Reviewing for Grad School: Tips Needed

[kq6up]

I am currently reviewing for grad school. I graduated a while back, so I am going to need a very solid review. I am starting now to prepare for the coming fall. My math skills were a little underwhelming in my Jr/Sr year at UCR, so I am hitting the math bench press first. I have been teaching in the field for about eight years now though at the high school level. I can still do basic calculus differentiation and integration.

I have picked up (by recommendation): Mary L. Boas' book "Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences".

I have started on chapter 1 section one and plan on working through the book. The concepts seem very easy and straight forward, but the problems are tricky. I know it is good to wrestle with problems and not skip that hard ones, but I think there is some point of diminishing returns when doing this. I really need to be careful not to waste valuable review time grinding on problems that I mostly understand. On the underhand maybe that is just a part of knocking off the rust.

I would like to finish the book by summer, and I plan on doing most of the odd number questions in the book. I was never good at being a good judge of when to move on as not to waste time as a undergrad. I felt like I needed to understand everything. That worked fine at the community college, but I fell behind at UCR.

Input much appreciated,
Thanks, Chris Maness

 

[TonyG]

Dear Chris,

First of all, congratulations on your decision to review for grad school and for taking the initiative to start preparing early. I can assure you that having a strong foundation in math is crucial for success in any field of science. It is great that you have identified your weak areas and are actively working on improving them.

I am familiar with Mary L. Boas' book and it is definitely a great resource for reviewing mathematical methods in the physical sciences. However, I would also recommend supplementing your review with other resources such as online tutorials, practice problems, and possibly even joining a study group or finding a tutor. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of the concepts and provide additional practice for problem-solving.

In terms of your approach to working through the book, I think it is important to strike a balance between understanding the material and not getting bogged down by difficult problems. It is definitely beneficial to struggle with challenging problems, but as you mentioned, there is a point of diminishing returns. If you feel like you have a good grasp on the concept but are struggling with a particular problem, it might be more beneficial to move on and come back to it later with a fresh perspective.

Additionally, I would recommend setting aside some time each week to review previously covered material to ensure that you are retaining the information. This will also help you identify any areas that may require additional review.

Overall, it seems like you have a solid plan in place for reviewing and I have no doubt that with your determination and dedication, you will be well-prepared for grad school. Best of luck in your studies!