When you're studying...

[sbuxaddict]

...Are you guys just reading or actively taking notes? I'm trying to just read for now, but I'm having trouble retaining anything I read. If I try to take notes, it ends up taking a long time and it takes time out from practice Q's for me (I'm also working full-time).
How are you guys doing it? Any advice would be helpful, thanks.

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[Ssina]

I personally learn by writing everything like 100 times, but it can be tedious and takes a long time... you can try highlighting. I used multiple colors, everytime essentially narrowing down the stuff I didn't know!

 

[johnisles2011]

It sounds like it's simple for you, sbuxaddict. If you don't retain it when you simply read it, then you don't really have any choice. You have to take notes.

 

[Dman27]

I am retaking it, and I didn't take many notes the first time. So this time even if I know the stuff I am taking notes on main stuff, don't get too detailed unless you don't know the topic. And then I am going to make index cards for things I don't know (even though I have the Kaplan ones). Good luck!

 

[shushumiga]

...Are you guys just reading or actively taking notes? I'm trying to just read for now, but I'm having trouble retaining anything I read. If I try to take notes, it ends up taking a long time and it takes time out from practice Q's for me (I'm also working full-time).
How are you guys doing it? Any advice would be helpful, thanks.

I don't personally think that taking notes is very beneficial. It is better to highlight the most important information as you read and spend more time doing practice passages. I tried to take notes as I was reading but I just got so behind the material. Now that I highlight it is easier to go back to the information and just read it. Now, for physics I use paper where I repeatedly write formulas so I don't forget.

 

[MedPR]

...Are you guys just reading or actively taking notes? I'm trying to just read for now, but I'm having trouble retaining anything I read. If I try to take notes, it ends up taking a long time and it takes time out from practice Q's for me (I'm also working full-time).
How are you guys doing it? Any advice would be helpful, thanks.

I take notes on key things and things that I know I won't retain from reading. I also mark pages with important info/charts so I know to come back to it later.

I take more notes when I do problems than when I'm reading.

 

[typicalindian]

i take notes as I read, it really slows me down and I am probably being innefficient but I've found that it works extremely well for me so...not about to figure out a new method now. I think taking notes or highlighting etc is very good to do when you read because it forces you to think about what you just read, pick out the important parts of it, and then only write down or highlight that part.

 

[MedPR]

Btw, taking longer to read through a chapter because you are taking notes isn't necessarily inefficient just because you sit longer on 1 chapter. If you need notes to learn, take notes. Rereading the chapter several times and going over concepts several times because you wanted to 'save time' by not taking notes will probably end up costing you more time.

Going slow once can be more efficient than rushing through multiple times.

 

[BKN89]

My advice is that you be selective in what you take notes on and how you take your notes. I'm very detail oriented myself (to a fault) and during undergrad I'd take VERY detailed notes. However, with something like the MCAT, the sheer volume makes this sort of impractical. I compromised by taking notes on broad, general, basic principles that I thought would be useful in problem solving, and I chose not to write anything down for things I knew - for example, the difference between a lewis acid and a Bron. Low. Acid. I also took notes in the CLEAREST, most shorthanded way possible without losing meaning.

For example, when it comes to acid/base reactions, there are tons of rules and examples you can write down.

My set of notes looks something like this though:
1. If ^ size of halogen > ^ Haloacid strength
2. In same row, ^ electronegativity > ^ acidity
3. Oxyacids: ^ oxygens > ^ acid strength
4. If same oxygens > ^electronegativity of central atom > ^ acid strength

And that sums up about 5 pages of the TBR acid/base chapter.

You can find a happy medium. The main thing you want to do is to be efficient.

 

[MedPR]

My advice is that you be selective in what you take notes on and how you take your notes. I'm very detail oriented myself (to a fault) and during undergrad I'd take VERY detailed notes. However, with something like the MCAT, the sheer volume makes this sort of impractical. I compromised by taking notes on broad, general, basic principles that I thought would be useful in problem solving, and I chose not to write anything down for things I knew - for example, the difference between a lewis acid and a Bron. Low. Acid. I also took notes in the CLEAREST, most shorthanded way possible without losing meaning.

For example, when it comes to acid/base reactions, there are tons of rules and examples you can write down.

My set of notes looks something like this though:
1. If ^ size of halogen > ^ Haloacid strength
2. In same row, ^ electronegativity > ^ acidity
3. Oxyacids > ^ oxygens > ^ acid strength
4. If same oxygens > ^electronegativity of central atom > ^ acid strength

And that sums up about 5 pages of the TBR acid/base chapter.

You can find a happy medium, the main thing you want to do is to be efficient.

Thanks for using that example. Good review of what I did today.

 

[Ssina]

or you can search SDN, ppl posted their outline notes as pdfs (came across a couple a while ago, don't ask me where though!) you can print them and fill in stuff that you don't know/stands out!

 

[Lazybum2014]

i take notes as I read, it really slows me down and I am probably being innefficient but I've found that it works extremely well for me so...not about to figure out a new method now. I think taking notes or highlighting etc is very good to do when you read because it forces you to think about what you just read, pick out the important parts of it, and then only write down or highlight that part.

Ditto. Although highlighting isn't doing it for me so I'm scratch-writing. This may be a new word but it literally looks like scratches on my notebook.

Also @typicalindian, did your signature come first or the avatar???

 

[typicalindian]

Ditto. Although highlighting isn't doing it for me so I'm scratch-writing. This may be a new word but it literally looks like scratches on my notebook.

