To Study Group or To Study Solo? ...That is the question...

[BeachsideNic]

I'm beginning nursing school in January and would like to know how people feel about study groups. I attempted them in Community College when I was completing my pre-requisites, and I found them more trouble than helpful. People generally end up jibber jabbering about anything other than the subject at hand, while others just come to get re-taught the information they haven't studied.

I became anti-study group and studied everything solo and found that I could manage my studying much better on my own. It seemed to work, because I did well in all my classes and got accepted into a BSN program starting in Spring. I know that nursing school will be different, and I'm hoping that students will be more focused and able to have study groups more efficiently. What is everyone's experience with studying solo or with other people?

[Al.ginger]

I like to study solo. Then, I came to study group and help people by explaining staff... It clears my mind too

[SnMrsSmiley]

my experience has been this: i started with studying with a study group and then right before the test studying on my own... i did well making high Bs.... then i decided to study on my own. BAD idea. So now what I do is study my a$$ off alone, until i think i know it... THEN i go to study groups. That method is getting me high As.

The moral of the story is that study groups are worthless if you dont at least know the majority of the material first. Study group is helpful for throwing ideas around, and clarifying things you thought you knew but find that you dont. and teaching the info to someone else will really cement all the material in your brain.

[SnMrsSmiley]

also a helpful hint: ask your instructors if you can start a "closed group" on facebook just for your frehamanI class. Our instructors allowed us to do this and we constantly post questions or ideas about the material or careplan issues. Our instructors are also in the group as well and if another clasmate answers wrong they will post the correct answer to what your issue is. And its a good way to communicate and get to know your classmates because you will need help. AND SUPPORT.

We also use our fb group to post quiz questions and make it a game. Its good and fun reinforcement because what one person knows really well you may not realize you arent proficient enough ont hat topic and it can bring this to light. You would be surprised how many times a classmate will post a quiz question the night before a test and it will be something I never remembered reading.... then see something similiar on the test the next day. If my classmate hadnt posted that wuestion I never would have looked it up and read about it .... so I would have missed that question.

good luck!

[BeachsideNic]

Thanx, all.... these are really great suggestions!!!!

[SweetseRN]

I always liked to study on my own but I found that I could learn a lot from a good study group. Only study with those who are serious. Someone needs to be a leader and keep everyone on track. But for me even the best groups were only a supplement to my own private studies. I will say there were times that I learned things that I would have missed without group study.

[caliotter3]

I always found groups to be counterproductive, even in nursing school, where I thought people would be more serious about what needed to be done. I always chose to work alone if possible. Another aspect was that I lived in the opposite direction and nobody ever took that into consideration and the instructors, when assigning group work, always put me in the 'bad guy' role. No one wanted to come to my house to waste time, money, and gas. I always had to go half again out of my way to go to the opposite direction from the school to waste my time, my money, and my gas. I would count on yourself to get things done. If you can find good study partners, maybe, but don't count on that.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

Study with someone on your level, not beneath you knowledge and intelligence (ouch, that sounds harsh) wise. Don't allow anyone to take advantage of you or they'll pull you down grade-wise.