. First of all, I'm a science major, I love the biological sciences (Biology major), and I am absolutely sure that I want to go to med school. I've gotten mostly B's in my science classes, whereas in my core classes I've gotten all A's.

I have been having a very hard time figuring out what I'm doing wrong. I got straight A's in high school, including my sciences classes (which were AP).

I think it may be in part that I suck at taking tests, or it may be my study habits. I would appreciate any feed back. Thanks!

You gotta give more info here. Are you getting B's b/c you aren't studying enough? b/c you are simply memorizing instead of trying to grasp the core concepts? b/c you suck at multiple choice exams?

It's hard to help you on an internet forum. You need to really look at why you've been messing up and start from there.

What has helped me in the past:
1) Go to class and take good notes. Try to digest the stuff in-class. Textbooks are mostly optional, to be read when one has the time and would like some different perspectives on the core concepts.
2) Make sure you get the core concepts and understand the material. Don't just memorize random facts. Draw flow charts and tables to put the big picture together.
3) Learn to eliminate answers in an MC exam. Read carefully and underline the key words and phrases.
4) Try to not procrastinate and cram too much...

Best of luck!

 

[OncoCaP]

I am concerned about my sciences classes. First of all, I'm a science major, I love the biological sciences (Biology major), and I am absolutely sure that I want to go to med school. I've gotten mostly B's in my science classes, whereas in my core classes I've gotten all A's.

I have been having a very hard time figuring out what I'm doing wrong. I got straight A's in high school, including my sciences classes (which were AP).

I think it may be in part that I suck at taking tests, or it may be my study habits. I would appreciate any feed back. Thanks!

You might try rewriting your notes (the parts that you will need to remember and will need to study).

Also, you might try taking practice tests on the particular subject from your books (practice problems, workbooks) or online. Working a lot of extra problems that are similar to exam problems was something that helped me.

Finally, make friends with the people who are getting A's and find out what they are doing.

 

[gary5]

Some random thoughts: Regarding classes where you're getting B's: double the time you spend on these classes, do lots of sample problems, rehearse the memorization parts more often and earlier, start studying for tests and finals twice as early.

 

[DocBR]

What has helped me in the past:
1) Go to class and take good notes. Try to digest the stuff in-class. Textbooks are mostly optional, to be read when one has the time and would like some different perspectives on the core concepts.
2) Make sure you get the core concepts and understand the material. Don't just memorize random facts. Draw flow charts and tables to put the big picture together.
3) Learn to eliminate answers in an MC exam. Read carefully and underline the key words and phrases.
4) Try to not procrastinate and cram too much...

Best of luck!

I received a B in Organic Evolution because I was just so incredibly bored with everything about that class (Anyone else have to see trillions and trillions of Populus graphs????)

Despite my best efforts to pay attention, I died a little bit each time I entered that class with the exception of the one class where someone argued for creationism and went on a whinefest about Richard Dawkins having some socialist agenda - that one rocked.

There is no cure for inescapable boredom.

 

[Nomemory]

Some random thoughts: Regarding classes where you're getting B's: double the time you spend on these classes, do lots of sample problems, rehearse the memorization parts more often and earlier, start studying for tests and finals twice as early.

 

[Tired Pigeon]

I am concerned about my sciences classes. First of all, I'm a science major, I love the biological sciences (Biology major), and I am absolutely sure that I want to go to med school. I've gotten mostly B's in my science classes, whereas in my core classes I've gotten all A's.

I have been having a very hard time figuring out what I'm doing wrong. I got straight A's in high school, including my sciences classes (which were AP).

I think it may be in part that I suck at taking tests, or it may be my study habits. I would appreciate any feed back. Thanks!

If you truly "sucked at taking tests", you probably wouldn't be getting A's in anything. Sounds like you're doing fine in some classes, so it's probably your study habits in the classes you find less-than-exciting. To get more constructive feedback, it would be great if you could tell us what those study habits are:

Do you attend lectures?
Do you take good notes?
Do you review/rewrite your notes?
Do you supplement your studies with the textbook?
Do you look at practice/study questions?
Do you visit the professor/TA office hours to clarify points of confusion?
Do you have a study schedule for each class?

Etc., etc., etc....

 

[medlover247]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your responses.

I think the problem probably lies in my study habits because:

I go to all of my classes, I think I take pretty good notes, I have a planner in which I try to figure out my schedule ahead of time etc.

How do you all deal with problems of procastination, because every semester I tell my self that I won't procrastinate, but I just can't help it

 

[Critical Mass]

Focus on concept application rather than memorization and wax the MCAT. You'll be fine.