Currently I'm taking anatomy and physiology part 1 in the summer which is hard but I have been maintaining my composure. I did want to share that I am extremely upset with my current first lecture exam grade being a 73%. I thought I did so much better than that cause I knew all the answers to the multiple choice expect for five and than on the written portion of the test I messed up on two questions that were worth roughly 8-10 points out of the 6 questions. I am extremely upset about this grade cause seeing that we only have 4 more exams for the semester I can't even earn an A in the class without getting 100's on every exam now and I can only achieve a B but I would need to score in the 90's for basically all the exams. Im beating myself up about this so much cause I know how much nursing programs look into this class and I'm worried I won't get accepted but on top of that me being a future nurse practitioner seems questionable. Im worried the NP program will look at all this and not expect me and I know I'm way ahead of myself but Im just so upset and I'm not sure what to do. I thought I did so much better than anticipated. I thought I at least made an 80.
Is this a bad start? Got any advice for me veterans in the game? Thanks
So I studied about 50 hours per week for just A&P. Find out what your study style is and make your own study guides for that style. I used concept maps, made my own power point flash cards from A&P revealed, and used EZ Notescards and Quizlit like crazy. I would also photocopy the diagrams from the book, use white out to cover the names and make a million copies for my own fill in the blank practice. Most schools will average your grade or deduct points for re-taking the class so I agree with sticking it out. I got an 4.0 with A&PI but had to do A&PII at a different school due to my husband getting laid off and having to relocate to a new state. I got a 3.5 in A&PII and still got into a nursing program so you don't always have to get a 4.0 in everything.
I am not trying to sound mean when I say this cause I do respect that you took the time to respond to my post but when you said a study guide is not a guarantee then what exactly is the point of it? When I think of a study guide I think of it as a "guide" to what I should be studying in order to know what information I need to pass the test. I understand that from my post it sounds like I am just ranting on how bad my professor is but thats not the case. I have had many great teachers and professors throughout my life but this guy is the only one I ever had a problem with. The way I see it a teacher is there to teach and help you learn the material. He is not doing that and I understand that I am an adult and I cant rely on the teacher which I accept and agree but then why am I wasting my time going to his lectures? Why does anyone waste there time? If its up to me to learn the material and teach myself then why does schools make students go to lecture. Its kinda in my view just a waste of time unless you actually have a good teacher which i don't.
I do agree that it was my fault for not learning both out of 33 questions on thats study guide but then at the same time the teacher shouldn't give a student the choice. Its like giving me a choice of what toppings I want on my pizza but then you decide to ignore what you offered as an option. Its wrong honestly but I moved on and I'm getting ready for the next test.
See you have a lot more information that we were given. All we get are the powerpoint and the textbook. Thats it and we have to figure out on a method to study for the test. So what I do is use quizlet. I appreciate your post and I know you don't mean it in a bad way, I just wanted to share my thoughts.
It is not a bad start, honestly. It's just a lesson learned. There is no perfect one-way street to becoming a nurse. You are not the only one who may feel defeated because of one disappointing grade. Always remember to study smart, not hard. Best wishes to you! You got this.
My first exam in A&P2 I got a D. I was mortified. I realized what where I went wrong (I used too many resources), changed up my study habits and worked hard to do well on my lab practicals, and I wound up with a B for the quarter. Would I have liked to have done better? Of course, but I worked my butt off for that B.
I appreciate your kind words. I mean don't get me wrong, Im pleased that I passed but I'm disappointed that it was a very weak pass. I appreciate your post!
No problem! I know exactly what it's like to feel defeated. I was literally feeling the same this past Spring semester every time I would score less than 85%, but I managed to get through it. There were days I cried and even questioned my purpose as a student nurse, but for that, I just know that better days are coming because it will pay off. Always remember that. Find a tutor or someone with at the beginning of the semester just so that you can have a jumpstart and always visit professor office hours when you can... it helps!
I would'nt drop the class tbh I remember in my physio class I got a 53% on the first lecture test b/c the whole test was critical thinking. But I went to study sessions with a tutor and wound up with a high B in the class by the end of the semester. You have lab as part of the class too right? Try to get a high A (Since lab is easier than lecture) in the lab and increase study time with lecture material, I would also suggest that you rewrite your notes atleast a few times a week.
