Tips for STEM Majors

Tips for Succeeding in the Sciences

1.     Get plenty of sleep (at least 7-8 hours).

a.     Your brain needs rest! You cannot learn effectively if you are tired.

b. This seems like an impossible task to complete, but it is doable! The key thing here is knowing how to manage your time properly and prioritizing when certain things need to be completed.

2.     Read what would be covered during the lecture BEFORE the lecture.

a.     This would allow you to ask questions during lecture and clear up anything that you did not understand during your prior reading.

3.     NEVER MEMORIZE INFORMATION

a.     Instead, LEARN and UNDERSTAND the information

b.     Memorizing will only cause you to forget the information once the exam is over.

c.     Learning and understanding, on the other hand, will cause your brain to retain the information for an extended period of time

                                               i.     Pro-tip: you might need the information during Finals Week.

4.     Review! Review! Review!

a.     Review your notes after each lecture.

                                               i.     Some students like to read them over a few times to understand the concept while others prefer to re-write and organize their notes for clarity before reading over their notes (the latter method is helpful if you know you take sloppy notes during the lecture).

b.     Overall, this will make reviewing for Final Exams 10 times easier.

5.     Try explaining what you learned to someone else.

a.     This is an effective learning method because not only are you explaining what you learned to someone else in your own words, you are also listening to the concept in your own voice as well.

b.     Retaining information is easier if you are able to reword concepts into your own words.

6.     Do plenty of practice problems

a.     If there are practice problems within the textbook then try your best to do them because there is a strong possibility that the concept will be similar to the ones you will encounter on the upcoming exam.

7.     Do your Homework and submit them on time

a.     These are easy points that you do not want to give up

b.     It could mean the difference between a passing or a failing grade

8.     Never cram for exams the night before.

a.     It is best to study at least 4-6 days before an exam.

b.     Your brain needs time to consolidate the information from short-term memory to long-term memory.

9.     Go to office hours

a.     Your Professors have office hours for a reason, so go visit them when you are unsure about something that was covered during lecture.

10.  Try to have some fun!!!

a.     Take a break from studying once in a while because there is no experience quite like college.