<p>Hey, I'm a Pre-med student at MTSU, and it is my 1st semester. I've been out of school for 3years prior to this and getting back in a routine has been difficult. So far I've managed to accumulate perfect scores on every quiz/test in my course (Gen Chem, Cal1, Eng), but in Gen Bio, my 1st test resulted in a B, and I'm afraid my second will also result in a B. This is the 1st time in my life I've gotten a B, and I know if I get anything but an A in Gen Bio, it could mess up my chances for Med School. Does anyone here have any tips on a decent study plan for Bio? My professor is okay, but he rambles very quickly a lot to a class of 200+ students, and it is getting difficult to understand the work. Thanks for the advice.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Read the chapter/assignment ahead of lecture. Take notes and prepare a list of questions on things you’re not clear on to ask in class or in recitation.</p></li>
<li><p>Take thorough notes in class. It may be useful to use a small digital recorder during lecture if your school and instructor allow it.</p></li>
<li><p>Go to recitation. Every. Single. Week.</p></li>
<li><p>If you’re having difficulty with a topic, go to office hours (prof’s preferably, TA’s if the TA is more approachable.)</p></li>
<li><p>Find a study group to work with.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t study material in the same location at the same time and in the same manner consistently. Mix up your studying. There is evidence that consistently studying new material only in a certain locale or only at a certain time of day tends to associate new concepts learned with that place/time, thus making it more difficult to recall the new concepts at a different time and place.</p></li>
<li><p>Get tutoring at your school’s academic center if you need it.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You may have to accept a B in Into Bio. It’s not an app-killer so long as it doesn’t have a lot of other Bs to keep it company.</p>
<p>Are there multiple lecture times for the class? If you’re free during one of the others, you might consider going to a lecture again if it was a particularly tough one. Not something I’ve personally done, but I have friends who swore by it.</p>
<h1>6 may be of great help to me. I tend to study at a fixed location, and recall is becoming difficult. Thank you. I should not have much trouble getting A’s from here, it’s the 1st class that ever challenged me</h1>
<p>Reading over each chapter multiple times works for me. </p>
<p>I find that lectures are almost useless without reading the chapter before going to class; doing so will help you understand what your ‘rambling’ professor is saying. </p>
<p>My professor also provides old exams that I run through several days before the exam.</p>
<p>I had to take a Bio class years after I completed my undergraduate degree. Bio was a shocker, that’s for sure. While a large number of the students dropped out, I succeeded because I was totally motivated. I pre-read every chapter before each class and to understand systems better, I busily drew everything: the heart, mitosis, photosynthesis, etc. Made a huge difference, but maybe also because I did the work; I didn’t just study someone else’s work.</p>
<p>Read over the material before class, take good notes, and read over the material after class. Start studying for a test at least 3 days in advance.</p>