The reason why I am so irritated is cause on his study guide he gave us the option to choose which covalent bond we wanted to draw. So i learned the double covalent bond C02 but when I took the test he wanted something completely different so I just drew what I knew. Then the second option was to synthesis and dehydration synthesis either an amino acid or carb. So i learned the carb one but on the test he told us to do the amino acid. SO those two questions right now basically lost me 20 points so I was already down to an 80 cause of two stupid questions.
Is there a possibility that what he meant to say on the study guide isn't the same was as how it seemed to read to you?
Like maybe he was meaning to say that the test would require drawing a covalent bond, but hes not going to tell you which one because you need to know them all? And that you will be asked to draw either a carb or an amino acid, so be prepared for both because it could be either?
Maybe he phrased it in a way that was unclear what he meant.
I do agree with the other comment that said study guides are not guarantees that they will be the only info on the test. In my experience, sometimes there's also stuff on the study guide that ISN'T covered on the test. It drives me nuts! I'd almost rather not have a study guide at all, but my classmates always want one.
I disagree that study guides aren't effective. The thing is to know how to make it useful. ANP books are huge with lots of information so study guides can help you ignore what you don't need to know. Even in lab my professors handed us a list of the figures on the study guide to prep for exam. My advice is to not just look up definitions but also understand concept and relationship. If the professor ask to define diabetes, make a point to know insulin and glucagon, pancreas' role, type one and two diabetes, symptoms and treatment. Know the relationship or as my prof used to put it "characters and story."
Take this opportunity to excel, you will need to develop this skill in life and as a nurse to overcome a lot of obstacles thrown at you. Now you know how your professor operates, so you know how and what to study better; you need to change what you are doing, because he is not going to change what he is doing. I would ask to see if there is extra credit, and definitely talk with him to show him you are serious at this class and in achieving a good score; he will most likely try to help you more if you are seeking out help. If he has two items on a study guide, know them both, don't assume you will pick the right one. Be overprepared, it wont hurt you, it will only help you. Also, don't carry this over to the rest of the class, the grade is done and over with, view it as a starting point to just improve upon, and get where you want to be. I'm not sure what the grading point scheme is for your class, but a 73 doesn't necessarily mean you cannot get an A in this class. Go talk to your professor and ask him what you need to do to achieve your goal.
Personally, I never pay attention to the study guides that professors give (if they even give one at all) and view everything that is taught during lecture as fair game for the exam. Plus, while I know it's impossible to learn absolutely everything about A&P, I truly do believe that creating your own study guide and reviewing the material as a whole will only aid you in nursing school, taking the NCLEX, and your future career. This professor might not see a few concepts as important enough to add them to his study guide/exam, but what if a future professor does? What if they expect you to know something that was taught in A&P but you kinda brushed it aside because it wasn't on the study guide or going to be on that specific exam? I don't know, maybe that's just me. But I just look at A&P as courses where it'll be extremely beneficial for you in the long run to study all of the material as much as you can. While it may seem tedious and daunting, knowing more than just the basics is going to be SO helpful in your future endeavors.
That being said, I finished A&P I with a 98% and currently hold 103% in A&P II (4 more weeks to go!) and what helps me is making flashcards. Every day after class, or after work, I sit down and make flashcards for the material that was covered that day. Writing it down is a good refresher for me and doing it far in advance from the exam allows me to not feel so overwhelmed and like I'm trying to cram everything in at the last minute. It's easier for me to study gradually. I also am then able to take the flashcards to work and review them during my down time or when it's slow. :)
Jeniele, ADN, RN
51 Posts
So I studied about 50 hours per week for just A&P. Find out what your study style is and make your own study guides for that style. I used concept maps, made my own power point flash cards from A&P revealed, and used EZ Notescards and Quizlit like crazy. I would also photocopy the diagrams from the book, use white out to cover the names and make a million copies for my own fill in the blank practice. Most schools will average your grade or deduct points for re-taking the class so I agree with sticking it out. I got an 4.0 with A&PI but had to do A&PII at a different school due to my husband getting laid off and having to relocate to a new state. I got a 3.5 in A&PII and still got into a nursing program so you don't always have to get a 4.0 in everything.