Dr. Wilson’s Tips for Mastering

Academics at Mines

It’s not hard. It’s hard work.

If you were admitted here, you can succeed here.

So. . . What’s the trick?

• Break it down:– 4 years into 8 semesters– 1 semester into 15 credits– 15 credits into ~ 5 classes– 5 classes over 17 weeks

• Where are the points in each class?

• How do they overlay on your semester schedule?

• What can you do this week/today/this morning to maximize your points?

Start With the End in Mind

1. Break your degree down into smaller pieces.

Schedule Your Time & Place• 3 Credits = 9

hours/week• 15 credits = 45

hours• Then stop

planning and do it

2. “Chunk” your study time into 25 minute intervals with 5 minute breaks.

• Schedule and do 36-45 hours of intense academic time a week for the first 4 weeks.

• Cut back in week 5 if you’re right and I’m wrong.

“Yeah, right. No way I’ll have to study that much!”

Humor me on this. . .

The deal: Coffee at Einstein’s on me for any student with a 4.0 at mid-term, with 15+ credits who does less than 36 hours a week of class + studying.

Defeat Your Procrastinating Brain

• Thinking about something distasteful activates the pain center of your brain.• Doing that thing?• Not so much. . .

3. Eat the frog first.

Interweave Your Studying4. 80-10-10 Rule: 80 percent this week’s problems; 10% last week’s and 10% the week before that.

Toggle: Work Intensely & Take a Break*

5. Allow time for diffuse thinking to reach the “Aha!!” moment.

*Helpful Hint: “Off” is not the primary position.

Create Positive Associations in Your Brain

6. Connect your “gotta do’s” with your “wanna do’s”.

And give yourself little rewards for getting stuff done

Create an Audience

Study groups work. . . as long as they are really about studying.

7. The best way to learn is to teach.

Friends busy? Explain it a rubber duck. It’s about your brain, not his. (But doesn’t he look attentive?)

• Take notes (and do math) long hand – with pencil

• Use outrageous mnemonics

• Use music, poems space and funny stories

Engage More Neurons

Charles Law: The simple way to remember Chuck -- if the tank’s too hot you’re blown to muck. (For constant volume, pressure is directly proportional to temperature.)

8. Mnemonics and physical memory improve performance.

Avoid the Myth of Mastery“I understood it when I read it, so I must know it.”

9. Write down the main points of the chapter/lecture without looking. Hard, huh?

10. Find a tool or technique to turn it off.

Don’t Interrupt… …Yourself

Professors have Office Hours for a Reason

11. Successful people ask for help a lot.

• Not just the week before the test

• Sometimes, for no reason at all. Just to say “Hi”.

• It is likely that a Professor at Mines will become a lifelong friend and mentor.

• Go find them.

Don’t shame the family.

Dr. Wilson’s Rule:

• Introduce yourself to the person next to you.

• Tell them about one technique you are going to try to help you succeed at Mines.

It’s a Quiz. . .

Success Strategies for Mines