Studying physics in college can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re struggling to grasp the concepts covered in class every day. But worry not! There are some effective ways to prepare yourself to excel in your physics courses, no matter how difficult they may be. Use these six tips to ace your exams and get better grades in the subject overall.
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Use your study time wisely
There are only so many hours in a day. Use them wisely! Know your subject matter and that’s where your effort should be focused. When it comes to studying, a little bit of knowledge can go a long way. The more you know about basic physics concepts, laws, and formulas, for example, the less time you’ll have to spend going over those details during an exam. What does basic mean? It depends on what you’re studying, but if you don’t understand something at least well enough to explain it to someone else or use it in a real-world application, then you need to brush up on that topic before moving forward. You might even want to consider reviewing some basic high school science courses before beginning college-level work—the basics really do help set a solid foundation for advanced study.
Identify what you struggle with the most
Maybe you’re great at calculus but can’t remember all of the physics terminologies. Maybe you feel confident with your basic knowledge but feel lost during problem-solving. Whatever it is, identifying your weaknesses allows you to tailor your studying accordingly and ensure that you aren’t wasting time on material that doesn’t pertain to what you need to know for exams. Study in a way that suits your learning style: Some people are auditory learners—they do best when they listen to lectures or podcasts while they study. Others learn best visually—they may benefit from watching videos or reading articles while they study.
Still, others are kinesthetic learners—they learn best by doing things like making flashcards or practicing problems out loud. Figure out which type of learner you are and try to create an environment where you can take advantage of your strengths. Focus on building confidence: Even if you’ve never taken a physics class before, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to pass one now. If something seems difficult or confusing, just keep working through it until it starts to make sense; don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by how much there is left to learn!
Don’t underestimate yourself
Remember, these exams will be much more difficult than high school tests. Don’t let your ego get in your way. Treat yourself like a child and accept that you can only understand so much information at one time. If you just have an intuitive understanding of a certain problem or concept, don’t worry about trying to solve it all at once; we know that’s impossible. Instead, move on to other problems until you feel ready to come back later. And if you do end up needing help from your professor or TA, don’t be afraid to ask for it!
They are there for a reason—to help students succeed. So take advantage of their expertise! This is their job after all. But try not to fall into helper’s syndrome, where you avoid taking responsibility for learning material because someone else is always available to guide you through every step of the process. You need to start thinking independently now if you want to be successful later on down the road!
Get acquainted with your professors
Understanding your professor’s teaching style can go a long way when it comes time for exams. Professors all have different methods of presenting material, and some are better than others at explaining their material. Getting familiar with your professor’s teaching style early on will make your life easier when exam time rolls around. Sit in on one of their classes before you officially register; ask them about how they present information, what materials they recommend for study, and so on.
This is also a great opportunity to get an idea of what type of student succeeds in that particular class. Pay attention to whether or not students who participate in class seem to do well, as well as whether or not students who come prepared tend to do well. It’s helpful to know if you need to be an active participant or if sitting back and listening is enough. If you already know a lot about physics but don’t understand how professors teach physics, take notes during lectures anyway—you might pick up on something new that makes more sense based on your own knowledge base.
Organize everything properly
Proper organization is key to a successful exam prep session. Layout all of your notes and readings from class, either on paper or electronically, so you have easy access. If you’re taking notes digitally, make sure that you’ve also downloaded all of your PDFs and organized them properly in a folder structure on your computer. Once you’ve got your materials organized, it’s time to make a study schedule. You may be tempted to try and cram everything into one last-minute session, but that’s not a good idea.
Try an app!
There are literally thousands of apps that can help you learn all manner of subjects, from Spanish vocabulary to algebra. While some apps are great for helping you study—especially for math equations—others aren’t so useful and can be a huge waste of time. Try an app out before buying it; many have free trial versions. Pay attention to reviews, too! If an app has less than three stars on iTunes or Google Play, consider giving it a pass.
When looking at reviews, look not only at how many people rated it poorly but also at why they gave it such low marks. Was there a bug? Did they find it hard to use? Or was there something else wrong with it? And while we’re talking about studying: don’t forget about flashcards! They may seem old-fashioned, but they really do work when used correctly. You can make your own or buy them online (just make sure they come with audio).
Last Words
Studying for exams might seem impossible when you have an entire course and weekly homework assignments—not to mention a social life—to attend to. You don’t have much time for anything. The good news is that there are lots of strategies you can use to study more efficiently so that you can ace your exam and still maintain a healthy balance of things in your life. Here are six tips on how to study physics effectively.