Study guide for

engineering
Start of school year (or catching up)

Read the syllabus

Read the intro and summary of each chapter of the
recommended book (yes, this is hard and tedious but youll
know your shit)
Compare the syllabus with the textbook
Ask for the office hours
Get to know at least 2 people in your class (useful for
getting notes and stuff, make sure you do the same for
them, though)
Check all deadlines and dates relevant
Gather supplies now

Before each class

If you are thinking of skipping it, do a cost-benefit

analysis: basically, how long will you have to study by
yourself to make up for it. If its more than the class
takes, go
Get there 5 minutes early
Verify your position in the disciplines study plan
Read the previous chapter and the chapter youre on. If
short on time, read only the first and last paragraph
Write questions down about the subtitles. Ask them to the
teacher if they arent answered during the lesson
Examine images carefully
Write down new words and concepts
Try to make a connection to the previous lesson

During class

On each page of notes leave a space on top (for a summary)

and a side bar to add an outline later
Copy every sample-problem, with all the intermediate steps
Note: bog ideas/concepts, images and legends and all that
is repeated
Do not worry about presentation, just keep your notes
minimalist even if it takes up more paper
Ask questions

After class

Fill empty spots in your notes and clear up doubts asap

Use your personal system of processing info to organize it
(do you like flashcards, plain notes?)
Try to connect new info with previous knowledge
Write down the summary
Think what the purpose of this lesson was: which
principles were applied and to which problems?
Add the outline to your notes
Think up aditional questions
Try to get a head start on your homework
Read again the chapter in study and do it actively
(underline, ask questions and shit) and relate it to your
homework

Study

Before getting started make sure you have all you need
The hours you have pre-designated for study must be
sacred! (video games and outing with friends should be rescheduled to your free time)
Learn things ONCE by asking the question why? repeatedly
until you truly understand shit
No multitasking with music or TV (do what works best for
you but I work best in complete silence of lyric-less
upbeat music in a low volume)
Organize knowledge in webs where concepts connect instead
of boxes where they are by creating connections with
pictures and examples. If needed, force it with a stupid
metaphor
Do not go study: have specific tasks you want to
accomplish like solving a list of 5 problems or reading
one chapter. Put a deadline on it too
Pay attention to the environment before you start: is it
right? Examine furniture, supplies and noise. You cant
concentrate right in a wobbly chair
Work over the same content in different ways: read,
rewrite, summarize
Rewrite your notes in small sets for easy reviewing
Study in small chunks of time with breaks (pomodoro?)
When in break, get up, move and be social
Make mini-guides with the answers to all the questions
about a certain subject. It makes for easy reviewing
Make a formula guide/sheet for each course

At the end of each study session: review, ask stuff, read,

read aloud, test yourself about it
Or just read, rewrite and read what you wrote
Verify your dominion over a theoretical fact by stating
it, explaining why and connecting it with other ideas.
List a typical problem featuring it and how it helps solve
it
Break it down in simpler and simpler terms until you can
explain to someone who doesnt know shit about it like an
arts major or something
Keep in mind the forgetting curve and schedule review
sessions accordingly. Repeat each content the day itself,
the following day, week and month.
This means each day you should review stuff you were
taught yesterday, last week and last month

Assignments

Make a list of goals

Plan how youll get to them
Reverse engineer your dates, use something like
http://planner.bulibtools.net/
Ask the teacher to clarify any question about the
assignment asap
Gather all the info you can
Research it
Organize all the info you have into chapters or themes
before you begin
Write in two phases: free writing with no edit and careful
editing, leaving at least 24h between stages
Deliver a good looking version to the teacher, even if you
need to rewrite it
Look for feedback before the deadline if possible

Presentations

Include slides for presentation, outline, a section title

and a summary in the end
Keep the slides tidy and simple
Talk to the audience, dont read
Keep eye contact, ask for questions

Reading

When reading take notes, make small summaries, ask

questions

Make yourself a mini quiz and answer it at the end of each

chapter

Problems

Start the resolution of a problem asap

Read the instructions twice, the whole thing
Reduce it as much as possible
What it the principle they want you to apply?
What do you need to find? Name them
What to I have? List given data and formulae
Make a scheme, legend it, name all variables, given data,
units used and whatnot
If you cant go on on your own, reread the relevant
chapter first and your notes on it too
Try by yourself first before asking for help from a
teacher or older student
Start with the easy tasks
On a difficult problem, do all you can. When stuck, try to
identify why. If you still dont know how to unstuck
yourself after a break, ask for help
Verify if your solution is plausible
Verify your resolution, solution and units
Later on, remake by yourself every problem you needed help
with
Practice with real problems as much as possible

At the teachers office

Go remove doubts you have

Make specific questions
Verify your progress
Bring supplies
This isnt a class!
Ask for feedback about your self-made tests

At home

Before going to sleep, review your day (study and selfevaluation)

Plan tomorrow with tasks and times, be attentive to
priorities and energy levels
Pick your clothes for tomorrow
Verify your calendar for important stuff coming up
Keep a to-do list

Establish a cutoff hour for work after which you are no

longer productive. For me its 22 or 10pm
Keep your shit mostly organized so you can find whatever
you need easily

Before tests/exams (madness week)

Start early, 2 weeks early if needed

Make a set of compressed notes, using your mini-guides and
notes
Check your progress
Ask for help now if you need it
Review your homework problems (remake them?)
Make a list of themes you need to study
Make sure of what you can do in the available time: be
equal parts realistic and ambitious
Solve previous exams, make your own and solve them
Ask the teacher for help with your sample tests
Solve more problems
Give all the subjects a once over before theres only a
week to the exam. Then you can ask for help before
everyone else is too. Diversify your study, all
disciplines/courses each day for the same reason
Define the exam: how long it lasts, what do you need to
bring, how much its worth to your grade, content being
evaluated, place
The night before: quick review of related content, make
your backpack including a snack and water, go to bed early
and avoid sugar

During tests/exams

Bring 2 pencils and pens

Avoid caffeine
Get there 15 min early
Hear the instructions given verbally very carefully
Write down your name and read the whole thing (twice)
before starting
Start with the easy ones
Show all your work, no step is too small

Schedule

Keep yourself in the loop by scheduling reading in your

downtime. Include a magazine relevant to your field like a
science journal
Leave extra hours to fill when an urgent assignment comes
up or an exam, and extra hours for fun too!
Check if the time you are dedicating to academia is enough
for your success
Block off mandatory study time for each course per week.
Use it to study, do homework and generally keep up with
the program
Include at least two extra catching up hours in the week.
If youve been good with the rest, it will mostly be free
time but use it to finish last details on an assignment or
something
Evaluate the value that extra-curricular bring to your
life compared to how much time they take up
Schedule a weekly hour as a review time: review your
previous week and plan the next, paying attention to
deadlines
Work daily: at least 9 to 5 like a real job. This should
make sure every night is free and with no pending work

Motivation

Studying is not a race, its more like a stretch before

one
Success is a skill
Stick to the plan
Make checklists to stick to the plan
Dont aim to outshine the brightest (yet), outshine the
average student
Work until your idols are rivals
When in downtime think which the best use of your time is.
Learn something
Goals arent easy but they shouldnt be either
You may regret it along the way but dont complain: boot
camp is hard
Dont fight the system: learn it and make it work for you
Dont be a problem
Respect your leaders
Respect is earned, slowly, keep your cool
Fear motivates, panic paralyzes. Dont panic
Do not wait for inspiration. Take responsibility and act
Make goals clear, simple and ambitious

Answer the three magical questions: what to I want? What

will I do to get it? What am I willing to give up?
Youre in control, always
Do small tasks to earn motivation

Personal

Gain energy without caffeine: bright light, movement,

music
Connect with people: share info that interests THEM, ask
that to other people (maybe even introduce them), offer
help, dont ask for anything yet
Later: share more info to their interest (or even to their
family), introduce two contacts of yours, invite them to
interesting FREE event
Avoid heavy foods and studying around lunch (zzz)
Try themed weeks in your down time to research and learn
about stuff that interests you like photography or
survival tricks

On vacation

Review goals
Start projects
Enjoy rest
Keep your mind in shape (read)
Study something you like/love
Get ready for the next round