<p>Hi, the search does not work for me. Sorry. I am starting a new topic.</p>
<p>I want study advice from college kids. Things that work for you or things you WISH you had done to prepare for AP exams and college term tests or whatever. Also, I know you do a lot of reading. How do you cope with so much reading, especially if you are a slow reader?</p>
<p>The best advice I have been given so far is that a kid goes to class with just a clipboard and paper. When he goes back to his dorm, he sorts through all of them and puts them in their appropriate binder. This forces him to look through his notes after class. This is important because they say you retain more information if you review your notes sometimes after class within 24 hours.</p>
<p>FLASHCARDS!!!! They're a life saver....and writing the stuff over/deciding what's pertinent, useful, test-worthy info really makes you review the material....and they're easy to transport for when you're getting to class early/waiting on a bus/in the dining hall/etc.</p>
<p>For tests that you can't have any sort of equation sheet, make one up like you would want to use, and then study that stuff more.</p>
<p>I also use flashcards, and look over graded homeworks really well to see where I was making mistakes before the test comes around.</p>
<p>I do take notes in 3 ring binders so I can take any pages out I need, or add stuff. Spiral notebooks have never worked well for me if I'm trying to study. They seem to be good for people that have trouble staying organized, lose papers, etc.</p>
<p>Ha, I'll say quite the opposite: pace yourself in studying. Start studying at least several days before big exams, and cover a portion of the material each day. Near the end review it all. This way you don't just retain the information for one night (like with cramming) and if you come up with anything you need clarified, you have time to do so. It's also much less stressful than cramming (for your mind and your body).</p>
<p>Of course, in HS cramming did work at times, but I wouldn't try it now in college. I'm just not a fan. Hell even in HS I always did better studying early than when I crammed.</p>
<p>So I guess what I'm trying to say is: study early/finish work early/don't procrastinate.</p>
<ul>
<li>For tests, the main advice is, don't procrastinate. I say this not because you have less time to learn the material in the last day/minute, but because this greatly decreases your brain's ability to retain whaterver you are reading. Everytime you learn something new, go to the library and go over the material, take your own notes, or make flash cards. The goal is to prioritize the main concepts and focus on the important section, while ignoring common sensical material or ridiculus stuff you will never be tested on. My technique is to read each chapter and underline concepts that are will likely be on the exam, then memorize only those underscored parts (typically two-three sentences per page) as the exam approaches.</li>
</ul>
<p>-Don't delude yourself by studying in small groups. You might get some homework done along with a few bodies, but it takes a lot more time and if you want to understand something, you will have to isolate yourself and go somewhere comfortable with no distractions.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>For math exams, do a lot of practice and memorize the relevant formulas. At my school, questions on math exams for each year are virtually identical, so it is vital that you go over past exams and practice the problems. </p></li>
<li><p>Make sure you start preparing for an exam at least one week prior and spread out studying periods evenly during the week. In other words, don't try to study everything in one five hours sitting.</p></li>
<li><p>You should have fun when writing papers, so if you can't express your thoughts at the moment, take a break and come back when you are inspired. Always write an outline and organize your research so your arguments are cohesive and you only deal with one issue at a time.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Try and work in a place with minimal distractions. I know I never got any work done while my TV was on or my guitar was right next to me. Study in a place where the only thing to do is study.</p>
<p>I take a lot of humanities classes. My advice for essay-finals is to lock yourself away for a few hours and just put yourself in the professors shoes and think up of possible questions, or how one concept can be explained/refuted in terms of another.</p>
<p>I also try to condense my binder of 50 or 60 pages of notes down into 3 or 4, or if you read authors, try to sum up their theories in one sentence so you can remember it.</p>
<p>Soccerguy, no, that sucks... It causes too much stress and I feel not-confident in myself and my knowledge and intelligence. Plus, that doesn't work for me when it comes to ESSAY EXAMS!</p>
<p>For in class lectures, the only things I get out of them are what I get there. I will only pay attention to part of the class, and will be digesting the previous thing and skip the current. I get under 50% of what is said, but it works better for me than writing notes on everything and then never using them. I used my notes 4 times all year. When I need to review a problem, I redo it completely.
On a side note, sometimes I have to figure out homework problems 2 or 3 times, because I think of the answer and dont write it down, or realize later than I didnt put enough down and have no idea.
** Put your own notes in with your notes as you do them, and with the problems that you do so you know what you were thinking.</p>
<p>Also my psychology teacher said playing with a deck of cards or playdo or something will help you remember more. So I will take that to college. I hope I don't look dorky.</p>
<p>jesus kid, u'll be fine, you don't need some gimmick to do well in college, just go out there, have a good time, and do your best, you'll pick things up on the fly.</p>
<p>I advise my own kids to take a break from their b.f. or g.f. for the worst weeks of exams. I don't know if they listen or not. I figure that anybody who likes you will be generous enough to leave you alone for a few days, so you'll do well on exams.
And if you sense some social drama coming along, just say "No. We're dealing with that after exams." Don't get taken in. That includes any social drama among friends.
I hated seeing my kids in h.s. the night before a major exam, tip-tapping late into the night with some b.f. or g.f., hearing about how TERRIBLE their life is, trying to rescue them..all that can all wait.</p>
<p>I never had a bf in highschool. Man... one time... actually 2 times I had a crush... I was off focus for two weeks and my grades were about to suffer. Man, if that can happen with just a crush, I don't wanna know what can happen with a bf!</p>