<p>Bigredmed, I once again concur with what you mean about ECs, but two things. One I want to do MD/PhD and as a result research plays just as big a role as other ECs such as shadowing and what not. Also, for this program one needs a really high GPA because it is even more competitive than reg. med school admissions. I agree that devoting time to ECs is important, but MD/PhD programs want to see students who are also successful academically. As a result, I need to attain a GPA of at least 3.7. I got my grades back last night and I was extremely distraught because I worked my butt off in my bio class and I still wasn't able to pull off an A. It just angers me that in college no matter how hard one works, that is not a justification of success because the number and/or letter grade at the end is all that matters. Even though nearly all of my professors know me either by name or by face, this still doesn't play a role. Sadly, my first semester of college was my 'easiest' and it will only get exponentially harder from here. I never thought that I would need to fight so hard for an 'A' and the sad reality is that I didn't attain it in the end. I mean if I had done ECs, my GPA and grade in that class probably would have been lower. So basically I need to identify my flaws before it is too late or I can kiss med school good-bye. I understand that I need to study smarter, but I also need to attain good grades in the process. At this point in time, I feel like I have hit a dead-end, but either way I refuse to surrender. I will find a way to get a good grade even if it kills me. I mean my bio prof for next semester is very tough b/c he grades on a bell curve and gives exams where every question is 'which is the least incorrect' and all of the answer choices are correct. I understand that I cannot do anything to change reality, except suck it up and deal with it. So basically I managed to get hold of old bio notes from his class and I am currently trying to learn the material because my life and grades depend on a good grade in his class. I just hope I can attain a good grade in his class because he has crushed many lives, dreams, and hopes in my school.</p>
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<p>Omg, this sucks! But when I think about it, this is probably what I will be like in college because that's how i feel alot of the time in my AP Chemistry class. While i still manage to get A's, its because the teacher is very generous and gives out much extra credit, but if she were as mean as your bio professor, grading on a bell curve and whatnot, then I'd be be getting a low B. And even at this rate, I study long and hard just to achieve mediocrity in this class while all my other classes I neglect (and still get A's with minimal effort, as i've always done throughout high school). </p>
<p>I feel like i need to figure out how to study "smarter" as well...I've been thinking about buying the solutions guide to my ap chem textbook so that I can learn how to solve problems (i'm great at understanding the concepts, but throw a math problem at me and i'm stumped, despite the fact that i'm doing great in honors Calculus, one of my easiest classes).</p>
<p>I think that if i can learn how to understand how to work out those problems then I should be good to go....but its not as easy as it sounds.</p>
<p>College doesn't reward effort. It rewards people who study smart and are efficient. I've tutored freshmen in intro bio for Cornell and you'd be amazed at their knowledge of the most useless facts (what I call "trivia") from the textbook. Yet, they still failed many of the midterms because they failed to grasp the main ideas. You don't need to know everything. But, you need to be able to sit in on a lecture and discern what the professor thinks is important. That will be an essential skill for college success and on the MCAT as well (being able to extract the main idea from passages).</p>
<p>Freshman year, I never studied more than 1 day for midterms. In fact, in some of my classes, I started studying on the day of the midterm. Yet, I still did well. Being able to only study 3 hours for a test forced me to focus only on the big picture. I didn't have to luxury of memorizing every example presented in the book or the lecture. There are many students who try to memorize all the examples and do all the practice problems, yet, on the test when the teacher tweaks the problem just a little bit, they fail miserably. If they had grasped the main idea and the important details, they'd be able to apply them to any kind of example or scenario the teacher may have cooked up on the test.</p>
<p>Getting a study guide may not be a bad idea. They are essentially condensed versions of the textbook and cut out the extraneous information for you. Obviously, when you get good enough at it, you'll be able to do it yourself.</p>
<p>BY300</p>
<p>1) Yes, MD/PhD does place importance on research. But you still have to have EC's to make yourself as competitive as possible. If anything, who are they going to choose - the kid who has good grades, and good research, or the kid with good grades, good research AND good EC's. Further, most schools, at least as I understand it, will put you in the regular MD pool if you wish if you aren't selected for MD/PhD, thus EC's continue to be important.</p>
<p>2) I think you're wildly mistaken about freshman year automatically being the easiest - especially 1st semester. Some of your courses may be more difficult, but in subsequent years you no longer have to worry about the transition from HS to college, you're study habits are better, your more efficient, and you simply become a better student as you progress. As we've discussed on other threads, many times the grading becomes easier as you get into upper division classes. </p>
<p>3) As for your upcoming prof...first a bell curve is to your benefit (assuming it's a true curve). Sure there are fewer A's handed out, but you only have to beat your classmates. Second, find some old tests (if you were in a fraternity, there might be test banks...perhaps you can find some fraternity or sorority members to study with who have access). The biggest thing about an exam like this is you have to think like your professor. Finally, and MOST IMPORTANTLY - it's one stinking class. A C won't destroy you. BDM and I both had a couple of C's in required pre-med courses, and I know I had plenty of B's throughout undergrad. </p>
<p>4) As I said earlier - study smarter, not harder. Be adaptable in your study habits in order to best meet the demands of the professor. Don't study from the text book if 90% of test material is going to come from lecture. Don't do blocks and blocks of multiple choice questions if it's an essay test. If you're doing lots and lots of math based problems, make sure you understand PROCESS, not just whether you got the answer right or wrong.</p>
<p>thanks for the insightful responses....it really gives me a better idea of how i should manage my time.</p>