Comments on: Q & A: Dealing with Killer Classes, Notes in the Age of Note Packets, and Avoiding the Deadly Grind Syndrome http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/ Decoding Patterns of Success Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:27:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris L http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3705 Chris L Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:11:15 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3705 Couldn't agree more with the answer to question two. I've got a class this semester with the same problem. Take notes from scratch, use his as a reference. You'll understand things in a different way than the teacher chooses to outline them. Couldn’t agree more with the answer to question two. I’ve got a class this semester with the same problem. Take notes from scratch, use his as a reference. You’ll understand things in a different way than the teacher chooses to outline them.

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3663 Study Hacks Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:52:49 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3663 @Erik I agree. It's tough. Sometimes pre-requisites really matter. Sometimes not. You would hope that the professor would act accordingly -- but, as with the reader above, it doesn't always happen. @Erik

I agree. It’s tough. Sometimes pre-requisites really matter. Sometimes not. You would hope that the professor would act accordingly — but, as with the reader above, it doesn’t always happen.

]]> By: Erik http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3662 Erik Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:39:14 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3662 I've found that, often, prerequisites are put into place because -- get this -- the material covered in the class is difficult to understand without the knowledge gained in the prerequisite classes. Advisors shouldn't even allow students to sign up for those classes without the prerequisites being met, and sometimes even the online registration software won't allow it to happen without an override, which brings us back to the issue with the advisors. I'm not saying that the student in the first letter is up a creek, but at the same time, I wouldn't expect a lot of sympathy from TAs or professors who are teaching to a class of (what they assume to be) prepared students. I think the key statement, an a wonderful realization, is the bolded statement in the original question: "It's not." I’ve found that, often, prerequisites are put into place because — get this — the material covered in the class is difficult to understand without the knowledge gained in the prerequisite classes. Advisors shouldn’t even allow students to sign up for those classes without the prerequisites being met, and sometimes even the online registration software won’t allow it to happen without an override, which brings us back to the issue with the advisors.

I’m not saying that the student in the first letter is up a creek, but at the same time, I wouldn’t expect a lot of sympathy from TAs or professors who are teaching to a class of (what they assume to be) prepared students.

I think the key statement, an a wonderful realization, is the bolded statement in the original question: “It’s not.”

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3660 Study Hacks Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:05:45 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3660 @Manuel: That would be interesting. I wonder how many of my readers are non-undergrads? I should do a survey... Feel free to keep me posted when you come across hacks that med-school specific. I'd love to expand my study habit arsenal toward these new frontiers. @Manuel:

That would be interesting. I wonder how many of my readers are non-undergrads? I should do a survey…

Feel free to keep me posted when you come across hacks that med-school specific. I’d love to expand my study habit arsenal toward these new frontiers.

]]> By: Manuel http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3659 Manuel Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:51:16 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3659 I dont think it's necessary to work 9to9 in med school, but anything less than 8 hours / day is nearly impossible for anyone of average talent. It would be quite cool if you did another "College Chronicles" like series with med students or law students, to see how they cope. I dont think it’s necessary to work 9to9 in med school, but anything less than 8 hours / day is nearly impossible for anyone of average talent.
It would be quite cool if you did another “College Chronicles” like series with med students or law students, to see how they cope.

]]> By: Friends Around the Web: Cal Newport's Mailbag | HackCollege http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3658 Friends Around the Web: Cal Newport's Mailbag | HackCollege Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:48:35 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3658 [...] Q & A: Dealing with Killer Classes, Notes in the Age of Note Packets, and Avoiding the Deadly G... [Study Hacks] Scene: Put the Pro in Productivity Tag(s): friends, grind, notes | [...]

[...] Q & A: Dealing with Killer Classes, Notes in the Age of Note Packets, and Avoiding the Deadly G… [Study Hacks] Scene: Put the Pro in Productivity Tag(s): friends, grind, notes | [...]

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3652 Study Hacks Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:56:46 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3652 @Nikki: Med school is more work than the typical undergrad load, but it still shouldn't require working from 9 to 9 as that reader observed. At least, based on the med students I've talked to. Indeed, Med school tends to have a higher concentration of grinds -- students who think that anything less than the maximum possible number of working hours is a personal failure. So you have to be extra vigilent to ignore them. @Nikki:

Med school is more work than the typical undergrad load, but it still shouldn’t require working from 9 to 9 as that reader observed. At least, based on the med students I’ve talked to.

Indeed, Med school tends to have a higher concentration of grinds — students who think that anything less than the maximum possible number of working hours is a personal failure. So you have to be extra vigilent to ignore them.

]]> By: Nikki http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3651 Nikki Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:32:28 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3651 I think you missed the point of that last reader. He was asking about <em>medical</em> classes. These are unlike undergrad classes because of the sheer volume of information presented. A typical semester may have 30-40 credit hours, tons of reading, and exams every week. In such situations, I think it would be necessary to be a "grind." I think you missed the point of that last reader. He was asking about medical classes. These are unlike undergrad classes because of the sheer volume of information presented. A typical semester may have 30-40 credit hours, tons of reading, and exams every week. In such situations, I think it would be necessary to be a “grind.”

]]> By: Daryl Tay http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3642 Daryl Tay Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:12:51 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3642 Yet another great post. I found the " + + " very helpful. Will use that in future! By the way, as a current TA too, I definitely do not advise hounding the TA. Even if he has no tangible effect on your grade outcome, there are always intangibles that may occur! Yet another great post. I found the ” + + ” very helpful. Will use that in future!

By the way, as a current TA too, I definitely do not advise hounding the TA. Even if he has no tangible effect on your grade outcome, there are always intangibles that may occur!

]]> By: I want out! - Dealing with those nightmare classes that you can't escape. | Success At School http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/13/q-a-dealing-with-killer-classes-notes-in-the-age-of-note-packets-and-avoiding-the-deadly-grind-syndrome/#comment-3633 I want out! - Dealing with those nightmare classes that you can't escape. | Success At School Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:55:30 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/?p=274#comment-3633 [...] Q & A: Dealing with Killer Classes, Notes in the Age of Note Packets, and Avoiding the Deadly Gr... [...]

[...] Q & A: Dealing with Killer Classes, Notes in the Age of Note Packets, and Avoiding the Deadly Gr… [...]

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