Most Challenging?

I am just fininshing my first semester of Chemistry and my first semester of A&P. I am working full time, have not been to school since 1978, and am loving every class! I am currently getting a 97% in A&P. I only tell you this because I am going to tell you my secret - maybe there is something to it.

1) I determine to STAY INTERESTED in every topic. I am determined to know and understand everything I can. Time spent in lecture, lab, and study at home when I am distracted or bored is time wasted...better not to do it.

2) If I can find or make the time (which I seldom can), I read throught the material before it is presented in lecture.

3) In class, I seldom bring a book or paper. I listen to the teacher, trying to follow everything he is presenting, asking relevant questions as they come to mind (oh, I also sit in the very front row); if I have time I stay after to ask questions.

4) Before each announced quiz or test I find quality time to read carefully through the relevant chapter, making sure that I understand what I am reading; I will even stop and do a Googal search to try and better visualize or understand something if I feel the need (yes, it takes me awhile to read). I will also make use of available online textbook resources like quizzes, animations, study guides, etc.

5) When I take the test, I mark my test with a "-" beside every question that I am not positive about and an "x" beside every one that I definitely do not know. Then I grade myself before I turn the exam in 1/2 of all the "-" and all of the "x" I consider missed. Later, when I review the exam, these are the questions that I especially look at and restudy for any future exams.

6) Finally, and most importantly, (I promise you I am not preaching) since I confidently believe that God created the body and therefore understands it perfectly, I ask Him to help me to understand what He made and to understand Him better as I appreciate His creativity. It is true that man has put confusing names to all of it, but it is God's work anyway. I also expect that it would make sense for me to try to make use of what I am learning so that I can be as healthy as I can be - that would show appreciation for the Creator.

I used to do #5 all the time, until professors started getting lazy all you got back was your answer sheet because they didn't want to do something amazingly radical and come up with a new test every semester. Old tests were always key for me doing well in a class as it helped me get an overview of what the professor felt was important, and how their thought process worked in teaching the material.

Thank you for sharing those with us. Sounds like some really awsome study habits.

I am just fininshing my first semester of Chemistry and my first semester of A&P. I am working full time, have not been to school since 1978, and am loving every class! I am currently getting a 97% in A&P. I only tell you this because I am going to tell you my secret - maybe there is something to it.

1) I determine to STAY INTERESTED in every topic. I am determined to know and understand everything I can. Time spent in lecture, lab, and study at home when I am distracted or bored is time wasted...better not to do it.

2) If I can find or make the time (which I seldom can), I read throught the material before it is presented in lecture.

3) In class, I seldom bring a book or paper. I listen to the teacher, trying to follow everything he is presenting, asking relevant questions as they come to mind (oh, I also sit in the very front row); if I have time I stay after to ask questions.

4) Before each announced quiz or test I find quality time to read carefully through the relevant chapter, making sure that I understand what I am reading; I will even stop and do a Googal search to try and better visualize or understand something if I feel the need (yes, it takes me awhile to read). I will also make use of available online textbook resources like quizzes, animations, study guides, etc.

5) When I take the test, I mark my test with a "-" beside every question that I am not positive about and an "x" beside every one that I definitely do not know. Then I grade myself before I turn the exam in 1/2 of all the "-" and all of the "x" I consider missed. Later, when I review the exam, these are the questions that I especially look at and restudy for any future exams.

6) Finally, and most importantly, (I promise you I am not preaching) since I confidently believe that God created the body and therefore understands it perfectly, I ask Him to help me to understand what He made and to understand Him better as I appreciate His creativity. It is true that man has put confusing names to all of it, but it is God's work anyway. I also expect that it would make sense for me to try to make use of what I am learning so that I can be as healthy as I can be - that would show appreciation for the Creator.

You are really smart getting your Chemistry out of the way before you ever start your other classes. I have done well without any chemistry, but it would have made everything so much easier to grasp and understand. I really think everything else builds on chemistry. Best of luck to you.

Okay, I am almost done with Chemistry, and even though I am doing good. (Yippee) I am a little anxious about my next class: General A&P. I was wondering which science classes you found to be the most challenging and why. Also, what is the best way to really understand A&P?

Thanks.

I am just fininshing my first semester of Chemistry and my first semester of A&P. I am working full time, have not been to school since 1978, and am loving every class! I am currently getting a 97% in A&P. I only tell you this because I am going to tell you my secret - maybe there is something to it.

1) I determine to STAY INTERESTED in every topic. I am determined to know and understand everything I can. Time spent in lecture, lab, and study at home when I am distracted or bored is time wasted...better not to do it.

2) If I can find or make the time (which I seldom can), I read throught the material before it is presented in lecture.

3) In class, I seldom bring a book or paper. I listen to the teacher, trying to follow everything he is presenting, asking relevant questions as they come to mind (oh, I also sit in the very front row); if I have time I stay after to ask questions.

4) Before each announced quiz or test I find quality time to read carefully through the relevant chapter, making sure that I understand what I am reading; I will even stop and do a Googal search to try and better visualize or understand something if I feel the need (yes, it takes me awhile to read). I will also make use of available online textbook resources like quizzes, animations, study guides, etc.

5) When I take the test, I mark my test with a "-" beside every question that I am not positive about and an "x" beside every one that I definitely do not know. Then I grade myself before I turn the exam in 1/2 of all the "-" and all of the "x" I consider missed. Later, when I review the exam, these are the questions that I especially look at and restudy for any future exams.

6) Finally, and most importantly, (I promise you I am not preaching) since I confidently believe that God created the body and therefore understands it perfectly, I ask Him to help me to understand what He made and to understand Him better as I appreciate His creativity. It is true that man has put confusing names to all of it, but it is God's work anyway. I also expect that it would make sense for me to try to make use of what I am learning so that I can be as healthy as I can be - that would show appreciation for the Creator.

Thank you so much. I really like 1,5 and especially #6. I will definitely follow this advice.

You are really smart getting your Chemistry out of the way before you ever start your other classes. I have done well without any chemistry, but it would have made everything so much easier to grasp and understand. I really think everything else builds on chemistry. Best of luck to you.

:kiss I was petrified of Chemistry. I almost didn't sign up for the RN program because of it. I am very glad that I somehow grabbed enough courage to do it. It is easier than I thought it would be.

I don't know that A&P is harder than chem, but it is different. Whereas chemistry is learning a concept and a lot of application - balancing equations, etc.; A&P is just a ton of memorization. You have to know how everything works, but it's just straight learning the info. No math. That can make it easier or harder. A&P reminds me more of micro, personally. If you're doing well in chemistry I'm sure you'll be OK in A&P. Just don't psych yourself out! Good luck!

If you do well in Chemistry, you should be fine in A&P. I felt that A&P was difficult but that was mainly because I took it over the summer, and it was very time consuming. It is a lot of memorization, and it took me a long time to remember all of those bones, muscles, etc. I don't think it is as difficult as Chemistry, but it definitely takes more time than Chemistry. I found it really helpful in A&P to start studying immediately when we started something new. It would be very difficult to cram for some of the A&P labs at the last minute, but I did see a few people who did and still managed to pull off B's after staying up all night. I just didn't happen to be one of them. I went to the science learning center every chance I got to look at models, and I would study my notes a little everyday. I am a big time procrastinator, but I simply wasn't able to put A&P off as long as some things. That class cured me of that problem. lol Also, I found it EXTREMELY helpful to use the CD that came with our textbook. It really helped me to understand some of the more difficult concepts. I strongly recommend it. Good luck!!!!!

You are really smart getting your Chemistry out of the way before you ever start your other classes. I have done well without any chemistry, but it would have made everything so much easier to grasp and understand. I really think everything else builds on chemistry. Best of luck to you.

Starting next semester it will be required to have completed Chem before taking Microbiology....I think it's a good thing since so many people did terrible in my micro class without chemistry background.

:kiss I was petrified of Chemistry. I almost didn't sign up for the RN program because of it. I am very glad that I somehow grabbed enough courage to do it. It is easier than I thought it would be.

I ditto this!! I actually decided to go for the lvn program last year to avoid chem. Then I had a change of heart and knew my heart was to be an Rn and I should atleast try! So I did and although its alot of studying for me I am doing ok.

I personally found Microbiology to be the most challenging class I've taken to date. I'm just finishing up my first semester of NS and the amount of time I have to take to understand the concepts now, still doesn't rival the time I spent trying to understand Micro. It's a tough course.

I have no idea which sciences are the most difficult...I've taken a survey of general, organic and bio chem as well as cellular biology and am in A&P1 now....my gut response is whatever one I'm currently in is the most difficult:smilecoffeecup:

As I said above, I'm in A&P1 now. I have a high A so far...it has been a lot of memorization, which isn't my strong suit. For me the key has been flash cards, flash cards, and more flash cards. I did buy some flash cards, but I did much better with the ones I made myself. I bought a bunch of RingDexes from Mead....they're 80 3x5 cards with dividers that have two metal rings through them. I'm sure you can make your own versions of these, but it was easier (and inexpensive) to just buy a bunch of them (they're like a buck fifty each). I have different ringdex's for each topic (histology, bones, etc) and just carried one in my pocket everywhere I went.

I also meet with my study buddies in our Science Resource Center to spend a lot of time with the models. As someone else mentioned as well....I try to read the pertinent chapter before the lecture. Oh and speaking of lectures, I record them on my laptop (with my Prof's permission) and listen to them on my iPod. I listen to them in down times....like when I'm on the bus to and from school as well as during my study sessions, while going over my notes.

Best of luck and congrats on the good job in Chem.

Peace,

Cathie