Failing Micro

Have you taken 2 sciences together though? Some people can manage two sciences and others can not..its just a lot of information to take on at one time!!

Do you get any study guides to help you prepare?

what about hiring a tutor?

When I took micro, it was very tough to take everything in because there's a lot of material! What worked for me was having flashcards so I was basically studying everywhere I went. Maybe looking up videos on YouTube about certain topics will help you better understand the idea. The best way to remember things like The Krebs Cycle is to draw the cycle and leave blanks for the "stuff" that's a part of it. And then on the back, have the actual Krebs Cycle with everything in it. Believe it or not, I remembered every significant thing that was a part of the KC. We had to anyways.. As for the pathogens.. that's a lot to remember!! I think you should use the flashcard technique for that one. We had to remember a bunch of things. Studying for a class like micro is a tough one for everyone but just remember this: If one study technique doesn't work, try a different one! Some people are comfortable with the same study technique they use but different subjects require different ways of approaching and understanding the idea.

Taking two science classes together is very challenging. You may need to put more time into studying for Micro. If your school has a science learning center or offers any type of science tutors, I would use those resources. You say that you are not overburdened, but you really have a lot on your plate it sounds like.

No its doable. I'm taking micro and physio! Lol its not bad, if our inclined to the sciences.

What I do for micro is make notecards. Except for when we cover basic bio stuff like photosynthesis and dna replication. Those are pathways. Keep drawing. That's how pathways are learned.

Make notecards. I create my own questions, which is a great study tool. I make mine multiple part as well.

For example I labeled one side of the card gram + bacteria.

A. Name 2 "sugar" parts of the wall

B. Name 2 protein parts of the cell wall

C. WhaT is the antigenicity?

D. Name gram positive bacteria w/o a cell wall.

Otherwise would have the answers:

A. N-acetylglucosamine & N-acetylmuramic

B. Peptide cross bridges & tetrapeptide side chains

C. Teichoic acid

D. Protoplasts

See? That's how I'm doing it and its working out awesome!

Micro is tough. A lot of our exams were critical thinking and practical questions, which made it even harder. I always found that looking up a topic on the internet helped me if I didn't understand. I always strive to really understand the topic, and not just memorize.

Good luck!

I totally agree, Micro at my school was more time demanding than tough, it seemed. We had huge multiple chapter tests that covered mass material, multiple case studies due, 2 pretty big research papers, and of course lengthy labs. I believe the standard is 2 hours studying outside class for every hour spent in class, and for this one, most people I know who succeeded spent lots of time studying and understanding the material. I only took one science class per semester, so I honestly cannot relate personally to your situation. To ensure my success, I spent roughly 9-10 hours per week studying- making diagrams, flashcards, researching topics I didn't understand, re-listening to lectures, STUDY GROUPS(helped alot, even if they were just an hour), reviewing notes, and organizing a clinical notebook with key topics. I recommend tutoring, sometimes discussing the material with someone who is a student that has also taken the course can help immensely. It sounds like you may have a lot to handle, but only you know what you're capable of. Wish ya the best of luck, Hang in there!

Just an update I ended up getting a B in Micro. SO all in all I got an A and 3 B's this semester! Yay!

Congrats!