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Helpful Study Tips for Pre-PA and PA Students

10 Study Tips to Increase Your GPA

Getting into PA school is multi-factorial. If your GPA is lacking you can make up for it with good patient care hours, but if you know you want to go to PA school don’t let a low GPA keep you from going. Financially speaking, the less time you have to use to boost your GPA or get more patient care experience the better. With that said, there are also plenty of reason not to jump straight into PA school right after undergrad, but either way it’s best to maintain a good GPA.

The following tips can also help if you’re currently in PA school and looking at ways to help study. I had about six years between undergrad and PA school and the first quarter of PA school was by far my worst. It took me some time to get back into study mode and remember how to study.

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  1. Chegg Study – access to an extensive knowledge based on existing textbooks. Students also can ask questions that are added to the database. Great and inexpensive way to get answers any time of day.
  2. Chegg Tutor – Need one-on-one help? Chegg Tutor offers experienced tutors available online 24/7. Pay only for the time you need/use…whether that is 5 minutes or 1 hour. Get great tutoring at an affordable price. Subscribe today and get your 1st 30 minutes Free!
  3. Flash Cards – Flash cards are a great way to study on the go. Don’t worry about getting any paper cuts. Just use the Flashcards + app by Chegg. This app is free and multi-lingual. If you’re working on preparing for boards check out these PANCE/PANRE flashcards.
  4. Take Notes – Taking good notes is the key to optimized studying. Consider writing notes in two columns. The right-hand column is for the notes and the left is for questions related to those notes. Great way to quiz yourself or create flashcards.
  5. Join a Study Group – Misery loves company, right? No, that is not what I mean. The accountability and extra brain power make study groups an amazing asset.

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  6. Always do your homework – Missing assignments, even small ones, have a significant impact on your grade. Additionally, the homework lets you know what you need help on.
  7. Talk to Your Teacher – This is an often under-utilized asset for students. Teachers want you to succeed. If you are struggling with a concept, schedule an appointment with your teacher
  8. Show up to class. – This may seem like a no-brainer but is often overlooked. Many times, teachers will provide information and even test questions not available in the textbooks.
  9. Get plenty of sleep – If you can’t process the information due to exhaustion, it won’t matter how much you study. Getting sleep keeps you healthy, relaxed and engaged.
  10. Prioritize – Make academics a priority over your social life. It will pay off in the long run. There is also plenty of time to have a great social life, just avoid staying out late when you have an exam or an early school day.

Do you have any other great tips for studying? Please comment below on the original article, share with your friends and sign up to receive future posts by email!