[Rathji]

Rathji's guide to getting an A in any University class (that involves most of your marks from testing)

0. Use a computer to have your notes in, but do not take notes with a computer in class. The distraction is too great. More about this later.... have a backup of your notes, and/or use something like Dropbox to make sure you have access to them on every computer you own.

1. Read the course material before it is covered in class. Take notes on your computer while you read (OneNote is amazing for this) , as detailed as possible, putting things into your own words if possible because it forces you to process what you are reading.

2. In class, have paper to take notes on. Since you already have most of the stuff down (from reading the text) just focus on writing down the topics that are discussed and things that the prof focuses on. Pay special attention to those things that are not in the text, or that you don't remember being in the text - because it is probably not in your notes.

3. Every night after class. transfer your written notes to the computer and incorporate them into the notes you already have. This reviews what was covered in class and help you put it together with concepts from the textbook (which is often more detailed).

4. When someone emails begging for notes on blackboard - give them yours. Sure it really isn't fair, but the number of times I have missed classes and got notes back from them without spamming everyone makes it worthwhile.

5. When it comes time to study for the exam: Print out all your notes. When you read on a computer screen you only scan information, you don't really get a deep understanding of what you are reading. It also lets you write notes to yourself and gives you easier access for studying, where a laptop would be no good, on transit for example.

6. When it comes to exams, dont stress out. Canadians test better than Americans, and it has been attributed to the lack of stress. Make sure you are prepared in advance and for the last hour or so before an exam, just relax and listen to some music. I have a 45 minute playlist that I have designed for this exact purpose, so I don't need to be focusing on the clock and don't show up outside the exam room to early and listen to all the other people stressing and freaking out about every little thing they don't know.

You can thank me later.