Course Advice
Here you’ll find information about how undergraduate classes work, and the best ways to succeed in them!
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Undergraduate Physics Classes: Intro Physics 1 & 2 (+ Lab), Python, Fortran/C++, Modern Physics (+ Lab), Waves and Optics (+ Lab), Junior Lab (Circuits), EM 1, EM 2, Thermodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, Advanced Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity
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Undergraduate Math Courses: Calculus 1-4, Linear Algebra, Applied Real Analysis, Applied Complex Analysis
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Undergraduate Astronomy Courses: Intro Astronomy, Intro to Planetary Sciences, Life in the Universe, Stars and Radiation, Galaxies, Cosmology, Special Topics in Astrophysics and Cosmology, Observational Techniques in Astronomy (Senior Lab), Senior Tutorial in Astronomy (hydrodynamic simulations)
Actually attend.
Professors notice when you decide not to show up, especially in a smaller class. Some might even call you out on it if you come to their office hours and ask them for help with an assignment or have questions about a recent grade.
Take notes.
However you choose to write down what’s happening in class, whether it be pencil and paper, or an iPad, you’ll thank yourself later. In my experience, before the pandemic, all but one class in my almost 3 years of undergrad were not recorded. Future self will thank you when it’s time to study for an exam.
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And on the subject of notes, be as organized as you can. Label the title of that day’s lecture, even put the date on there to be bold. It’s much easier to get through a course when you know where everything is.
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​If you’re going to use an iPad, I highly recommend the app Notability. It’s simple and easy to use. Nothing fancy, but very practical. You can type text and use your handwriting on the same note file, which is nice if your handwriting isn’t the greatest but math is still very much a thing. You can also record lectures on Notability, and have the lecture audio sync up to your notes which is pretty neat.
Go to office hours.
Professors are there to help you learn the material, so if you don’t understand something after the first lecture, go to them. It’s much better to ask for help early on than right before a midterm exam and you don’t know how to do the basics. Also, any one of your professors might be writing your graduate school letter of recommendation, so the better they know you, the stronger the letter they’ll be able to write for you.
Even if they might seem intimidating, still go to them. And if you don't want to go by yourself, ask a friend in the class if they'll be able to go with you. If you have questions, then your friend may have questions as well. I will say that professors that seem very scary in your first year are just that way if their class is considered a "weed out" class, as they want to make sure that everyone that remains can handle the major. If you end up having them again your junior/senior year, they are much more relaxed and eager to help students. I speak from experience on this if you couldn't tell!​​
Read the textbook before class.
Something I found out later than I probably care to admit, but by reading the material ahead of time, when class rolls around, this is the second time you’re seen the material. I’m not saying you have to understand what’s going on the first time you’re reading through it, but you’ll have a much better understanding, and will be able to keep up with the lecture. Things will at least seem a little familiar to you, and you'll be better prepared to ask questions during the lecture as well.
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Click here to view a list of undergraduate textbooks I've used for physics, math, and astronomy!
Study Groups
Probably the only reason I finished my degree with an ounce of sanity in my brain, and maybe one additional brain cell. It’s important to not only have a group of people that are sharing the same experience as you, but also people who you can ask for help on homework assignments and have late night study sessions with before an exam. All part of the college experience. And, you have built-in lab partners, should you end up in the same lab section. Your university might also have a Society of Physics Students (SPS), another great resource where you can get advice and help from older students! Also a good place to make some physics friends!
Summer/Winter Courses
If you want to get ahead in your coursework, or have fallen a little behind, summer and winter courses are the way to go if you don’t want to spend any more time than you have to in your undergraduate career. However, these classes are very fast-paced (winter classes are even faster than summer classes are). Basically, you are doing what you would normally do in a regular semester (14 weeks) in only 5 weeks. I would not recommend you take math courses over the summer, and I speak from experience. It was a lot of material to absorb in a short amount of time, and I still hadn’t figured out how to study. There will also probably be a limit to how many classes your school will allow you to take, and this is for good reason!
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I will say, that without taking classes over the summer, I never would have been able to graduate on time, possibly in general, due to my coursework. Additionally, any course costs money, so if there is a way to take courses at a state school/community college and have those credits transfer, I would do that. Don’t go into debt over summer courses, or your undergraduate experience as a whole...
First, try and ask your professors to post their lecture notes or slides prior to class. I've never had an issue with this, and now you'll be able to see exactly what they plan to cover.
Then, I'll write out the notes (I use an iPad and the app Notability), while filling in any gaps like equations, derivations, examples, etc. using the textbook.
The iPad is great since it can record while taking notes, and track what you write with the audio. So during lecture, I annotate on the notes I've already taken while the iPad is recording. This way, I can focus on what the professor is saying about the notes, and not rush to just copy down the notes.
Now, I find that I actually miss half of what the professor says while I'm writing things down. Then while I'm studying for an exam, I'll do my best and listen to the lecture recording and write down anything that I've missed.