Ok, whats the secret 4.0 students???

BoonersmomRN · Jul 1, 2005

I have 2 kids ( 8 and 5) - I'm a single mom ( sort of- I do have a live in boyfriend but that's new) and have a 4.0. I work out of my house but since it's out of my house...I do have the luxury of doing it when I can.

As for secrets..nah...I have put an enormous amount of time and energy into my studying. I'm not a genious- thats' for sure. I study every day except for Saturdays. Some days it's a lot ( 3+ hours) and some days it's barely 30 minutes. I do carry my flashcards with me everywhere I go. The only thing I do that I know a lot of my friends don't do is I utilize everything there is to understand something. If the book confuses me- I look at the powerpoints- if I am still confused I go to the internet- I will keep at something until I *get it*. I take about 23903283247832763 practice tests ( ha ha j/k) before an exam.

I still have Micro to take so hopefully I will maintain it- but we shall see.

FNPhopeful · Jul 1, 2005

I have 2 kids ( 8 and 5) - I'm a single mom ( sort of- I do have a live in boyfriend but that's new) and have a 4.0. I work out of my house but since it's out of my house...I do have the luxury of doing it when I can.
As for secrets..nah...I have put an enormous amount of time and energy into my studying. I'm not a genious- thats' for sure. I study every day except for Saturdays. Some days it's a lot ( 3+ hours) and some days it's barely 30 minutes. I do carry my flashcards with me everywhere I go. The only thing I do that I know a lot of my friends don't do is I utilize everything there is to understand something. If the book confuses me- I look at the powerpoints- if I am still confused I go to the internet- I will keep at something until I *get it*. I take about 23903283247832763 practice tests ( ha ha j/k) before an exam.
I still have Micro to take so hopefully I will maintain it- but we shall see.

Hi, thanks for the insight. Any advice for Chemistry?? I am bad at math so thats a source of frustration. I can get it, but come test time, I never do well. Do you limit your course load each semester? Im thinking of only taking Stats next semester so I can devote all my time to it.........

BoonersmomRN · Jul 1, 2005

I haven't had to take Chem on it's own for my program. I am going to but I don't NEED to if that makes sense. Statistics was interesting b/c it's literally unlike any math I have ever done...I was scratching my head 1/2 the time but managed to get A's on my tests ( and to this day I swear I have retained a big fat ZERO amount of what I learned in there).

I have a lot of transfer credits from when I went to college 12 years ago so the way I had to take my remaining pre-reqs only came down to 2 at a time ( can't take A+P without Molecular Bio/ can't take A+P II without A+I type thing). I did have 1 4 class semester but that was my 1rst one. I also took a lot online so it fit my schedule better. Right now all I have left is to finish A+P II ( Im in it now with a strong A) and take Micro in the fall. I added some other classes for the fall just to round myself out some more ( phlebotomy + first aid)....but they don't count towards much so Micro is really the only class I have left to take that COUNTS.

Good luck to you! I know it's not easy..especially with kids...ESPECIALLY if they are little ones( Im luckier there)

TLC RN · Jul 1, 2005

Hi, thanks for the insight. Any advice for Chemistry?? I am bad at math so thats a source of frustration. I can get it, but come test time, I never do well. Do you limit your course load each semester? Im thinking of only taking Stats next semester so I can devote all my time to it.........

I am not so great at math and always have to do tons of practice problems. When I took chem I had to do the same. The more practice problems I did, the better on the tests I would do.

The math for nursing was easy for me because one way you can do it is to set the problem up like a ratio and solve for X. It came very easy because I spent a lot of time in Chem practicing seting up and solving the same type of problems.

In a nutshell...practice, practice, practice... and when you finish practicing...ask your prof for more practice problems.

Good luck!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2005

I made a lot of A's rewriting notes. I would go to class and write down the important stuff, and then recopy them neatly. Something about the recopying help to get it into my head and reinforced what I'd learned. I graduated with a 3.8 though, not a 4.0. :)

Siouxz2 · Jul 2, 2005

Here's my secret: When we have lectures, we are given PowerPoint handouts to go along with the lecture, and also to takes notes on. I take all those notes and make myself a "practice test." I type a question and then two lines down I type the correct answer. Then I type the next question, and so on.

This helps me in that I am going over my notes thoroughly, typing out the questions helps me, and then I take the practice tests over and over, using a piece of paper to cover the answers and then checking if I am right.

I may have 300-400 questions to study for a 50-question test, but I am prepared. Repetition, repetition, repetition!!! The night before the test, I circle and practice only the questions I am having problems with.

This method has gotten me through A&P I & II, Microbiology, Basic Conceps of Nursing, Adult Nursing, Nutrition, Human Growth & Development, Pharmacology, and Gerontology with 7 A's and 1 B+. And I am an older student (44) who until very recently had a husband, 5 kids (2 not mine), a dog, a cat, and a part-time job. Thankfully the four older kids have moved on and we just have the 11-year old now!!!.

