Doing well in your courses: Andrej's advice for success (2013)
7 hours ago
- #time-management
- #academic-success
- #study-tips
- Avoid all-nighters; prioritize sleep (7.5 hours optimal, minimum 4 hours).
- Start studying well in advance to allow the brain to absorb material over multiple nights.
- Attend tutorials or review sessions to reinforce material, even if they seem boring.
- Create a study schedule to organize material and avoid last-minute cramming.
- Review past tests before studying to understand the professor's evaluation style.
- Practice replicating content (e.g., formulas, proofs) without relying on the book.
- Collaborate with others near the end of study sessions for diverse insights.
- Teach weaker students to deepen your own understanding.
- Visit professors during office hours before finals for potential test insights.
- Allocate ~3 days for midterms and ~6 days for exams.
- Use energy drinks sparingly in emergencies.
- For math, prioritize exercises over passive reading.
- Create a cheat sheet to condense course material, even if not allowed in exams.
- Study in environments like libraries where others are also studying.
- Avoid caffeine right before tests; consume coffee and food 2 hours prior.
- Study intensely right before the test to leverage short-term memory.
- Use pencil for tests to easily correct mistakes.
- Glance over all test questions briefly before starting.
- Do easy questions first and skip difficult ones to return to later.
- Be neat on tests to make grading easier for the marker.
- Box or circle answers to help markers identify correct responses quickly.
- Never leave a test early; use extra time to check for mistakes or improve legibility.
- Communicate with markers to show partial knowledge and earn more points.
- Consider point values per question to prioritize effort effectively.
- In the last 5 minutes, recheck all answers instead of struggling with one question.
- Grades matter less than real-world experience, projects, and recommendations.
- Pursue internships, research, or side projects to build a strong resume.
- Avoid overcommitting to projects and then abandoning them, as it harms your reputation.
- Contribute to open-source projects or start your own to showcase skills.
- Document and blog about projects to build a portfolio that outshines grades.