2- What grade did you get to be accepted at UBC?

1- Why are you here (University – Science program)?

[30-50%] [50-60%] [60-70%] [70-80%] [80-90%] [90-100%]

Engineering

Teaching

Research

Medicine-dentistry

Other

Don’t know

Questioning the profs

(Faculty of science – Biology). Questioning upper year students

(2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, Alumni). What are the three best recommendations / pieces of information you would give first year students?

The 4-year Quest!

Explore

stretch your imagination

New ideas

Meet wonderful people

about Who you are

about What you will become

The 4-year Quest!

Wondrous&

Exhilarating

BUTwe (Older students and

Profs alike) have to warn you!

Grades (%)

0 20 40 80 100

Stu

den

t p

op

ula

tio

n

92%

50-55%

45-50%

65-70%

>90%

Biol 121 midterm

Biol 121 final

High school average

60

Math - High school: 90% UBC Y1: 66%

Physic - High school: 88% UBC Y1: 72%

Biol 121 midterm

Biol 121 final

High school average

Grades

0 20 40 80 100

Stu

den

t p

op

ula

tio

n

92%

50-55%

45-50%

65-70%

>90%

60

Math - High school: 90% UBC Y1: 66%

Physic - High school: 88% UBC Y1: 72%

Math - High school: 90% UBC Y1: 66%

Physic - High school: 88% UBC Y1: 72%

Biol 121 midterm

Biol 121 final

High school average

Grades

0 20 40 80 100

Stu

den

t p

op

ula

tio

n

92%

50-55%

45-50%

65-70%

>90%

60

• You don’t lose heart!

• You do something about it!

It is OK to get bad marks at UBC! Do not

start doubting yourself! I will

never make it!

Ask us to help

you!

Grades

0 20 40 80 100

Stu

den

t p

op

ula

tio

n

92%

50-55%

45-50%

65-70%

>90%

Biol 121 midterm

Biol 121 final

High school average

60

Math - High school: 90% UBC Y1: 66%

Physic - High school: 88% UBC Y1: 72%

• YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

• THERE IS HELP!Support services on campusYour profsEach others

Please read: - Handbook – The Distillation - E-mail from the Dean – “Simon says” - FYI [First Year Information] e-mails) - Amanda’s talk later on

TOP Areas of Responses

- Academics: Studying and Learning Styles

- Social & Extracurricular

- Take ownership of your life and find a balanceFUN! ENJOY! EXPLORE!

Profs

What are the three best recommendations / pieces of information you would give first year students?

TOP Areas of Responses

What are the three best recommendations / pieces of information you would give first year students?

Mar

ks

Academics

Life Goals

Books

Extra C

urricular

Professors

Student Life

Oth

er

Ch

ang

ing

P

lan

sF

rien

dsh

ips

&R

elat

ion

ship

sB

alan

ce

Off

ice

Ho

urs

Co

nn

ecti

ng

Rat

e.co

m

Stu

dyi

ng

an

d L

earn

ing

Sty

les

Students

1

2

1

• University is different than high school!

Lots of THINGS TO DO: CONCEPTS to

understand ; CONTENT to memorize; Assignments, Midterms, Finals, Essays, Papers, Reports

MANY SOURCES of info: Online notes,

Textbooks, Own class notes, Papers to read, Exercises; Lectures, Labs, Tutorials, …

Parents & teachers are not here to look out for you anymore!

All the cramming that was successful in the past won’t cut it at UBC!Don’t wait until the last minute to start your work

• You lack perspective

and

you do not see the BIG picture!

• Therefore what you learn has no relevance to your personal life and it is meaningless

• Your organizational skills … not great!

→ Strategy for studying: inappropriate, rigid! → Time management: poor

2

If you cannot see the BIG picture in your first & second years, trust your

teachers!

Dive response in the

Weddell Seal

BIOL 454

BIOL 204

Anatomy

BIOL 204

Cellular Biology

BIOL 201

BIOL 201BIOL 204

Physical Chemistry

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

Organic Chemistry

CHEM 233

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

BIOL 334

Biochemistry

BIOC 302

BIOC 302

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

BIOL 334

Evolutionary Biology

BIOL 321

BIOL 321

BIOC 302

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

BIOL 334

Genetics

BIOL 334

BIOL 334

BIOL 321

BIOC 302

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

BIOL 334

Comparative Physiology

BIOL 364

BIOL 364

BIOL 334

BIOL 321

BIOC 302

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

BIOL 334

Ecology

BIOL 304

BIOL 304BIOL 364

BIOL 334

BIOL 321

BIOC 302

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

BIOL 334

Biomechanics

BIOL 325

BIOL 325

BIOL 304BIOL 364

BIOL 334

BIOL 321

BIOC 302

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

BIOL 334

BIOL 140

BIOL 140

BIOL 325

BIOL 304BIOL 364

BIOL 334

BIOL 321

BIOC 302

BIOL 201BIOL 204

CHEM 205

BIOL 201BIOL 204

BIOL 334

REMEMBER!

University is different than high school!

Lots of THINGS TO DO

MANY SOURCES of info

What are the Foundation of all SUCCESSFUL

LEARNING STRATEGIES?

At the end of the day, re-read & check your lecture notes.

Before starting a new chapter, scan-read it!

As soon as the teacher finishes a chapter, learn it! SYNTHESIZE Book + online notes + notes taken in class into YOUR FINAL PRODUCT

Do the homework teacher asks you! There are reasons for it!

FINAL PRODUCT -> If any holes -> see your prof / office hours -> what you use for your exam.

-> keep it FOR MCAT OR DAT -> own learning style

Different courses => different study strategies

Review often!

Problem based courses: practice problems again and again and again and again and….

Preview: Pre-read chapters/topics to get the “big picture”

Don’t do overnight cramming

The goal of any study

strategy should be review

Information is rapidly forgotten – to counter this

you must convert short term memory into long term

memory

0

100

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TIME

ME

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RE

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TODAY ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

2 MONTHS LATER

ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

What happens to new information?

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100

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7 DAYS LATER

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7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

What happens to new information?

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ME

MO

RY

RE

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NT

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7 DAYS LATER

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What happens to new information?

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ME

MO

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RE

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NT

ION

(%

)

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7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

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ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

What happens to new information?

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ME

MO

RY

RE

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NT

ION

(%

)

TODAY ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

2 MONTHS LATER

ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

What happens to new information?

0

100

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ME

MO

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RE

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)

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7 DAYS LATER

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ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

What if you review?

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2 WEEKS LATER

First REVIEW session

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7 DAYS LATER

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ME

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Fourth REVIEW session

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TODAY ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

2 MONTHS LATER

ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

Short term memory has become long

term memory

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TODAY ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

2 MONTHS LATER

ONE DAY LATER

7 DAYS LATER

2 WEEKS LATER

So, what are the strategies for review?

Use a variety of methods for review Cornell notes

Concept maps

Cue cards – Q & A

Last minute cram sheets

Advice from Biol 111/112/121/140 Teachers

KEEP UP • With your reading• With your review notes

USE RESOURCES • Profs – TAs – Peer tutors• Biology learning centre Wesb 200

STUDY GROUPS• Talk about issues• Find out questions the Prof might ask in midterm and exam• Meet regularly

Question:

What is your most

precious commodity?

Time manageme

ntDON’T

PROCRASTINATE!

Lectures & labs: 20-22 h/week. How many hours of homework should you spend per week?

A)8-10 h/weekB)15-20 h/weekC)40-44 h/weekD) all the time I am not in class!

25 h class

75h

24h x 7days = 168h

PER WEEK: ACADEMIA

(assignments + own studying + group study with friends + reviewing for midterms & finals + library search + writing essays, papers, lab reports)

(lecture + labs + tutorials)

+ 2x(25 h) homework

PER WEEK: SLEEP

7h of sleep per nights x7 nights = 49h

PER WEEK: WHAT’S LEFT

– 75h – 49h

44h average of 6.3h/day LEFT

24h x 7days = 168h

PER WEEK: WHAT’S LEFT

– 75h – 49h

44h average of 6.3h/day LEFT

DON’T PROCRASTINATE!

