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College tip thread

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I always cringe when I hear people say that college is the best time of your life. If it's all down hill from there then you probably didn't pick the right path after high school. Your life should continue to improve, on the average, well into middle age and beyond. If you are miserable post-college, consider backing up and making some significant changes.
 
My advice for college is try not to be a dumbass.

EDIT: Actually, if you get good enough grades in H.S., go to college as a PSEO student. That's what I did, and I got 2 years free as a result. Saved me roughly 20k.
 
Learn to balance fun and work. For me this meant only partying Fri and Sat night. Never on the weekdays. Thursdays were the big greek night for partys but my classes always made tests on fridays and project due on fridays.

You can skip class and be ok but do it sparingly and be sure you can afford to do so. Never skip the first couple weeks, this will be when you figure out how much the lecture and books line up and how you can do.

The beginning of the quarter/semester usually lays the foundation for the rest of the class be sure you thoroughly understand this portion of the class.

For the love of god use office hours. I never did but I can see having been a TA now how useful it is and I don't know why I never did. Do not be intimidated by your prof or TA, the good ones are there to help.

If you want to go on to grad school get to know a couple profs. Volunteer to help with research.

Look for internships/coops early and often. Graduating a little later with experience is far far better than graduating with no experience.
 
Originally posted by: gamepad
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Treat college as an 8 to 5 job... when you've got an hour between classes, use it to get ahead on homework, research, etc. Don't just sit around watching Geraldo. You'll find that you end up with a lot more free time during the evenings.
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I think I'll try to make this my late new year's resolution.
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QFT

Good advice folks. ( well, mostly good)
 
GO

TO

CLASS

I've noticed the professor has a harder time giving a bad grade to a kid that was at class every meeting time and made actual efforts even if he isnt the brightest light bulb
 
It really depends on the class if you need to attend or not.

Language classes? Always.
Economics? Never.
Criminal Justice? Rarely.
English Classes? Always.
Science Classes? Always.
Humanities/Arts? Never.

Obviously sucking up to a teacher helps. Talk to them after class. Read what they've published. Write or make course work about topics they like to discuss or research on.

Obviously it depends on your abilities. You should know from the first week if you need to attend every class, or if you can screw around and only come on test days.

I've been about 5 times to my Econ class this semester. 90% on the first quiz (10 questions, and I missed one), and then a 98% on the Exam (missed one question there, too).

Spanish? If I didn't go to class I'd be screwed. Even though I speak Spanish on a daily basis with my Fiance and friends, it doesn't matter. You don't know the structure and material unless you go. Same with classes like English or Lit. You HAVE to know what the Professor wants, what format they want, and how they want you to phrase your paper or work.

Criminal Justice? I read the book the first week, show up about once every two weeks, and then make A's on the test. Now, that's not all CJ classes. Some can be rough, especially if there are a lot of essays and experts that come in. However, I've had several classes that the tests were easy, and based on prior knowledge, some notes, and the text.

Science classes? You need to go. Even if you are good at the material you need to go to get the professor's perspective. You need to know what they emphasize, and what they gloss over with barely a mention.

Math classes? If you suck at math like me then you better go everytime.

Arts/Humanities/History/Social Sciences, etc... Depends on the class, but most of the time you can miss quite a bit and pull off an A or B.
 
extracurricular activities will save your ASS. my GPA sucked donkey balls at a 2.52. i still made it into a big 4 firm because of my personality, being commander (president) of my fraternity, multiple club sports, and a part-time job.

get a good part time job. bartender, door guy or something that will make you meet people but still pay ok.

live college up, it was the best years of my life.
 
Originally posted by: Tuktuk
Your grades will reflect how seriously you take school. You should get the mindset that you WANT to study.. that means finding a field that interests you. Even if every class doesn't interest you, get the right attitude about why you're in college and you'll be happy to trek to the library every day.

The first sign of a bad professor is that they count "participation" as 15% of your grade. You'll notice that participation in these classes is really no more than in others, and that this method of grading is highly inaccurate. Also these professors tend to teach little and merely moderate class discussions on the reading, which most of the time simply do nothing but repeat what you've already read piece by piece as the professor waits 2 minutes for a response to each question he asks as everyone sits there bored as hell waiting for someone else to give him his answer. Hey jackass, you're there to lecture me and teach me, not ask for obvious answers that are bolded in the text. Even worse professors will require "class presentations" in classes that are completely unrelated to argument or public speaking. They will make this 10 minute chunk of time worth another 15% of your grade, again highly subjective and inaccurate as they just right down whatever grade they feel like at the time.

Never skip class. No, it isn't just "one day." You'll do it again. And again. Until one day you forgot about the exam and end up on your knees asking for the professor to let you take it, with some sorry excuse like your grandma died.

Also drink a lot of beer because it tastes delicious. Get as much ass as you can because its much harder afterward (from what I hear).
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I kinda completely disagree. It totally depends on what type of course it is. Imagine a philosophy course being taught. This is XXX, XXX =YYY. etc it's kind of pointless. In certain courses the reading is merely an intro and everything else is discussed in class.
 
