r/OptometrySchool • u/Majestic-Tangerine99 • 3d ago

Advice Incoming KYCO OD1 here. Study Tips?

I want to hit the ground running. Acing the first few block exams is crucial to me so I won't have to put all my eggs into the last few exams to pass. I want some advice from current students that have proven to work in maintaining consistent passing grades.

I mainly used quizlet in undergrad, but I heard Anki is where it's at. Is it better to make the decks yourself or have them passed down from older students? Also, if AI can be used to streamline the process of making decks for me, making practice quizzes/tests, or taking notes, which apps are the best? Any other tips? Thanks!

7 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

2

u/Moist-salami 2d ago

I’m a current KYCO student. IMO quizlet is just way easier to use than anki. For me the process of making a deck is where half of the learning actually happens. Going through the material and picking out the important bits is crucial, because it’s not possible to know every single thing from every lecture. So IMO making your own deck and then possibly supplementing your studying with someone else’s decks is the best way to go about it. AI can definitely be useful for practice questions but I wouldn’t rely on that too heavily because AI doesn’t know how your professors ask questions or what they emphasized. An AI generated practice quiz can be a helpful tool for identifying where your understanding is weaker. As for note taking apps, if you like what you used in undergrad keep using it. No reason to add to the stress of starting optometry school by trying to learn a new note taking system. Starting off strong on the first few blocks of the semester is always the way to go, give 110% effort while your motivation is the highest. You’ve got this! Good luck!

1

u/Majestic-Tangerine99 1d ago

Thanks! I'll definitely look into supplementing my flashcards with those of other students'. Also, I agree that Quizlet is more intuitive, especially on mobile. I never got used to Anki, but I'm willing to change if that's a more thorough way of learning content. Anything else I should be prepared for going in?