Have a good attitude!
 | Recognize from the start that chemistry is a subject that requires a lot of time and work. Be committed to investing the time and effort that the course demands. Be an active, aggressive student. |
| Decide that you will find something to enjoy about chemistry. It is easy to say that you hate chemistry, but if you make this choice, you will find it harder to study and attend class. |
| Be an active, aggressive chemistry student and make sure to set aside at least an hour a day to study. |
Come to class and lab!
| Sit as close to the front of the classroom as you can. You will see better, hear better, and generally be more alert. |
| Come to class prepared and take lots of notes. Always bring your textbook, your periodic table, your calculator, and your molecular model kit if you are using them. |
| The purpose of labs is to give you hands-on practical experience with the concepts that you are learning in lecture. Make the most of the labs. Think about what you are doing and about what is happening. |
| Read the lab ahead of time. |
Work the problems!
| Nothing is as important as working the problems. Work as many problems as you can. Watching the professor or your friends work a problem is not the same as doing it yourself. |
| After you have read the book and the examples on how to work a type of problem, try one without looking at the book or study guide. |
| As you work the problem, have a clear idea of what the goal of the problem is. ("I have to figure out how many of these pills a patient needs.") List what you are given to start with. (Each pill contains 50 mg. of medication and the patient needs 75 mg.) Clearly show each step of your calculations or thought processes. Label units. |
| After you have figured out how to work a type of problem, explain it to someone else. If you can explain it to someone else so that they understand it, you can feel confident that you really do understand it yourself. |
Study effectively for tests!
| The best way to study for tests and quizzes is to work all the problems and to ask for help when you need it. Spread your studying out; do some every day. |
| Your professor may give frequent quizzes. They give the student a preview of what will be on the exam, and they emphasize the kinds of problems the professor feels are important. |
| Anticipate what will be on the exam. Notice what the professor spends time on in class. Some professors give out study guides. If the study guide says that you need to know a specific concept, make sure that you know it. |
| Know the vocabulary of chemistry. Make sure you are familiar with important terms. |
| When you get an exam back, make sure you understand what you did wrong. You will need to know how to do it right next time. If you miss a concept on the first test, you will need to learn that concept for the next part of the course. |
| If you start out doing well at the beginning of the semester, keep it up. Don't try to coast through on one good grade. |