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Achieving 80% in fourth year of MSci Physics

Hey everyone,

I need some advice/help with my study strategy. I'll write up a little background in post 2 to provide some context.
My problem is this. I'm fairly confident I can average a mid/low first if I work hard from this coming september, however, due to the way in which my course is weighted (0% 20% 40% 40% y1% y2% y3% y4%) and my performance last year. This will not be enough to graduate with a first. I have calculated I will need at least 79-80% in year 4 to graduate with 70%.

Now, I know this is far from impossible. There are individuals with arguably no more intellectual ability than myself but with very efficient and honed study practices that average in the 80's each year here. I think I have the ability to pull this off but I can't afford to waste time on inefficient study habits. That's where I need TSR's help.

I think one way in which I can boost my performance is the way in which I attend lectures and answer problem sheets. Usually I get absolutely nothing out of lectures, I then have to go home and open up a problem sheet and find the sweet spots in notes/books to help me answer questions. This, obviously, circumvents the learning process since I'm using my problem solving ability to get answers instead of understand why it is so. I have a plan this year to spend time prior to each lecture trying to adequately prepare for it, by this I mean looking through any notes published by the lecturer or spending time reading recommended books. I've only used/read one book in my entire undergraduate degree for any work (one module in 2nd year which I unsurprisngly did very well in and understood even better). I'm confident this plan will help me get the most out of my lectures and give me a head start when it comes to problem sheets so I can actually learn from them instead of just searching for answers.

That's what I have so far, I think that'll help me for my exams and the rest but there are other aspects to the course too which I'll have less control over. For example, in some (most) areas, ~70% seems to be the mark awarded for doing everything correct. Yet some individuals will score in the 80's. What do I have to do? I can work hard, yes, but I think there are a lot of subtle things you need to make sure you're doing besides the basics (going to lectures, answering problem sheets, and making notes etc).

Apologies for the essay, I hope my problem is clear through all the rambling. Cheers.
Background

I have A's in Maths and Physics at A-Level, I got a 2:1 in first year (Did most problem sheets to a good standard and failed to revise for exams - almost at all, which resulted in grades ranging from a fail all the way up to firsts in my modules)

Second year was different, I decided I would work super hard and see what I could do. I didn't follow much during lectures but would spend a lot of time on problem sheets and did them to a very high standard, I also revised for a couple of months for my exams. I averaged 73%.

Third year has been the worst. I got depressed and unmotivated pretty early on causing a slip in the quality of my work, this hit its peak during exam revision time. Needless to say I did even less revision than first year, amounting to an average of one panicked all-nighter before each exam and just managed to scrape a 2:1 - 59.9%.

I'm currently in the summer holidays before I'm to start my 4th year, I've had a lot of time to think, calm down, restore faith in myself, and also enjoy the internship I'm currently doing with the Physics department (secured with my second year results and excellent results/performance in 3rd year C++).

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