Reddit Reddit reviews What Smart Students Know: Maximum Grades. Optimum Learning. Minimum Time.

We found 12 Reddit comments about What Smart Students Know: Maximum Grades. Optimum Learning. Minimum Time.. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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12 Reddit comments about What Smart Students Know: Maximum Grades. Optimum Learning. Minimum Time.:

u/tennis1216 · 13 pointsr/GetStudying

Previous post but I hope this helps:

With books containing chapters long and complex, I don't think the average student is capable of reading them like fiction (just get through the material once). I usually forget even major points very easily after hours of reading. If you have an exam to study for, repetition is the key and you can't always go back and read everything over and and over. This is why I do a summary. When you write with your hands and draw, you are engaging more of your brain in an effort to understand. The most important thing is asking yourself questions. Questions force you to stop, think, explain what you read. This is true learning. So close the book after a few minutes of reading, and explain back to yourself what you just learned. It is best not be be writing as you are reading because at that point you are just exercising your ability to copy down material (I have done this alot and usually feel that I ended up with very little comprehension). If it is possible at all, answer questions or solve problems from the chapter using the material you have learned as soon as possible. The struggle and the pain involved in solving problems using new information is to me like lifting weights, you will get stronger and stronger until you have mastered that level.

You could try reading the chapter 2-5 times with short breaks. You will get faster with every read and your retention eventually goes up. I saw several kids do this in med school but they were ridiculously smart...They never took notes. They just asked themselves questions as they read.

If you can find people to study with, it would be great. Apparently the #1 way our brain learns is by explaining a topic to someone else. If you had a partner to study with, you can take turns explaining each small section to each other, then quiz each other from memory. Great way to stay motivated.


Note taking while studying: http://amzn.com/0517880857.

Mind-mapping is something that is really popular to keep you engaged while reading.

How to read a book if you have any time and you are bored:http://crap.sceleris.net/HowtoReadABook.pdf

Don't forget about the [forgetting curve] (http://www.trainingzone.co.uk/topic/forgetting-curve-and-its-implications-training-delivery/162373).

After understanding the material, it is important to retain this new fragile memory. I use [Anki] (http://ankisrs.net/) for continued repetition throughout the weeks.
Hope this helps, Good luck!!

u/DeadHorse09 · 6 pointsr/college

I feel like this may be one of the few times that my "story" is relavent to a Reddit thread.

I'm a 22 year old who is going back to college this upcoming semester. My entire high school I spent focusing on playing music, getting stoned, and going to parties. Grades never mattered. I went to community college after graduating in '09 but never applied myself. After fucking up 2 1/2 years I moved to LA to pursue music and for one reason or another that quickly changed. I moved back home and made school a priority; I refuse(d) to take anything short of not being successful academically. School is just like any other activity in life; you must be willing to out in work to achieve results. Just like there is no "get rich quick / lose weight now / gain muscle yesterday" trick, there is no trick to college except for being ready and willing to apply yourself 110%. As someone else noted you aren't asking the right question.

You have no idea of your physical limitations, you may not be able to bench press 10lbs right now but if you gave fitness training all your dedication you could be on your way to lifting far more than that. Similarly, you have no idea of your mental limitations. If you know that you want more from life, and that you are going to focus as much time as you can on studying / bettering yourself than school is a viable option.

I was not ready at 18 years old for college; period. I was immature, and had zero desire to excel in it. I'm semi-pissed that I dicked around for so long, but semi-glad that I am returning to school with a fresh outlook, you can do the same. If you have made the first step in changing your outlook of school I highly suggest reading this book http://www.amazon.com/What-Smart-Students-Know-Learning/dp/0517880857. It's a refreshing deviation from any "study guide" or "learning book" you have ever read, and it will even further alter how you view education, the education system, and how well you can educate yourself.

You are either ready to put in the work, or you aren't. Be honest with yourself, but never be afraid.

