I got 80% on my Global Change midterm.
I cried.
This is what being a prevet student can do. When a professor hands back an exam and says, "Good job" and I look down and see that I got yet another, unsatisfying and highly frustrating B... well let's just say I almost lost my shit.
With the help of my good friend Caddy I pulled myself together but really, I just don't understand how I can be actively pursuing a competitive vet school application while maintaining my health. Unless you are literally doing nothing but school (which can't be healthy), it does not seem to be possible to break through that 85 barrier. Out of 6 marks that I have gotten back this year, four have been very close to 80 while two were closer to 90. Not acceptable for vet school apparently.
I have 5 exams and 2 projects left. And only 6 weeks. Although I have my doubts to how much of an increase I can make in these grades, my resolve is to work harder. I'm not exactly sure how though... Up to this point I have been pretty good at reading the textbook and assigned readings, taking about a week in advance to do one or two topics a day before a midterm with one day for review, and attending class regularly. If you are one of those mysterious 'A' students, please enlighten me. What is that next step?
Brainstorming:
- Book study help at U of A
- Make appointments with Profs
- Make more rigorous study schedules
- Make overview notes at the end of each topic
- Read extra to notes
- More time -> log hours
- Study groups
I will have to update you a bit later for my concrete plan but if I don't get a significantly better GPA than last semester (3.2), (not including summer which was 2 classes and a happy 4.0), it won't be because I didn't put in the effort.
Here are my marks so far so I hold myself accountable to my earlier promises even though I'm sure you're bored even as I'm anxious to put these on the internet!
- People, Pollution and the Environment:
Midterm (20%) = 82
Midterm (25%) = 80
- Art History: Chinese Painting
Midterm (25%) = 80
- Environmental Earth:
Midterm (25%) = 88
- Global Change
Assignment 1 (10%) = 90
Midterm (25%) = 80
I have one more next Thursday. Wish me luck! (I need it...sigh)
I know how you feel! I've turned into one of those crazy people who does nothing but work and study! And sometimes things are out of your control, like having a class average of 84.4% on my microbiology midterm and the prof says it's a curved class. Oh dang!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a straight A student (yet) but the only advice I can offer is to focus on the notes instead of the text book unless the prof says the readings are testable, even if they're not covered in class. Unless, you're having trouble with the material or the prof's notes aren't that well-done, then the textbook is good, but I study based on the notes. Just a thought.