In search of.... Viable Test taking strategies

[masai39]

Hello Everyone. I am one of the few male nursing students in my school and am new to this board.

I study intensely. However, when I take those exams :angryfire, the questions don't seem to match the lecture or the materials I am instructed to read. At the same time, I see people completing the exams in half the time it takes me and others in the class to do so.

Am I missing something? If so, what can I do to re-align my studying so it matches the angle the questions are coming from?

[SusanJean]

Just a few thoughts...

Just because someone is an instructor...it doesn't mean they know how to teach. Because of the shortage of nursing instructors, people w/ degrees and no other qualifications are filling in.

From the profs perspective... some students screw around during lecture, come in late, don't take notes...then ask for the information, wasting valuable time of the class and profs. Now, given this, why would the prof want to help??

As a student, I find this type of student annoying, to say the least.

As a student, if I have an apathetic, not-very-good teacher, I still attend lectures, take notes, and if the teacher can not answer the questions, I look to other sources, ie text books, on-line, other profs.

My dh is an adjunct at a local college in physiology -- gets many pre-med, pre-nursing students in his classes. He is popular w/ students that want to learn, not w/ those just looking for a grade...

One student tried to file a complaint re the "f" she got... only attended one lecture, scored below 50 on all exams, did NO extra credit... and she thought she was entitled to a passing grade?? Obviously, nothing happened w/ the complaint...

ok, done rambling.

Well, just one more thing...And, for those of us w/ so many complaints about nursing school and the profs...are we willing to get additional education to make some changes for those that come after us...by becoming educators?? I am...

SJ

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

This looks very promising (lots of good advice):

http://faculty.ccri.edu/jrichardson/test_takng_strategies2_files/frame.htm

[Pammie]

I am not sure what the problem with your particular friend is, but I will explain why I have the same problem as your friend. I have 77 semester hours with a 3.9. I REALLY wanted some of the students who were a sememster ahead to help us. I began to realize how difficult it is for them to find time, but it is so needful. I had some other students in my Fundamentals/Pharm class ask to study with me. Here is the problem I ran into. It may be a study session for them, but, for me, it turned into a tutoring session. I was so busy helping them to understand the material that it prevented me from really studying. What I think I will do this next semester is find a student (I have one in mind; the daughter of a close friend.) and mentor her. I will make a time to help her and any of her friends; however, I will not make the mistake of trying to study WITH a group of students again.

Perfect answer. That is helpful... Also, on the students helping? forget it! I had one girl staying with me as she lived too far away and now that she isn't she can't be bothered to study together as she is too smart. She just makes up excuses and rationalizes I 'm not ready to study with them

[Pammie]

You're right. This is good advice. Thanks.

This looks very promising (lots of good advice):

http://faculty.ccri.edu/jrichardson/test_takng_strategies2_files/frame.htm

[janetrette]

what can i say about nursing exam? off the topic but we all know sometimes we don't even have to study enough to do well if you get what i mean. i had one classmate that doesn't put any studying time only study with us during the study group however she does well! B's considering the lack of studying hours. there would be people like that makes you jealous. but as i learn during my 3rd semester in nursing school just get over with it. i had done my best! sometimes i would feel low but i try to think i really want to become a nurse - reason because i want to help people. simple as that. and, if i can't make it then that's not fair. so push i push myself to work harder and just do whatever i can.

in the end, i just graduated from this past semester! LOL.

so miracle's do happen!

i suggest: studying by yourself and then maybe a couple of days before exams do a study group. no more than 4people at least. make sure they are the people/person that study like you, same pace and etc. you don't want to tutor and waste time like that. that's how my classmate do her studying!!!

:balloons:

[Pammie]

That's what I did. I studied on my own and only with a group the night or day before and small groups do work better.

I have made really good grades (3.9), but I am one of those people who have to puts HOURS of study in to get it. My whole life, with the exception of church activities (I teach a Bible club for kids-AWANA's-on Wednesday and teach Sunday School.) and school club activities, all I do is study.

what can i say about nursing exam? off the topic but we all know sometimes we don't even have to study enough to do well if you get what i mean. i had one classmate that doesn't put any studying time only study with us during the study group however she does well! B's considering the lack of studying hours. there would be people like that makes you jealous. but as i learn during my 3rd semester in nursing school just get over with it. i had done my best! sometimes i would feel low but i try to think i really want to become a nurse - reason because i want to help people. simple as that. and, if i can't make it then that's not fair. so push i push myself to work harder and just do whatever i can.

in the end, i just graduated from this past semester! LOL.

so miracle's do happen!

i suggest: studying by yourself and then maybe a couple of days before exams do a study group. no more than 4people at least. make sure they are the people/person that study like you, same pace and etc. you don't want to tutor and waste time like that. that's how my classmate do her studying!!!

:balloons: