How to Succeed As a Science Major

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Decide if science is the right step for you.

   Choosing to go into science is a hard decision.
   
   Whether you made it years ago and are still following through or whether you're only just starting to think about where you want to go in life, dedication is key to science subjects.There are some questions you should consider the answers to before considering a science major:
   How long have you wanted to go into this field? Do you know which field you want to go into? Why do you want to go into science? What are your grades in science? (Remember, your grades aren't as important as your dedication, however you may wish to consider vocational courses such as apprenticeships if you're not suited to essays and/or exams)
2. 2

   Step 2: Decide which science is the best for you.

   This doesn't mean the science your best at in school or which science you think will get you into the profession you want.
   
   Chose a science course which excites you and motivates you to learn to your full potential.
   
   You can change your specialism after your course, if you decide to go onto further study.
   
   If you decide to go straight into a job, it is likely that the company will train you to fulfill your roles and responsibilities and only need your general lab experience or other experiences you've had as a scientist.
   
   Although some sciences may not seem to have applications past furthering human understanding of the universe, almost all sciences have other topics which will start to be mixed in while you complete your course.
   
   This could be as close as biology and chemistry mixing (biochemistry is a very important and wide field) or may seem far fetched, such as applied ethics and law being mixed with psychology (something that all psychology research projects keep in mind). , Look at as many as possible and look at possibilities to study abroad.
   
   Consider how you are going to finance your studies, personal life and housing, but also consider which universities/colleges are best for your course.
   
   Most universities will have bursary and/or scholarship programs, as well as other financial aid that may be available from the government.
   
   Consider every aspect of the university, including societies and social life. , Most universities will have it clearly available somewhere on their homepage.
   
   In some countries, there are application systems, such as UCAS in the UK, which allow you to apply for multiple universities at once, which is helpful for making many applications. , Getting your application declined due to small mistakes can be extremely disheartening. , Make sure you have a clear voice, look professional and that you are sure of your answers.
   
   There are many sources online for typical questions asked at interviews and researching these and practicing your answers can make you seem calmer and confident, which looks good to the interviewer. , If you don't know what date you start, try to access your timetable or phone your university and ask. , Don't take too much but also don't waste your money on new things, such as toothbrushes, when you can take them with you. , If you're moving from California to New England, it's not a good idea to pack your light clothes and someone from New England would probably not pack a thick coat for California.
   
   Research the whether in the area you'll be in, research the fashion if it's important to you.
   
   No one really cares what you wear in university but for fashion conscious people, it's worth researching. , A lot get sold out and you may have to pay more if you leave it too late.
   
   The university may help you with this or there are several places online to find out more about finding student accommodation. , You probably won't know what your lectures are about until you get to university, so just make sure you have the basic knowledge and anything that you think might be important to the course.
   
   It's best to start studying as early as possible. , Depending on your university, there may be several activities going on in the first week of the first term aimed at freshman (or first years).
   
   These activities are normally aimed at getting you involved in university life and clubs and societies that the university offer.
   
   Try everything that interests you and everything that you might want to be involved in during your university life.
   
   Being a science major is stressful and having an outlet can help take away the stress but you also look like an active member of your community if you have lots of experience to put on your CV. ,, It's alright to party sometimes but don't go out every night and party.
   
   It's acceptable in the first week of term but will damage your grades to continue. , Friends are important, even if you only have a few.
   
   If you find it hard to make friends with people from you course or in bars, try making friends with people in your clubs or societies.
   
   You'll already have common interests, so it may be easier to get along with them. , Not on campus, not on social media, nowhere.
   
   Professors don't appreciate students that are causing drama with the admin or with each other and if there's a fight between students on social media, they are likely to find out about it. , It will affect your studies just as much as getting drunk every day, as well as affecting your health. , Use posters and reminders to help you achieve your goals in your hobbies.
   
   This will help with stress and with relationships. , There is nothing better than getting to know a new place and new people. , To motivate yourself, think about how much one lecture costs and how much money you're wasting by not going.
   
   The lectures are important.
   
   If your university allows it, record the lecture.
   
   Listen to it again when you're at home and take notes again, you'll remember more information. , Even if you think that the lecture won't be interesting or won't have important material covered, you may be surprised or you may find something else to link into your studies. , If you're doodling, they'll call you for a question because they know you're not paying attention.
   
   Some lecturers don't care as much or see it as your choice not to listen. , There is no point going into a lecture that you're not going to listen to.
   
   You're wasting time that you could be doing work. , The lectures are only the backbone of your study.
   
   Make sure that you're studying every day, except for relaxation days, and make sure that you have a range of sources that guide your studies. , There are several different ways to study and finding the one that is right for you in important to being an undergraduate, whether in science or otherwise.
   
   Science may be tricky to learn, as many science courses have lab sessions but most of the learning is from textbooks and scholarly articles that you'll read over your course.
   
   Transferring this information into an easier-to-manage format makes your study time much more effective , They'll be important no matter which field of science you're in.
   
   There are sites such as Google Scholar which can help find articles but your library should also have a system for searching articles the school owns or have permission to access.
   
   Do the library's tutorial for finding articles. , You'll burn yourself out if you work too many hours at a time, make sure to give yourself sufficient breaks between studying.
   
   Make sure you're hydrated and well fed during the break and that you're not too tired to continue. , That way,you're less likely to be distracted by these sites, just resist turning the application off. , Don't let it stress you out too much, use it as an opportunity to learn the correct formatting. , Everything that you cite in papers must be fully referenced at the end of your work.
   
