how to improve first year grades

[rcl2514]

I hope that this doesn't sound rediculous to anyone, because my boyfriend tends to think I am overly dramatic, but I have taken my second fundamentals test and, on both, scored with an 88. I don't think that is a bad scores AT ALL, but I was able to pull off all A's for the prerequisites; even with an accelerated FULL time load over the summer. I'm just really bummed out that I was ONLY one question away from an A both times. I wasn't happy with the score after the first test, so I YouTubed study tips for nursing and applied all that I had time for. Did this "rut" happen to anyone else, and if so did you ever get out of it?

[imbatz, BSN, RN]

practice practice practice the NCLEX style questions.

Also, I expose myself to the material at least 3 times in 3 different ways.

I also try to remember that these subjects are tougher than any prerequisite class, and that they are laying the foundation we need to take care of another human being.

[rcl2514]

What are the three different ways? I'm finding it hard to even expose myself to it once with ten chapters per test and I have four other classes! I usually read the chapter, take notes while reading and in class, do practice tests for each chapter, and pur study guide workbooks. Any ideas for where I could throw in an extra way?

[meeep, BSN, RN]

YouTube

[imbatz, BSN, RN]

For me, I read the chapters, I answer the objectives in the syllabus/basically outline the chapters, and build flashcards using Quizlet. The Quizlet cards have a read outloud function. That is my three. Everyone has a different three. For really difficult material, I actually read the textbook outloud and record myself, then play it back when I am driving in the car.