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

8-830 MATH MATH MATH PHYS LAB MATH

830-9 MATH MATH MATH PHYS LAB MATH

9-930 PHYS LAB

930-10 CHEM LAB PHYS LAB

10-1030 PHYSICS CHEM LAB PHYSICS PHYS LAB PHYSICS

1030-11 PHYSICS CHEM LAB PHYSICS PHYS LAB PHYSICS

11-1130 ENGLISH CHEM LAB ENGLISH ENGLISH

1130-12 ENGLISH CHEM LAB ENGLISH ENGLISH

12-1230 CHEM LAB

1230-1

1-130 BIOLOGY BIOLOGY BIOLOGY

130-2 BIOLOGY BIOLOGY BIOLOGY

2-230 BIO LAB

230-3 CHEM CHEM BIO LAB CHEM

3-330 CHEM CHEM BIO LAB CHEM

330-4 BIO LAB

4-430 BIO LAB

430-5 BIO LAB

Academia: 75 h/weekSleep: 49h/weekLeft: 44h/week (6h18min/day)

Lana’s time table

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

8-830 MATH MATH MATH PHYS LAB MATH

830-9 MATH MATH MATH PHYS LAB MATH

9-930 PHYS LAB

930-10 CHEM LAB PHYS LAB

10-1030 PHYSICS CHEM LAB PHYSICS PHYS LAB PHYSICS

1030-11 PHYSICS CHEM LAB PHYSICS PHYS LAB PHYSICS

11-1130 ENGLISH CHEM LAB ENGLISH ENGLISH

1130-12 ENGLISH CHEM LAB ENGLISH ENGLISH

12-1230 CHEM LAB

1230-1

1-130 BIOLOGY BIOLOGY BIOLOGY

130-2 BIOLOGY BIOLOGY BIOLOGY

2-230 BIO LAB

230-3 CHEM CHEM BIO LAB CHEM

3-330 CHEM CHEM BIO LAB CHEM

330-4 BIO LAB

4-430 BIO LAB

430-5 BIO LAB

11 hours per weeks (1.6h/day on average)Do not waste!

Academia: 75 h/weekSleep: 49h/weekLeft: 44h/week (6h18min/day)

Lana’s time table

Math midterm

Chem midtermPhys

midtermEnglish paper

Biology lab report

Charlie’s deadlines.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 100 200 300 400

You have to prioritize and realize that you cannot do everything 100% perfectly like in high school!

Duration working on paper (h)

Grade (%)

2 64 8

Mitchel’s paper.STOP HERE!

Other advice- Find out how you learn

- Gauge your time and use it efficiently

- Be honest with yourself about your difficulties

- ALWAYS GO TO CLASS

- Make a friend in every class

- Balanced lifeDON’T

PROCRASTINATE!

What are you going to do with your 6.3 hours?

- Do something life-giving

- Get involved

- Make the most of your university experience

Student Life

FUN! ENJOY! EXPLORE!

Extracurricular

Other advice

Take courses that interest you!

No overload!

It’s okay to change plans

DON’T PROCRASTINATE

!

Be part of a community

Other adviceMaximize productivity in

class

Do your best, don’t stress (too much…)

Don’t stop asking questionsDon’t beg for

marksTurn off MSN, Facebook, Youtube,

Twitter

Help others Don’t be arrogant

DON’T PROCRASTINATE!

Use resources offered by UBC!

Be exam smart: do the questions that are worth the most mark first.....

Other advice

DON’T PROCRASTINATE

!

Compare your note with your friend + explain to each other – if there is a difficult spot / deficiency when you explain /does not make sense – you will spot it.

Keep study group small – Good friends only!

When students take notes, sometime they make mistakes. Reviewing lecture notes with a buddy help spot them.

Do not read the answer key before doing problems. Of course it will make sense and you will think that think you can re-do them during the exam. You will not be able to do them ! Reviewing: Do exercises and questions as in exam: Blind (no look at the answers at least 24 hours before starting – timed - no external distraction.

Tuum est

It’s yours!It’s yours!