TL;DR 22 year old who left college, came back with a new outlook. Ask yourself if you're ready to work hard not "how smart am I?".

u/makeeveryonehappy · 6 pointsr/GetStudying

What loopzooping explains is essentially how textbooks are designed to be utilized. I'm a chemistry and biology double major and I had a very rough time until I figured out how to take notes (my old way was the copy important parts of each page method--which was essentially just rewriting the book as I read it). What loopzooping mentions is a great summary of how to start taking notes. For more in depth note taking and questions you should be asking yourself as you read (to really learn the material), I highly recommend this book.

Another thing to consider is what you're studying for. Since you're studying for an exam, you should practice using the information like you would on an exam. Just recognizing the information you're writing may not be enough for the types of exams you're taking. Recalling the information will be most beneficial for test taking, particularly over just reading and writing the info. My present method of study goes like this:

  • Skim headings of sections and study questions at the end of the chapter to see what I'm reading and generally what type of info I should know.
  • Read the text for understanding all the way through.
  • Look up things from other resources if I don't understand. YouTube videos are great for me because I'm more a visual and auditory learner, and different explanations help solidify points.
  • Plug info into Anki sets for each chapter in each course. This gives me a daily set of cards to study based on how well I know them, to ensure I can recall the most important points come exam time.

    I have found for most of my classes that it's best to read the chapter for understanding before the class that will be covering that info. That way hearing the professor discuss it will be solidifying points, instead of bringing about new info. The professor has a finite amount of time to cover the material, so he/she will generally not waste time on less important stuff. This assumes that material covered in class is most important to the professor and therefore likely to be used for exams. This can then help guide you in making Anki/flash cards or in making your own notes. The book I suggested has a pretty great method of making notes that you wittle down to one page by the end of the year. It worked for me, but I prefer my Anki method (or whatever intelligent flashcard system you prefer).
u/theorymeltfool · 4 pointsr/booksuggestions

Two great books are:

  • What Smart Students Know: this is a great book, and has definitely helped me to get A's in my Masters Program.

  • Study Smarter: Not Harder: This one has some good tips and tricks, but is best used as an addition to the first one I linked, as far as i know. It includes lot's of small sections on how to prepare for tests, checklists for reading/homework, and other ways on how you can use your time better.

    Both of these books provide systems for studying in a manner that allows you to question the material in a systemic matter, thus working through the logical processes to make sure you actually understand the information, not just memorize it for a test. It also provides good insight in how to study for different subjects, since studying for chemistry is much different than studying for history or english.

    Lastly, stay away from speed reading, and use 'Mind Maps' only in addition to other, more formulaic study methods. Studying is basically a series of questions and answers. The more questions and answers that you create for yourself, the better off you'll be responding to the questions and answers that your teacher will expect from you. Learning how to take tests is important, but so is really understanding the material you're being presented with.

    Also, I wouldn't recommend 'Thinking Fast and Slow' or 'Mind Hacks.' Those books are okay for learning about how the brain works (i.e. cognitive neuroscience) but they will not help you get through engineering. Engineering (like other math/physics courses) require a systematic approach to dissecting and ultimately understanding the material. This requires a combination of processes that you'll find in those two books.

    Hope this helps!
u/MrTMDPhD · 4 pointsr/ChemicalEngineering

Hmm, you probably won't get a real taste of a chemical engineering course until sophomore year of college.

I'm not sure of any books on general information about chemical engineering, however here is a good link.

If you want to get a good advantage over other students I would recommend learning how to study in college.

These two are pretty good. One Two

Best of luck!

u/Mirabou · 2 pointsr/IWantToLearn

If you want to learn, I recommend the book What Smart Students Know. This book doesn't teach you how to "game the system", but will show you how to attain and retain information more efficiently. You will find some of his suggestions obvious- except you will realize you don't even implement them, even though you know them.

u/tjmiller88 · 2 pointsr/GetStudying

Buy What Smart Students Know, by Adam Robinson. Believe me when I say - this is the one book I wish I had when I was still in school.

