Having a tough time!

stpauligirl · Oct 26, 2006

Looking for sympathy . . . encouragement . . . or something! I'm currently doing my prereqs and I have to admit I'm surprised by the class I'm taking now. I took psych in the spring it was easy. Now I'm taking something called "Health science" which has some A&P, some chemistry, and a LOT of microbiology. I should mention it's an online class, because my dd is in kindergarten and only half days this year - next year I will be able to start attending "real" classes, so maybe that will help.
Anyway, the whole class grade is based on 7 exams with a few extra credit quizzes. My first exam I squeaked by with a 90, so that was an A - but the second two exams I've gotten 78! I think with the extra credit exams I still have a B average overall, but I *really* want an A in the class - I still have to apply for the nursing program so I need good grades. I have four exams left to turn this around, it's one exam every other week or so.
I am studying SO much - considering it's only one class, I've been studying two hours a day - including weekends. Doesn't that seem like it ought to be enough? I don't know there is just so much to memorize that I have a hard time getting it all to stick. We have a study guide and are told that the information from the exam mostly comes from there, but I swear there are questions on the exams that are definitely NOT from the study guide. I can't exactly memorize every chapter of the textbook that we're studying.
Well, again, I'll take sympathy, encouragement, or . . . study tips, I guess!
Thanks all,
Kelly

I've never done an online course, it's got to be hard to work by yourself.

{{{{{HUG}}}}}}

Irene joy · Oct 26, 2006

I guess all I can say is you'll have to study as long as it takes to have a firm knowledge of the material. Every class will be different, depending on whether the information just "clicks" or whether it's a long arduous process. When I was in algebra 99, sometimes I could study up to 4 hours a day, mabey not all at one sitting, but I would'nt stop until I really understood the concept or process. This may be considered overboard by some people, but I ended up with one of the best grades in the class. Plus, their usually only looking at 6 or 7 classes for admission to the nursing program, you definitely don't have any wiggle room as far as needing that A. So, keep working hard, keep your motivation and you won't regret it.

catzy5 · Oct 26, 2006

Looking for sympathy . . . encouragement . . . or something! I'm currently doing my prereqs and I have to admit I'm surprised by the class I'm taking now. I took psych in the spring it was easy. Now I'm taking something called "Health science" which has some A&P, some chemistry, and a LOT of microbiology. I should mention it's an online class, because my dd is in kindergarten and only half days this year - next year I will be able to start attending "real" classes, so maybe that will help.
Anyway, the whole class grade is based on 7 exams with a few extra credit quizzes. My first exam I squeaked by with a 90, so that was an A - but the second two exams I've gotten 78! I think with the extra credit exams I still have a B average overall, but I *really* want an A in the class - I still have to apply for the nursing program so I need good grades. I have four exams left to turn this around, it's one exam every other week or so.
I am studying SO much - considering it's only one class, I've been studying two hours a day - including weekends. Doesn't that seem like it ought to be enough? I don't know there is just so much to memorize that I have a hard time getting it all to stick. We have a study guide and are told that the information from the exam mostly comes from there, but I swear there are questions on the exams that are definitely NOT from the study guide. I can't exactly memorize every chapter of the textbook that we're studying.
Well, again, I'll take sympathy, encouragement, or . . . study tips, I guess!
Thanks all,
Kelly

Kelly,

Its not how much time you study but HOW you study, if your struggling something is not working. Rethink your strategy. Are you getting the material? are there other sourses you can use besides the text, like many texts have online tools. Can you find a study partner or a tutor in the learning center? I think this is when its harder to take an online course to get the feel for the teacher in person. I would definitely rethink how I was studying though and try to come up with something new, I have never taken this course soI don't even know how it would run, it does sound like a lot of material to cover in one subject.