   If a reference helped but wasn't cited in the text, reference it under further reading. , The deadlines will just keep getting closer and you'll realise you have many assignments to do but such short time to do them in.
   
   It's better to start and finish them early and make corrections before the deadline. , Scientific articles don't ramble and neither should you.
   
   Remember that you shouldn't be trying to fill the word count with nonsense.
   
   Ask the lecturer the terms of the word count (whether it's maximum or if points are deducted for being 10% or more out) and if you need to make it up to the count, then look into relevant articles that may supply more information. , Get several references from several different places.
   
   Some should be books from the library, some should be from online, some should be scholarly.
   
   Mix it up but remember that online articles, although important, should be briefly evaluated (less than 100 words) as a source. , All science undergraduate courses have dissertations or extended research projects at the end of the course.
   
   Search for advisors and topics early to avoid being disappointed about the range of subjects that you're allowed to pick from. , You might not need that long to complete your project but it's better to be happy with the topic and motivated to do your best than it is to dread every second. , Don't stress too much if it's not perfect on the application form. , It's likely that you'll get your first choice, so concentrate on that but don't ignore the other topics. ,, Have days to sit down with just your dissertation and work through it , It's likely that you'll get your first choice, so concentrate on that but don't ignore the other topics. , They should help you through the stressful situation or give you some allowance to help make your workload lighter. ,, Many science students stay in education.
   
   The same steps as are in parts 1, 2 and 3 can be used for the application into further study. , There are more questions to consider with postgraduate study:
   What type of course do you want? Where do you want to specialise? Do you want to dedicate your life to this subject? Do you want to work after your postgraduate study? , You can study while feeling like you're not.
   
   If you find a topic that interests you or you want to support, writing articles can help put you into the mood to write your assignments. , If you've procrastinated for too long, think about how much better you'll feel if the work is done and you still have time to do other things. , When you've read the paragraph, eat the bear.
3. 3

   Step 3: Choose your university/college.

4. 4

   Step 4: Research the application process on the university website.

5. 5

   Step 5: Make sure that your application is professional and follows the guidelines set out by the university/college or application system.

6. 6

   Step 6: If your application is accepted

7. 7

   Step 7: dress in business attire to attend the interview

8. 8

   Step 8: unless otherwise specified by the university/college.

9. 9

   Step 9: Once you've been accepted

10. 10

    Step 10: follow all the instructions your university give you and make sure you have all the information about the start of term.

11. 11

    Step 11: Know when you need to be there

12. 12

    Step 12: how your getting there and how much you can take.

13. 13

    Step 13: Consider the weather and pack your clothes.

14. 14

    Step 14: Find a house or halls as fast as you can.

15. 15

    Step 15: Study your chosen science areas.

16. 16

    Step 16: Try everything.

17. 17

    Step 17: If your university doesn't have anything on (or even if they do)

18. 18

    Step 18: local bars and pubs may have theme nights to entice students and the student union bar (or equivalent student bar) will have welcoming nights and parties planned to allow you to mingle with other people from the university.

19. 19

    Step 19: Fresher's week should be one or two weeks long.

20. 20

    Step 20: Make sure that your friends are people you get on with

21. 21

    Step 21: can study with

22. 22

    Step 22: can have fun with

23. 23

    Step 23: and you don't mind them seeing you throw up.

24. 24

    Step 24: Don't start fights.

25. 25

    Step 25: Don't do drugs every day.

26. 26

    Step 26: If you want to do something

27. 27

    Step 27: motivate yourself to do it.

28. 28

    Step 28: Explore.

29. 29

    Step 29: Turn up to as many lectures as possible.

30. 30

    Step 30: Always take a notepad and pen.

31. 31

    Step 31: Some lecturers can read you.

32. 32

    Step 32: Listen intently.

33. 33

    Step 33: Study each day.

34. 34

    Step 34: Choose the study format that works for you.

35. 35

    Step 35: Learn how to find articles.

36. 36

    Step 36: Take breaks.

37. 37

    Step 37: Get tools for your browser that stop you from accessing sites unless you've finished your work or that only let you access sites for so many hours per day.

38. 38

    Step 38: Accept that your first assignment will be your hardest.

39. 39

    Step 39: Always reference

40. 40

    Step 40: even if you've only cited it once.

41. 41

    Step 41: Get the assignments out of the way.

42. 42

    Step 42: Be clear and concise.

43. 43

    Step 43: Use several references

44. 44

    Step 44: use more sources.

45. 45

    Step 45: Complete a dissertation or research project.

46. 46

    Step 46: Pick a subject that you can stay with for a year and a half.

47. 47

    Step 47: Remember that you can change your topic.

48. 48

    Step 48: Start as soon as your supervisor says they are happy to be on your application.

49. 49

    Step 49: See your supervisor at least once every two weeks

50. 50

    Step 50: even if it's just to tell them that you're working well and have done a certain amount of words towards the project.

51. 51

    Step 51: Do at least a little each day

52. 52

    Step 52: whether it's reading an article or typing out 500 words.

53. 53

    Step 53: Start as soon as your supervisor says they are happy to be on your application.

54. 54

    Step 54: If you're stressed

55. 55

    Step 55: talk to your supervisor.

56. 56

    Step 56: Make sure you know the university's marking scheme and regulations for handing in your dissertation.

57. 57

    Step 57: Decide whether further study is for you.

58. 58

    Step 58: Ask yourself key questions.

59. 59

    Step 59: Create a LifeGuide Hub account.

60. 60

    Step 60: Get yourself some water and block out distractions.

61. 61

    Step 61: Put gummy bears or your favourite candy on the book after paragraphs.

Detailed Guide

About the Author