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/UBreddit

My high school was actually really bad, we had like 6 alumni from my class arrested for murder in the last three years. I also got 90's by just showing up, I don't think I ever studied once for anything, and I always did homework in homeroom.

I actually had early dismissal senior year, so I got to leave at 10:30 am because that was a senior perk if you set your schedule right, I can't believe no one took advantage of it, they discontinued it after I graduated. My computer broke so I couldn't play WoW for 15 hours a day anymore, so I decided to go to the library and just chill on the computers there because my mom said I either have to get a job or go to the library.

At the time I didn't really know what I wanted to do in life, I really liked chemistry and biology, but my HS teacher was a real asshole and wouldn't let me take AP Chemistry. I looked through some of the books after I got bored of flash games and I found a book called "Gifted Hands" by Dr. Ben Carson. I read the back cover and was pretty intrigued so I thought I'd give it a read. I was pretty blown away and I finished it in a couple hours, I never read before so me reading a book was a pretty big deal. His story kind of motivated me too because I thought that I wasn't smart enough to become a doctor, which is something I thought about when I was younger (I know that's so unoriginal, but my mom used to let me play with scalpels like at age six to give stuffed animals surgery.)

After that I sort of spent all my time learning "how to learn." I found Cal Newport's Blog his stuff was good, but my favorite read would have to be "What Smart Students Know." Cal's books are pretty good, but get them from a library, they're not worth a buy to be honest. His blog is much better.

It takes a lot of effort and it sucks but the results do happen. I had a couple bad semesters because of a death in the family, but I have been pretty on top of things since. The book I linked is pretty hardcore, and it teaches you that basically you have to teach yourself everything from the textbook or multiple textbooks. I actually talked about it with two professors, and one surgeon that I know that were Caltech, MIT, and Harvard educated graduates and they confirmed that they did similar things, reading and deep understanding of the concepts in the text. I try to stay like a chapter or two ahead of class to be in the safe zone, and importantly I study everyday, typically from 7 or 8 am until 5 or 6 pm. I don't really go to class if it is recorded, I just watch the lectures at 1.5 speed to get the main idea and read the book to solidify. Also, I do as many practice problems as I can. Also, go to office hours to clarify things, I actually got extra credit in one class because I was the only student to show up to office hours when it wasn't exam week. Professors are actually really bored because no one shows up, so you can talk about their research if you're interested in it, they'll talk about that for hours.

Check out /r/getstudying also, it's pretty good. Hmm, that's all I can think of for now.

u/thesesdias · 1 pointr/ADHD


Most of the study tools you have described are passive. Try being active with the material. Engage with the material. Try to incorporate these things

  • Preview the material before lecture - Write down or just think about some questions you have about the topic to be covered. This gets you thinking about the material so you have an idea of what will happen in lecture. (5 to ten minutes tops)

  • Review after lecture - This gives you a chance to reflect on what was covered in lecture. Were your questions in your preview answered? Try to pinpoint the key areas covered in lecture. (5 to ten minutes tops)

  • Reflect on what you know - Think about it; why do we have a patella?

  • Explain it to someone - Instead of having your girlfriend quiz you tell her what ligaments are found in the knee and what their function is.

  • Textbooks - Give the summary paragraph a once over. It will tell you what you should have learned in the chapter. On the summary page look up the key terms. Go back through the chapter and focus on them, giving extra attention to the key areas covered in your course.



    The learning pyramid is a good place to start. I strongly recommend What Smart Students Know Check out the 12 principles in the sample reading on page 20. You can jump to the chapters that you think you need improving on the most. It was recommended to me by my thermodynamics professor and has helped me a lot. Good luck.



u/brotherwayne · 1 pointr/AskReddit

I read a book called "What Smart Students Know". Helped me quite a bit, especially in physics courses in college.

u/Theorymeltfool1 · 1 pointr/asktrp