Also @typicalindian, did your signature come first or the avatar???

lol sig came first 😉 had to match my avatar with it. why do you ask?

 

[Corpsman Up]

I am using the EK method; read all the chapters for the week on Monday, then spend the rest of the week going back over them and taking notes/doing problems. I personally take pretty detailed notes. I have tried to get out of that habbit but I just can't seem to do it. Highlighting doesn't work for me because I get color happy and highlight too much stuff. It takes me a considerable amount of time to go through each chapter taking notes (over 3hrs) and referring to textbooks; but it's the only way I learn efficiently

 

[dartmed]

There really isn't an easy way out. Been trying to find one for Biology though.

What I would do is go through each chapter, read it thoroughly, close your book, and then write everything that you remembered from reading. Then, go back through the book to add all the topics that you missed. Saves some time, and you can highlight on information that you didn't remember very well.

Then, go through TBR Phase I questions. If you are on break, all of TBR Physics, Chemistry, TPR/EK Biology, EK Organic shouldn't take more than 14-15 days. 3-4 chapters a day. Ok, I also read all the chapters during the semester, so take this with a grain of salt.

The last week of break should be for TPR Science Workbook...shouldn't take more than a week to go through the entire book. Early after school starts (1st week - 10 days), finish EK 1001 questions.

Then, full lengths along with the rest of the passages from TBR. Review your notes/formula sheets constantly throughtout the week. You should crack 33s with all this prep. At least I hope to. :crossingfingers:

 

[Lazybum2014]

lol sig came first 😉 had to match my avatar with it. why do you ask?

@typicalindian Hahaha because at 3 in the morning after finishing El Bio 2, I was highly entertained with the fact that your avatar matches the crush.

Also I think i might just make note cards of things I forget. Like I know replication so little notes on that, but the hefty details of the polypeptide synthesis are being drawn a la Da Vinci...Idk if that made any sense but I hope that helps

 

[sbuxaddict]

Thank you for all the responses and advice everyone 🙂

There really isn't an easy way out. Been trying to find one for Biology though.

What I would do is go through each chapter, read it thoroughly, close your book, and then write everything that you remembered from reading. Then, go back through the book to add all the topics that you missed. Saves some time, and you can highlight on information that you didn't remember very well.

Then, go through TBR Phase I questions. If you are on break, all of TBR Physics, Chemistry, TPR/EK Biology, EK Organic shouldn't take more than 14-15 days. 3-4 chapters a day. Ok, I also read all the chapters during the semester, so take this with a grain of salt.

The last week of break should be for TPR Science Workbook...shouldn't take more than a week to go through the entire book. Early after school starts (1st week - 10 days), finish EK 1001 questions.

Then, full lengths along with the rest of the passages from TBR. Review your notes/formula sheets constantly throughtout the week. You should crack 33s with all this prep. At least I hope to. :crossingfingers:

Wow, how much time are you giving yourself? Seems like you're cramming a lot into a small window of time.
I'm working full-time so that's not an option for me. But the first part about writing what I remember and then reviewing what I forgot is really good, thank you!

 

[MedPR]

There really isn't an easy way out. Been trying to find one for Biology though.

What I would do is go through each chapter, read it thoroughly, close your book, and then write everything that you remembered from reading. Then, go back through the book to add all the topics that you missed. Saves some time, and you can highlight on information that you didn't remember very well.

Then, go through TBR Phase I questions. If you are on break, all of TBR Physics, Chemistry, TPR/EK Biology, EK Organic shouldn't take more than 14-15 days. 3-4 chapters a day. Ok, I also read all the chapters during the semester, so take this with a grain of salt.

The last week of break should be for TPR Science Workbook...shouldn't take more than a week to go through the entire book. Early after school starts (1st week - 10 days), finish EK 1001 questions.

Then, full lengths along with the rest of the passages from TBR. Review your notes/formula sheets constantly throughtout the week. You should crack 33s with all this prep. At least I hope to. :crossingfingers:

3-4 chapters per day? Passages included? Doesn't sound very reasonable.

 

[Corpsman Up]

I just went back and looked at the notes I've been taking so far and realized I have really been wasting my time! I'm basically rewriting the chapters! Thanks for starting this thread which made me evaluate that

 

[NightOwly]

I also like to do more than reading to increase my retention rate ...what I've been doing is I keep "Anki" (free) flashcard program open as I read and I turn the most important points into a digital flashcard. Since I have ebooks, I add images too.

Then I just sit back and flip through the deck.

Since Anki hides the cards you already know, and repeats more frequently the ones you don't know, I spend more time focusing on the areas that need attention.

It definitely increases my retention rate. It's a free program. Look it up.

 

[dartmed]

I just went back and looked at the notes I've been taking so far and realized I have really been wasting my time! I'm basically rewriting the chapters! Thanks for starting this thread which made me evaluate that

Corpsman Up - I don't know if it would be a waste of time or not. I tried to do it without notes last time (was planning on taking it in January), and I realized I forgot a lot of the info. that I had read 2 months prior. That's why I took notes now. I constantly review my notes/study guides now, and it's been terrific. let me know if you would like them. Send me a PM, and I can definitely send them to you if it will save you time. 🙂

3-4 chapters was doable. I am done with TBR Physics, TBR Chemistry, TPR Organic (3 chapters left), TPR Biology (3 chapters left) with notes and phase I of BR. Again, take it with a grain of salt because I had already read all the chapters once before, and had a good start on the notes as well. It took all break, but I think it will be worth it. Time to wrap it all up and start on the WB! So pumped!!!

I also had nothing to do but study.