...starting to wonder if I can do this....

fleur-de-lis, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2007

Try to learn concepts rather than memorizing facts. Instead of trying to memorize a 1/2 page answer to an essay question, make a note card with bullet points of the key things to include in your answer, then put them in your own words. It would help me to practice writing the answers to the essay questions, but that depends on what kind of learner you are. If you are the type that learns by hearing, tape yourself reading the responses to the essay questions. If you are not sure what type of learner you are, your school might have a counselor or program that might help.

It is hard, especially summer. Do your best and you will be ok. Good luck! :loveya:

prmenrs, RN · Jul 16, 2007

It sounds overwhelming to say the least. Will definitely be keeping you on my mind today. Your prof sounds like a misery.

LMRN10 · Jul 16, 2007

Just remember...this is a summer semester and you are taking a hard class which requires you to remember a TON of information in a very short amount of time. I know I could never take a science class over the summer!!!

Flash cards are the trick for me usually. I can always remember things and I have my husband quiz me on all of it!

Good luck to you with the rest of your class. Just try to stay calm and do your best!!

coolpeach · Jul 16, 2007

I feel for you. I was always too scared to take major science courses in the summer.

Like someone said above the note card thing is great. I just bought index cards from walmart, a little thing of rings (on the same isle), and a hole punch. They are really cheap, and it allows you to have the freedom to make as many as you want, and bind them however you need to. Don't overfill the card or it really loses it's purpose. I found if I went over them and over them then pretty soon I could see them in my mind.

I also found it helped alot to draw pictures with map colors. It helped to concrete the concept of how the system worked in my head. I would draw the whole thing (I am not good at drawing, but that does'nt matter), and use different colors to break things down. Then add bullets and arrows going through step by step how it works. Then when you sit for the test you will be able to start with step one in your mind, and close eyes and you will see step two. This is also great because where memorizing goes away after the tests knowing the concepts stays with you. Good luck !!!! I hope it gets better.

evbella · Jul 16, 2007

Fortunately, my A&P clsses were mostly fill in the blank, multiple choice and matching.

Like others have said, the major sciences are tough to take in the summer ( I am in Micro right now). I agree with some of the above responses; make flash cards, know & understand your main points instead of memorizing an essay type answer. I had to do this one time only- in A&P- with the firing of the neuron step by step......... It was easily a full page of step by step notes and it drove me nuts.

I wish you luck!! Believe in yourself, you will do fine

luvmy3kids · Jul 16, 2007

I'm up early, studying for a 3-chapter AP II class that covers the following:
18 essay questions (that we will get 12 of), that are each about 1/2 page long.
3 chapters of PP presentation about 60 slides each.
Plus about 4 diagrams we have to label.
b/c this is summer....I had to start learning this last Monday...I have done my best to pace myself, but I still feel totally unprepared.
I got a C (77) on my last exam...these essay questions take up about 80% of my study time, and b/c I have other things to do (for this class)...I am shocked at how I cannot recall most of the essay information this morning. I reviewed it every day to make sure I didn't forget.
I am putting in so many hours into this it's about to make me cry....we have asked the instructor, to at minimum, give us multiple choice exams and she refuses. The essays DO NOT help..b/c you have to condense the answers to much...it's like you are reading off foreign words, and that is what makes it difficult to put to memory.
I can't even read the chapters the way I want to b/c of the time frame we have...I don't have time to work on the essay questions and read thoroughly, so I have to rely on the PPP. I have a learning disability, and read quickly, but I have very little recall...so for 50 pages, it takes me about 15 hours to learn the information well enough for recall.
I eventually want to go to graduate school, but I'm wondering, if I am having trouble with this...how could I survive in graduate school? I work so hard, and how can I be so stupid to put day after day hour after hour into an exam, and still not be able to recall anything?????
I have done everything that I can...I just don't even want to take the exam this morning and just quit.

Hopefull,

I'm sorry you are struggling. I KNOW you can do this though! Taking A&P (or any course) in the summer is a lot of work. I took it over a regular semester and it was the only class I had... and that was next to impossible to get it all done. I can't imagine trying to cram it all in in just a few weeks.

Try and keep your head up. Do the best you can... that's all anyone can ask for. I know you can do it (you are always on top of everything)... hang in there!

Jennifer

WDWpixieRN, RN · Jul 16, 2007

Good luck! I had avoided the science classes all my life and then I decided to go to NS -- ugh!! It was a tough turnaround for me in many respects.

Try to enjoy what you're learning and do the best you can. Hopefully admissions aren't based solely on GPA and you just do the best you can to get through and pass the class. If you do need the GPA, then try not to think about it too hard and just get through it.

I had heard of one teacher that had an essay A&P II format for tests. A ton of folks ended up dropping the class. Many of them were folks who had passed A&P I w/an "A". I think it's very difficult to regurgitate that information, particularly if you are not a rocket scientist....I had a hard enough time remembering some of the names of things, never mind what the heck they actually DID!!

Best wishes!!:icon_hug:

Blove86 · Jul 17, 2007

I know exactly how you all feel. I HATE summer school especially when taking a summer schol class! It is down right stressful, but I think the best thing to do for summer classes is allow plenty of time for study, review, and repeat. It makes it worse when you have two summer classes (Im taking Stats) when I have to put so much energy and focus on Anatomy class. So just keep with it, my mom always says what matters now wont even be more then a thought in a year!

justme1972 · Jul 17, 2007

I really appreciate everyone's responses.

I am a FIRM believer in notecards...only issue is that the material is so vast that by the time you finish making them...it's test time, and you haven't had time to review them. I had to throw that idea out after my first exam on AP I.

We actually have a really good instructor this term, but she is just much more difficult in terms of what she gives us to study for an exam, and the amount of material.

I actually talked to her about it yesterday and she was very understanding. I told her that I was OK with not getting an A (I try hard for A's, but usually just BARELY miss them by a couple of points, but sometimes I get lucky)...and she said that she considered the lab practicals more important than the exams...so we figured if I missed no class (check), and if I got at least a 75% on each of her exams (check), if I got A's on both my practicals (which I find fairly easy), I would still get a B for the class.

That made me feel better.

My GPA won't go up, it will stay the same, but at least it won't go down.

I can at least relax that I've already been accepted to the program and have a decent overall. I just have to keep it above a 3.0 for the graduate school...I want to go to.

Again, I really appreciate the support. On my exam today...not really sure how I did. The essay part was easier, but the multiple choice was more difficult. We had heart, blood, veins and arteries..and all of that seemed to run together with the different chemicals, etc. We did get some good news that our final will only be on two chapters instead of 3...so a great big AMEN there.

I have a practical today and I keep thinking...ok...2 more exams, 1 more practical and it's over!

HandsOnHealth · Jul 17, 2007

You say that you have a learning dissability. Are you taking advantage of the programs alloud to you? I am also a learning disabled student and because of that the school that I attend will allow me extra time to take exams, they will have someone read the text material into a recorder so that I can have it that way (I retain information better that way). My school also requires my teachers to allow me to tape their lectures even when it is usually their personal policy not to. There are others but Im sure you see my point, and that is to take advantage of those things that you are allowed so that you can do better in your classes and not feel like you are just getting by. By utilizing these programs I am making the deans list and have a high GPA, if I didnt.....I would count myself lucky to get a C. These programs allow me to level the playing field so that I can do the best that I can.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Jul 17, 2007

Sounds like you're handling this in a very positive manner!

Continued good luck to you!!