Best way to prepare for A&P?

xxstarrynitesxx · Jun 27, 2017

Hi VictoriaxB,

I am a big planner myself (I have literally been a wedding planner for almost 11 years now). For me personally, I did not attempt to learn the material ahead of time because, like you said, there is so much information. As I took this course over six weeks during a winter session, I did not have much time between the end of my fall semester to do much studying anyways.

Something that helped me personally was talking with students who had taken the professor I did and had gotten A's. These were people that had similar drive, intelligence, work ethic, study habits, etc. so I knew the information being provided was trustworthy. I went into the class with an expectation of the workload and what I could do to get an A. I think I was also able to get ahold of an old syllabus for the class to get an idea of what I would be learning. I believe the first test was basically a review of some biology and chemistry concepts.

Like you, I also feel the pressure to get all A's because my community college program is also highly competitive. I also feel like I need to score in the 90s on the TEAS as well, but realistically, I know I am in good shape. Thus far, I have been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA. The biggest advice I have is to figure out the best study method for you and what time you study best at. From there, preview the chapter/powerpoint you will cover that day in class. Within 24 hours, review the lecture material you covered in class. This helps the information stick better. You may find recording the lectures helpful (I did, but never needed to listen to them).

During lecture, I would make sure to stay engaged by asking questions that I had and answering questions the class was asked. I made a lot of connections between the various chapters. Critical thinking really made me stand out from my other classmates. For lab, my partner and I basically ignored everyone else and did our own thing. If there were slides, we photographed every slide and every magnification. We took pictures of the models and labeled them and recorded our own videos going over the various parts. We also took turns just teaching each other the material for lab and lecture. If you need to, form a study group. At home, I have a whiteboard and I would "teach" invisible the masses.

To be perfectly honest, the biggest thing that really helped me was already knowing what to expect from other students. It helped me to relax and helped me to figure out how to approach the class. I came in knowing that I had to work hard, but found out that I did not have to work as hard as I thought I did. My professor really helped to focus on the information we needed to do well on the TEAS and to prepare us for nursing school.

Best of luck! Just take a moment to relax. Meet with your professor throughout the semester and show him or her that you want to do well in the class. If he or she can see you trying, he or she will usually give you the extra help you need whether it be directing you towards a tutor or during office hours.

VictoriaxB · Jun 28, 2017

Hi VictoriaxB,
I am a big planner myself (I have literally been a wedding planner for almost 11 years now). For me personally, I did not attempt to learn the material ahead of time because, like you said, there is so much information. As I took this course over six weeks during a winter session, I did not have much time between the end of my fall semester to do much studying anyways.
Something that helped me personally was talking with students who had taken the professor I did and had gotten A's. These were people that had similar drive, intelligence, work ethic, study habits, etc. so I knew the information being provided was trustworthy. I went into the class with an expectation of the workload and what I could do to get an A. I think I was also able to get ahold of an old syllabus for the class to get an idea of what I would be learning. I believe the first test was basically a review of some biology and chemistry concepts.
Like you, I also feel the pressure to get all A's because my community college program is also highly competitive. I also feel like I need to score in the 90s on the TEAS as well, but realistically, I know I am in good shape. Thus far, I have been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA. The biggest advice I have is to figure out the best study method for you and what time you study best at. From there, preview the chapter/powerpoint you will cover that day in class. Within 24 hours, review the lecture material you covered in class. This helps the information stick better. You may find recording the lectures helpful (I did, but never needed to listen to them).
During lecture, I would make sure to stay engaged by asking questions that I had and answering questions the class was asked. I made a lot of connections between the various chapters. Critical thinking really made me stand out from my other classmates. For lab, my partner and I basically ignored everyone else and did our own thing. If there were slides, we photographed every slide and every magnification. We took pictures of the models and labeled them and recorded our own videos going over the various parts. We also took turns just teaching each other the material for lab and lecture. If you need to, form a study group. At home, I have a whiteboard and I would "teach" invisible the masses.
To be perfectly honest, the biggest thing that really helped me was already knowing what to expect from other students. It helped me to relax and helped me to figure out how to approach the class. I came in knowing that I had to work hard, but found out that I did not have to work as hard as I thought I did. My professor really helped to focus on the information we needed to do well on the TEAS and to prepare us for nursing school.
Best of luck! Just take a moment to relax. Meet with your professor throughout the semester and show him or her that you want to do well in the class. If he or she can see you trying, he or she will usually give you the extra help you need whether it be directing you towards a tutor or during office hours.

Wow, thanks so much for that insight. I suppose I'm just overthinking as usual, but I tend to be a perfectionist and want to give myself the best chance of succeeding. I'll definitely look into forming a study group or finding a tutor. I'm sure I'll definitely need a tutor for statistics, as I've attempted it before and found it rather difficult. I'll try to locate students who've successfully taken it. I'm new to this school so I don't know anyone yet and the professor for the class hasn't been announced yet. I'm just anxious to get started on this new journey lol!

xxstarrynitesxx · Jun 28, 2017

You are welcome! I completely understand overthinking things and I actually refer to myself as a "recovering perfectionist". I went from super Type A to a very relaxed Type A.

Your school may offer a certain amount of free tutoring or may have an SI program. I am not sure if you're familiar with this, but a student who has taken the class and done A (sometimes B work) attends the lecture portion and the leads a supplement instruction portion.

Stats, well, I hate stats haha. It is the very last class I will be taking because I think it is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. I had finished my Calculus series when I was still pre-med and once I switched over to nursing and found out I had to take stats I actually cried haha. I understand the material, but I enjoy my Calculus. I put a lot of thought into who I am taking that class with.

As you get to know people in your class, you may find out things from them or meet others through them. You may be able to find someone in the nursing program who can shed some light on what to expect and what professors to take. Ratemyprofessors is something I refer, but I take everything with a grain of salt.

Starting your journey is both exciting and anxiety riddled. I'm taking the second semester of anatomy and physiology in be fall which is my last prerequisite needed before I can apply. I'm taking stats because I think I may want to do my BSN at the same time as my ADN.

Just take a moment to relax, enjoy your summer, and prepare yourself to work hard! You can do it!