Hope this helps.

bbcewalters, NP · Jul 2, 2005

Ok here is what I did:

When I was doing prereqs (I have since graduated from school and am waiting to take the NCLEX) my daughter was 2 now 5 and my husband is in the ARMY

1. GO to class, no matter what.

2. After class, ASAP rewrite your notes (I would type mine).

3. Make flashcards and use them whenever

4. If long drive (Mine was 1 hour) tape class relisten.

5. Talk to people that have taken the course and get the instructor that is the BEST, Not necessairly the EASIEST!!!!!!!

6. Don't overstudy, and get sleep......

this worked for me through it all.

Pre Reqs 4.0 I took A&P II w/ lab, Micro, Chem I w/lab and a psyc class all in one semester. then I fininshed my last class ChemII over the summer, before nursing school in the fall.

Nursing Core 3.95 (One B it was a 93.49 teacher would not round to a 94 the lowest A for my program.

I know I am insane but IF you tell yourself you can do it you can. Don't get bogged down in the personalities of the class. JUST listen to EVERYTHING they say. If you don't get enough sleep 8-9hours, you can't listen because you are tired.

OH YEAH!!!!! Don't forget to READ!!!!!!!

Hope this helps

BoonersmomRN · Jul 2, 2005

Yes, yes yes on flashcards. I make hundreds of them for each test. Some people just put an idea/definition/etc on their flashcards but I make mine up so each one is a question. I make easy ones, ok ones, and REALLY hard ones. I go over them again and again an again until I nail them all.

Another thing I do is I have a huge whiteboard in my room. Before I had that I used large sheets of white paper taped together. Here is where I do all my mapping out of things that occur in orders, etc. This was a tremedous help w/ endocrine and at the beginning of A+P II when we did blood I had the entire coagulation process mapped out both extrinsic and intrinsic. Same thing for immunity ( T cell /B cell cloning steps, etc) So even when I am not actively studying- it sits across from my bed on the wall - it would be staring at me and I know all that looking at it out of the corner of my eye really has helped me nail down processes.

wannabemw · Jul 2, 2005

I haven't had to take Chem on it's own for my program. I am going to but I don't NEED to if that makes sense. Statistics was interesting b/c it's literally unlike any math I have ever done...I was scratching my head 1/2 the time but managed to get A's on my tests ( and to this day I swear I have retained a big fat ZERO amount of what I learned in there). [end quote: BoonersMom)
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You will surprise yourself w/what you have retained from Stats! I though I learned NOTHING! Then I had to start reading those studies that they do on medical/nursing, ect. & I have truely surprised myself as to how much I retained (I bearly passed w/a C). The last study I had to review, guess what: I got an "A" on it! My teacher was so impressed she asked me how I managed to review & understand it! I told her: I have done enough of these now & as long as I know what the teacher wants, I do fine. It helps to take a few hours to really "tear apart, highlight, write in the margin" of these studes. That, & do a rough draft, then re-write it. I hope it helps me next semester (my 1st semester in my BSN program)
YEAH!
*Oh yeah, & I am no 4.0 student (as you noticed, and I am ADD & LD and still managed to pull a 3.38 with loads of re-takes & failing 1 other program).
Words of advise to the orginal poster:
just do your best, that is all anyone can ask of you. And if you even suspect you have a LD (Learning disorder) or ADD pay the money & get tested! Medication, accomidations from school & special tutoring about how I can learn despite my deficits has helped TREMENDOUSLY! No more failures for me!
~MJ

sexysampaguita · Jul 2, 2005

i want a 4.0..yea i do believe studying a lot is the key :)

wannabemw · Jul 2, 2005

Hi, thanks for the insight. Any advice for Chemistry?? I am bad at math so thats a source of frustration. I can get it, but come test time, I never do well. Do you limit your course load each semester? Im thinking of only taking Stats next semester so I can devote all my time to it.........

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Find a Study Buddy! I couldn't have made it through Chem: Organic & Inorganic w/o one! Be prepared to meet after class, or meet at lunch. I had a 4wk accelerated class & did it. I had to just focus on passing though... and did w/a C (I recently looked at my transcripts & have just 2 C's on them despite all my drops/withdrawls). (I re-took Math over also) I averaged 12-15 credits a semester. Know your limits! You know yourself better then you think. The hardest thing I ever had to do was drop a History class I was failing miserably in & took Poly Sci in it's place & LOVED it (got an "A")!

Also when taking a test: dump all you know on a blank piece of paper before you even look at the test (it lowers the stress level & helps you to re-focus w/the addition that you have your own "notes" for the exam). I call this "brain dumping." Be sure to ask your professor if you decide to do this though (or write on the back of your test if possible!). Tell him or her that they can have this sheet of paper w/the exam if they express discomfort w/this technique.

I have managed to increase my GPA on exams because of this. And I am less stressed when I take my exams.... all this b/c of one simple piece of paper! Only wd of warning: keep an eye on time. Usually it only takes me an extra 10m. although & I actually SAVE time because I have this resource!

I like what everyone else has said too. Ck some of my other posts for other study techniques. Or PM me & I'll give them to you.

You can do this! Remember: Success w/o failure is not worth it! We all learn something w/every stubbling block we have. I know it, & I have lived it!

Good luck! We can do this!

~MJ

(RN & CNM 2 B)