What makes A students into A students?

[MD Odyssey]

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As much of an arrogant person you sounded like in the post, in all of my threads, that is the post I read about 5 times, outstanding post indeed.

Yes, well, I try to make sure that I have a few beers onboard before I peruse SDN. Glad I could offer up something a bit useful.

 

[deleted413795]

To me the situation is really frustrating. In a lot of my 4 hour classes I start off slow, I really don't know WHY but then the SECOND TEST IS THE WORST OF THEM ALL, THE THING IS THE FRIGGIN DEVIL! I always do bad on the second test and the third test is my best, usually a very high B or a very high A. I end up pulling out of the class with a B or C which is really frustrating to me.

One of the biggest things is using all your resources, and like so many people have said, time management. I have a bachelors in History, a non-science masters, and have gone from Bs and Cs as a Freshman undergrad to all As in both 400 level history courses, language courses, basic MCAT sciences and advanced sciences.

For example, in math and science you have to work problems. If your teacher gives you 80 suggested problems, do them all and if you are uncomfortable with something ask for help or try more.

Also, read before class. Use class and problems as reinforcement. DO NOT read the whole chapter in one sitting. Read 5-10 pages a day every day and reinforce this with relevant problems. You need to not only do the problems, but fully understand the material. Study alone without distractions in a quiet room. Turn off Facebook, Netflix, podcasts, etc.

If you need to, see the teacher, but working problems and focusing on what the teacher emphasizes always works. Teachers also often post pages with bullet points of what topics will be covered, look at these and know them. Review in class problems, and bring questions to class.

This was the same with science, math, history, languages, etc. If the teacher gives you 100 pages of reading and 100 names to know for the test, read a little every day, make notecards, learn what they tell you to.

However, this all requires you to be interested in your classes, which brings me to attitude. You have to want to be studying these things.

I am not a calculus prodigy, but I went into every quiz, test, final, etc. confident that I was going to succeed. Sure I studied a lot, but it was all about staying positive as well.

Going into a test, or in your case the second test, thinking it is going to be hard or not go well will make it go that way. Attitude really can be everything, but obvously you have to do the work as well. I have seen plenty of smart people who get Bs and Cs because they are not confident and are negative.

My best advice is to stay positive, and heed the recommendations above. Make school your top priority. Say no to going out when your work is not done. You will be happy when you get the grades, and get into med school!

 

[centrigeugle]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand this thread title at ALL?

 

[KaplanKrackers]

The same way I explain people who can't be bothered to type out full words when using a keyboard. 😉

The 'study their asses off' means they're not lazy.

 

[LupaCupcake]

In high school I had some issues. I barely graduated because my senior year I just went WOOOOO ..... I was headed for fast food work pretty much.

I eventually pulled my head out of my a**. So far I am one of those students that keeps racking up on A after another and I do it on an increased workload because I am finishing my bach in 3 years. Am I epic? Nope lol. I am not a genius or super gifted. I am a few things that I strongly believe contribute to my academic success.
1. highly motivated (it helps0
2. very organized (organization keeps me on track with time management and that is in my opinion HUGE)
3. passionate (hubby calls it obsessed...when I meet my quota for homework I tend to keep doing more, pushing for more info, better examples, better sources)
4. i do not settle for a B. I get upset if I get anything less than an A and that includes all assignments. Set your bar high!
5. I engage in discussion with classmates often and it really does help you remember the material.

I do have a couple B grades. It was a very rough time for me, very emotional. I let that emotion and trauma get to me and ended up with final grades of B for that term. I regret it , but I cannot change it.

My study tips....
Take mini breaks

Study in a comfortable setting that is not TOO comfortable. Comfy chair, sure...sitting up on couch, sure....laying down in bed, NO.

I cannot read a textbook over and over....no way in hell. Take small notes beginning from day one of the class, keep quizzes (with correct answers) keep print outs from the professors. I look over all of these things while studying more than reading the book again.

Make your own damn study guides. You know it is over chapters 3-9...then look at the chapters for the main ideas, main terminology, the stuff you know that will be on a test and make a study guide that has bullets, graphs etc. DO NOT just type 4 long pages and think that isa good study guide. That is boring and terrible, I would not read past the first five lines.

Drink coffee. Absolutely learn to love coffee. I don't care if you think it is addictive, it is addicting and I don't care. Coffee and french vanilla creamer is a staple in this house.

To sum all of this crap up:
manage your time, organize your stuff, make study material along the way, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

 

[BoxinMoxin]

In high school I had some issues. I barely graduated because my senior year I just went WOOOOO ..... I was headed for fast food work pretty much.

I eventually pulled my head out of my a**. So far I am one of those students that keeps racking up on A after another and I do it on an increased workload because I am finishing my bach in 3 years. Am I epic? Nope lol. I am not a genius or super gifted. I am a few things that I strongly believe contribute to my academic success.
1. highly motivated (it helps0
2. very organized (organization keeps me on track with time management and that is in my opinion HUGE)
3. passionate (hubby calls it obsessed...when I meet my quota for homework I tend to keep doing more, pushing for more info, better examples, better sources)
4. i do not settle for a B. I get upset if I get anything less than an A and that includes all assignments. Set your bar high!
5. I engage in discussion with classmates often and it really does help you remember the material.

I do have a couple B grades. It was a very rough time for me, very emotional. I let that emotion and trauma get to me and ended up with final grades of B for that term. I regret it , but I cannot change it.

My study tips....
Take mini breaks

Study in a comfortable setting that is not TOO comfortable. Comfy chair, sure...sitting up on couch, sure....laying down in bed, NO.

I cannot read a textbook over and over....no way in hell. Take small notes beginning from day one of the class, keep quizzes (with correct answers) keep print outs from the professors. I look over all of these things while studying more than reading the book again.

Make your own damn study guides. You know it is over chapters 3-9...then look at the chapters for the main ideas, main terminology, the stuff you know that will be on a test and make a study guide that has bullets, graphs etc. DO NOT just type 4 long pages and think that isa good study guide. That is boring and terrible, I would not read past the first five lines.

Drink coffee. Absolutely learn to love coffee. I don't care if you think it is addictive, it is addicting and I don't care. Coffee and french vanilla creamer is a staple in this house.

To sum all of this crap up:
manage your time, organize your stuff, make study material along the way, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

thanks

 

[BoxinMoxin]

honestly, I have just given up, I do not know what else to do but this Organic Chemistry for me is turning into the Eagles vs Cowboys game yesterday night

like on one play where McCoy did like "Barry Sanders" and ran to the outside, three tacklers were on him but he broke the tackles and ran for the first down

I have the playcall right, I have everything right, I study insanely hard but no matter what I do and how hard I try, one minor error leads to lots of points off on tests

as much as I hate to say it, this will be my first failed class, I do not know what else to do, I am giving it all I have but guess sometimes you play a team that no matter how much you prepare for them, how well you organize everything, how good your playcalling is, and no matter what is what, you will still end up getting your a** kicked because simply said, they are just better than you

 

[Erythropoietin]

Time management & scheduling

 

[eHombre]

honestly, I have just given up, I do not know what else to do but this Organic Chemistry for me is turning into the Eagles vs Cowboys game yesterday night

Extensive football analogy aside... Do you have a tutor? A paid tutor? Someone who can hold your hand and walk you through your product predictions and arrow-pushing?

Organic chemistry is not rocket science. You're either unprepared for the class, science background-wise, or you're making some key conceptual mistakes that are screwing up your broader understanding. A tutor would help with both, but especially the latter. You'll want a competent tutor who's good enough to be worth paying for and would be willing to put up with your responsibility-phobia.

 

[BoxinMoxin]

Extensive football analogy aside... Do you have a tutor? A paid tutor? Someone who can hold your hand and walk you through your product predictions and arrow-pushing?

Organic chemistry is not rocket science. You're either unprepared for the class, science background-wise, or you're making some key conceptual mistakes that are screwing up your broader understanding. A tutor would help with both, but especially the latter. You'll want a competent tutor who's good enough to be worth paying for and would be willing to put up with your responsibility-phobia.

I go to supplemental instruction which isn't that helpful unfortunately.

 

[eHombre]

I go to supplemental instruction which isn't that helpful unfortunately.

No, I'm serious, you need to go find someone (a starving graduate student, say) and pay them $20/hour to sit with you and help you work through practice problem sets.

 

[Lil Mick]

For me, I get the concepts as soon as they're presented and have close to a photographic memory.

Most people don't. When my students are struggling, I want them to come in to office hours or get a tutor to help them either figure out the concepts (I'm in math, so it's more likely that than memorization) or figure out a way to memorize more efficiently. If it's math/physics/chemistry, do as many problems as you can and find someone who understands them when you don't. A lot of math isn't intuitive to most people, and the only way to know how to work problems on exams is to recognize the patterns and apply the right techniques for that type of a problem.

For biology, most of my MS2 class studied a lot. Some made flashcards. Some spent many hours a day studying. Others drew pictures and diagrams of the information we needed to memorize. It takes repetition.

For humanities, read as much as you can--not just assigned readings, but other relevant readings. You'll understand the reasoning and structure better the more you see it (just like working on a lot of math problems), and your writing will improve as you spot different styles and techniques in other writers' works.

 

[deleted357625]

most people who get straight A's take it slow and take very light course loads with maybe 1-2 science courses.

But for someone like me taking 17 credits of science, it's pretty hard t get all A's and I'm hoping for 2 as of now and i would be happy.

 

[Truzzi]

Intentness is key. Make the most of your time studying. Nine hours of preparation is nothing if you aren't all there.

 

[Musclemass]

most people who get straight A's take it slow and take very light course loads with maybe 1-2 science courses.

This isn't true - what are you basing your comment on? There's no way to complete a science/engineering major AND preqs in four years with the "light load" you're suggesting is so prevalent.

But for someone like me taking 17 credits of science, it's pretty hard t get all A's and I'm hoping for 2 as of now and i would be happy.

If your schedule is too hard for you to get good grades, why are you doing it?

 

[13132]

You know that feeling you get when you get your exam grade back and realize what you could have done to make it better?

Do that next time.

 

[NickNaylor]

most people who get straight A's take it slow and take very light course loads with maybe 1-2 science courses.

But for someone like me taking 17 credits of science, it's pretty hard t get all A's and I'm hoping for 2 as of now and i would be happy.

I took 17-18 hours every semester, was heavily involved in ECs, and got all As. All it takes is hard work, careful time management, and/or intellect. I had friends in similar situations who also did just fine.