Well, it's a bit hypocritical since I'm posting it on here 🙂 but if you have a problem with procrastinating on the internet, get away from your computer. If you need to type up a paper, disconnect it from the internet, or if you have a laptop, take it somewhere without wireless. I get much much more work done away from the internet. My other tip would be- have someone in to study with you, or study in the library. Sometimes it's better to do this with acquaintences than with close friends who you'll end up talking to. Having someone around who will be able to witness it when you start procrastinating and blowing off your work is a good motivation to keep focused.
 
Originally posted by: RichardE
Any tips from the Med school grads to people going into Uni this September with that in mind?
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Keep your GPA high and start prepping for MCAT during your soph year. Make sure you do some research and spend a summer in a foreign country on some health rescue mission. Dont be an a-hole because no one will like you.


I used to be on the adcom at UCSF when I was a student there, the above tips are a good start.
 
Do co-ops in the summer. Getting a job will be 100X easier

Strongly consider frats if they are popular at your school. One of my biggest regrets ever was depledging with less than 24 hours to go.
 
1) Don't count on curving - always aim to get a standing of around 95% before finals. Cramming multiple tests within the same week results in an exponential increase in fvck-up probability. So you'd definitely like to allow yourself extra room for fvck-ups.
2) Prepare for each test as if the devil himself were setting it, you'll always be too well prepared.
3) Prioritizing - you're spending upwards of $20K/year (for international / out-of-state students). The least you could do is get some nice grades to show for it. Studies #1, all else < #1.
4) Try to at least get a 3.5 GPA/CGPA to get into the dean's list and honor societies.
5) Make your profs notice you - it's gonna be damned useful later (references, potential grad school major profs, etc.)
6) General theme - avoid "coulda, woulda, shoulda", a.k.a boo fvcking hoo. Getting anything study related out of the way first will reduce the chance of any academic fvck-ups (getting sick, car "altercations", family emergencies, etc.). Sometimes, life / Murphy still manages to make you his b*tch, but on the average, you'll come out ahead.

Served me well since my undergrad days 🙂
 
I learned this one from one of my friends recently, and I'm soon out of college but maybe someone else can benefit if it isn't already listed (sorry but its a lot to read, since I'm almost out of college 😉 )

He puts everything he is doing every week on a calendar (excel or outlook) and every Sunday he prints it out and keeps it updated in his e-mail. He keeps the printout on him at all times, and it really helps him setup times to study, schedule group meetings, go party etc. It seems kinda stupid and I used to give him sh!t about it at first when he'd say "Hold on let me check my schedule" but I can see now if I had done it since the beginning I would have done better.

Oh well, maybe everyone already does this and I just missed out 🙁
 
engage in sexual experimentation with members of the same sex. Better to get it out of your system now, rather than 10 years from now, when you're married with kids.

Do whatever you can to NOT live at home for at least the first 2 years. Even better if you can live in a dorm.

Try not to work if you can afford it, or if you must work, try to get work in an area related to your studies.

 
Know what you've signed up for. If you don't know the average starting salary, the percentage of students placed, and when you're going to get an internship in your major what the hell are you doing there in the first place?
 
a) Make yourself a definite physical place to study. Don't think you'll do meaningful study on the beach / mountain / long drive, etc. Have the stuff you need there like desk supplies, 2 lamps, tape, etc.

At first mentally force yourself to go there, sit & study, until the habit sets in. At first that's all about overcoming resistance & procrastination. Then whenever you sit there you'll click into that study frame of mind.

If you're able, force yourself to sit there on a regular time schedule, even if you don't have a pressing assignment to work on, then use any slack time to review.

b) Study!

c) Hold yourself above tghe depression that easily overtakes & submerges students who are malnourished, hung over, buzzbrained, horny as hell.
 
There are many analogues between a successful business and academic career.

1. Often people who suck, or understand very little, are in charge of your welfare. Regardless of their ignorance or other general character faults they get to tell you what to do, and you have to do it. If you don't, you'll be punished.
2. Early is on time, on time is late, late is unacceptable.
3. A "manager" will remember you kindly, when it's important, if you always participate willingly and make them look good.
4. You will be surrounded by people who are out to do better than you at all costs, take the high road, but be firm, and leave everyone with the impression that you are above petty behavior (even if you aren't).
 
Originally posted by: Tuktuk
The first sign of a bad professor is that they count "participation" as 15% of your grade. You'll notice that participation in these classes is really no more than in others, and that this method of grading is highly inaccurate. Also these professors tend to teach little and merely moderate class discussions on the reading, which most of the time simply do nothing but repeat what you've already read piece by piece as the professor waits 2 minutes for a response to each question he asks as everyone sits there bored as hell waiting for someone else to give him his answer. Hey jackass, you're there to lecture me and teach me, not ask for obvious answers that are bolded in the text. Even worse professors will require "class presentations" in classes that are completely unrelated to argument or public speaking. They will make this 10 minute chunk of time worth another 15% of your grade, again highly subjective and inaccurate as they just right down whatever grade they feel like at the time.
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Deja vu...
 
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