jones21498 · Oct 27, 2006

I took both of my ANP I & II online. I would study for 4 to 5 hours a day, seriously. It was a lot. There were labs that had to be completed at home and then lab write ups that had to be sent via distance learning. Tests were proctored (no notes, nothing). It was intense. We did have one day each semester that was several hours of disecting. I feel for you because it is not easy balancing a family and all of this. I too had a half a day Kindergartener at the time. I ended up with an A, but to be honest, my advanced physiology and micro were much easier... but I took them as face to face classes. My suggestion is to keep plugging away at the material. At least you understand how she works her tests/quizzes and the assignments. That should help. You need to make sure that you have uninterupted time to cram prior to important dates and assignments. Take good notes, and put them on note cards (at least this helps me). Tell yourself that an A is your only option... You have to psych yourself into it. You can bring it up to an A, there is time. Really try to understand the material instead of just memorizing it. Then on tests even if you don't know the answer it is much easier to reason a correct guess. I hope this helps.

krenee · Oct 28, 2006

Thanks for the responses! I will be/am trying your suggestions, both varying the way I study and just plain ol' studying more. I feel like it's kind of "do or die" time with three exams down and four to go. I just keep thinking, how bad do I want this??? And I really want to prove to myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to. LOL my house may not be too clean in the meantime though!

Here's something I'm doing that I'm liking though - I was advised to try flash cards - yes, no big news flash there - but I bring them with me everywhere! It's been great for those boring wait times, because they take up so little room.

Hopefully this will all pay off.

Kelly

catzy5 · Oct 29, 2006

Thanks for the responses! I will be/am trying your suggestions, both varying the way I study and just plain ol' studying more. I feel like it's kind of "do or die" time with three exams down and four to go. I just keep thinking, how bad do I want this??? And I really want to prove to myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to. LOL my house may not be too clean in the meantime though!
Here's something I'm doing that I'm liking though - I was advised to try flash cards - yes, no big news flash there - but I bring them with me everywhere! It's been great for those boring wait times, because they take up so little room.
Hopefully this will all pay off.
Kelly

Flash cards are great, they serve a couple purposes for me, for one preparing flash cards help me go over my lecture notes and materials, 2 it helps me study the chapters while reading if I have vocab down before hand and 3. like you I bring them everywhere, I have all sorts of different sizes and techniques I use.

There are some great links on this thread for Anatomy sites, my text book gives us electronic flash cards for each chapter they are wonderful way of learning the material I always copy them down and learn them with each unit.

xt1 · Oct 30, 2006

You gotta realize there's not a set amount of time you should study a day. If you really want that A you'll study all day long if that's what it takes otherwise you dont really want it. Study till you UNDERSTAND it... Ask "Why?" often when reviewing material... You have plenty of tests left to make that A Dont make excuses why you can't, JUST DO IT.

BSNtobe2009 · Oct 30, 2006

I took a very, very difficult biology course that was at a CC college where the Nursing program was the college's #1 major, so both biology courses were not your 'typical' biology course, and the instructor worked there on-contract as he was in medical school.

Our exams were 6 essays, yup, essays, and they were very specific..like trace a drop of blood from the time it enters your lung to whatever region of the heart. They would take 2 to 3 hours to complete.

I had never taken this professor before, and on top of it, I'm pretty much a B student on my best day, plus I was taking the SECOND part of the couse prior to the first part..so everyone else had this guy before.

I failed the first exam...I got a 64, I'll never forget it. I went to talk to him, he actually gave me a copy of an "A" exam, complete with answers...by doing this I knew what he was looking for and studied accordingly.

I got A+ on every exam he gave after that and got an A in the class.

If I could do it, anybody can!

Worthless_Nut · Oct 30, 2006

I used flashcards, which are a great study tool when you study either alone or with others. I also have a 4 person study group. We meet when we can, sometimes at a pizza joint, we eat, talk, quiz each other with flashcards. I even hosted a dinner and mock lab practical at my house. The key to studying in a somewhat fun setting, is you are more relaxed and sometimes the laughing and silliness that goes on helps get the stuff firmly planted in your head. A couple of times I have heard one of my study group gals snicker during a test and I know she is remembering something zany someone said during one of our study sessions. I hope that helps.