by Jonathann Giammarco

I can say without reservation that any ego I had coming into this program has been thoroughly stamped out with an unmerciful string of below top-of-the-curve marks in my accounting classes. These results were not the result of flimsy efforts. Almost all came at the tail end of long long hours in the library and an endless stream of practice problems. I have been continuously experimenting with my study routine and have finally been rewarded with some recent breakthroughs. I figure it might be helpful to share a few of the practices I have recently adopted and a few strategies that I have abandoned.

What hasn’t worked for me

Doing the reading: I deeply regret how long it has taken me to downgrade the importance of textbook readings in my list of priorities. When you mix 15 credits worth of classes with a full recruitment schedule, time is gold, and three long chapters out of your textbook will sink you like a lead weight. Since the beginning of the summer semester, I have stubbornly and irrationally clung to the idea that “doing the reading is important.” Now, a semester and a half wiser, I know what is really important: studying class notes, maximizing the lectures, and doing plenty of homework problems. Any time spent reading the textbook is better spent reviewing my notes, doing extra practice problems or catching up on sleep.

Late nights: I always tell myself that it is better to sleep well than to study well, but I never follow my own advice. Careless errors have been hamstringing me on my exams, and I suspect that sleep deprivation is the cause.  Making sleep a priority must be a top goal of mine until the end of the program.

Brute force: In the past, I had some success in my math and science classes by doing hundreds of practice problems. At the time, it seemed that there was an easy rule to follow: the more problems I do, he higher my grade. This strategy has not worked out at UT. Now, quality over quantity is my new approach. I am doing fewer problems, but I make an effort to dissect and understand each one. My wife likes to tell me that it is better to thoroughly understand an easy problem than to race through 100 hard ones. I’ll let you know how this goes.

What seems to work for other people

Studying in groups: Some of the top students in my classes seem to study in groups. I tend to study independently. Studying with other people gives you the opportunity to explain concepts and verify your work. Group study is probably a winner, and I need to get involved.

Going to office hours: It has been a real challenge for me to build enough time into my schedule to visit my professors’ office hours, and I know that I am hurting myself by doing this. No doubt, the one-on-one attention helps, and going over the lessons with the professors reinforces what you learn in class. In the few instances when I have been able to make time to stop by a professor’s office, a top performer from class is on his or her way out the door. Very telling.

Inconclusive

Energy drinks: A certain pair of high-achieving twins I know are almost comically attached to their energy drinks. They consume a scary volume every day, but,it seems to work for them. Supposedly, the chemicals in the drinks affect your brain chemistry in a way that aids in concentration and retaining information.  I’m too afraid to test out this theory for myself.