I never thought it was possible...

Wow your first test of the semester? I am taking my last test of the semester. I guess I just figured all school ran about the same schedule. Haven't gotten out of the small town much!!!

God Bless,

Mary Ann

I never thought it was possible that I could fail a test, I've never failed a test, I'm always prepared, and know all of the necessary info, but not this time. I took my first A&P lecture test of the semester yesterday, and have never felt so dumb in all of my life, I felt like I studied all of the wrong things- and now I know I am going to have to go back and review those 4 chapters b/c they are going to haunt me come time for finals!! Yesterday was also the first time I doubted my ability to finish nursing school- is it dumb to doubt your ability for failing one test???? Well... here's hoping for an 8 pt curve so that I can at least get into passing range...... Thanks for listening

I can imagine your disappointment and it is very easy to get very negative over one failed test. Don't let it get you down...think of it as a learning experience.

Now you need to look ahead which I think you are highly capable of. Did you maybe study too much? Look again at the objectives for those particular chapters. I have had to seek help from many different sources when I did not do well on a test or in a class. Internet was helpful as was tutors, looking things up in other text books that maybe explained things so I could understand better, etc.

My anatomy professor told me "You can never know it all." I will always remember that because I have been very hard on myself when I don't do well. Its a hard pill to swallow when your grades are always good otherwise.

Hang in there...you have my support!

Don't let this discourage you. This is the first stone in the pathway, step over it and move on. Now you will know what to expect on the next test. Talk to your teacher and ask her/him exactly what will the test be like. I think I asked mine to many questions, all they can do is not answer. I have been out of high school 17 years and just finished A&P I with a A in lab, and B in lecture. I was a C student in High School. I studied alot for this class.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, IF YOU HAVE A DREAM GO FOR IT, DON"T LET ANYONE OR ANYTHING STAND IN THE WAY:balloons:

I wanted to thank you all for your support - I have been really struggling with it over the past two days. The reason I already know my grade is that I stayed after class to study for my lab midterm that is today and she graded some of the tests then. I'm just really frustrated - I do realize that you can't know it all, but knowing enough to pass would have been nice! I'm still hoping for that big curve......

Have you done the practice tests from websites like this one?

http://www.msjensen.gen.umn.edu/webanatomy/image_database/default.htm

I havn't taken anatomy yet but when I stumbled onto this website I thought it would be an awesome study tool. Please tell me you havn't done any practice tests so that I can still dream that playing around on that website will prepare me for the class when I take it ;o)!

I hope you get the curve you need. That class scares me!

Don't destress too much. You sound like you had a hard time. Looking on the bright side, you now know how this instructor tests and the type of questions he/she asks. So, now you can adjust your studying to reflect what will be expected of you in the future. Good luck.

I wanted to thank you all for your support - I have been really struggling with it over the past two days. The reason I already know my grade is that I stayed after class to study for my lab midterm that is today and she graded some of the tests then. I'm just really frustrated - I do realize that you can't know it all, but knowing enough to pass would have been nice! I'm still hoping for that big curve......

Brinley, you just need to figure out where you went wrong. Did you just learn general concepts instead of the nitpicky details of why, where, how? Di you focus on stuff that might be in the chapter but isn't really relevant "test" material (ventral, dorsal, abdominal cavity etc..) A&P is going to focus on how body systems and their parts relate to each other so learing things in "isolation" doesn't always work. Get started on note cards and also on the teaching method of learning. (if you can teach someone else about homeostasis and recognize examples you are in much better shape than just knowing what the term means). Remember too that there is always a learning curve on the first test. You now know how picky or general the teacher is and what she focused on that you didn't. This is information is what will help you to pass the next test! Good luck.

Hang in there! Ask if you can see a copy of the test and your answers so you can find out more about what tripped you up. It will help you prepare for the next test.

Good luck!

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I have always been such a good test taker - this is A&P II for me so I am not new to the subject - I think where I went wrong was focusing too much on just the notes the instructor gave in class and not reading the book enough - she pulled A LOT of comprehensive questions from the book, things she didn't really bring up in class. The curve was 11 points, the class average was a 64%, so technically I passed by 1 point- although I don't really consider it passing since I obviously didn't know the material and I still need to review it because I know it will be on the final... anyhow, thank you for listening and thank you for the tips - I've never tried the teaching method of studying, I think I will, it sounds like it would work great for me.

To the poster that asked about website quizzes and tests, I have used them in the past, and they are helpful, just make sure you are really questioning your knowledge and that you haven't just memorized the questions and answers that the program gives you!

Welcome to A&P. Our class took one and 2 out of 26 people actually passed. It doesnt matter if you study or not atleast for me the know it all students (there is atleast one in every class) even failed and studied 2 weeks. What I am getting at is that even if I read the book 50 times, I would of never gotten her questions out of it, they were that hard.

To the poster that asked about website quizzes and tests, I have used them in the past, and they are helpful, just make sure you are really questioning your knowledge and that you haven't just memorized the questions and answers that the program gives you!

Do you recommend taking key points out of the text and making notecards to study from? Does your instructor give you study guides at all? Have you bought any study aids like flash cards? I bought the book "How to Survive Anatomy and Physiology" and it seems like a pretty good guide to help break stuff down and help you remember it. I'm looking for some ways to help me through the class when I take it. I will probably take the acclerated version (6 wks) so I need to be prepared! The only thing that scares me, after purusing the books I bought, is the cellular activity and the DNA stuff too.