how to take notes like the top 1% of students

Want to take better notes in school? Follow these tips.

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ABOUT ME
My name is Gohar Khan, and I'm an MIT grad helping you succeed at school. I make videos about study strategies, college applications, and occasionally, my day-to-day life. I want to equip students with the tools, knowledge, and resources they need to realize their academic potential.

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[IbrahimMohdMalik]

I went from a 2.2 to a 4.0 GPA in one semester because of gohar's tips. this guy singlehandedly helped my get rid of my procrastination and help me study better. ty gohar :)

[NatesPovStoriess]

Gohar i found out how to cheat on my tests, i first take the notes my teacher gave me, she said all the things we took notes down will be on the test, so i thinked of a way to always cheat on tests. It always slips under their noses. First. You want to take the notes. Step 2. Now you want to keep looking over the notes, over, over, and over again, till you memorize each thing. Step 3. Once your done. On the day of the test. You practically have the answer key in your head. Its full proof.

[Erin-cl]

GUYS I can’t stress enough how important it is to quiz yourself!!! A few days ago, I had a test in Spanish class on material that I didn’t know we were supposed to study. I had about 5 minutes, so I looked at the words, and quizzed myself as many times as I could. I got a 100 on that test! Please, please, PLEASE challenge yourself guys. It works :)

[yuki_sara.]

The Five Mistakes:
0:50 Mistake 1: Transcribing Instead Of Translating
(Don't Jot Down Everything, Explain It In Your Own Terms)
3:20 Mistake 2: Obsessing Over Form
(Don't Be Too Obsessive Over The Aesthetic. Pay Attention & Choose A Format)
7:50 Mistake 3: Ignoring Your Inner Monologue
(The Voice Inside Of Your Head? Listen To It. Confused? Raise Your Hand)
9:20 Mistake 4: Failing To Contextualize
(Connect Your New Piece Of Info To An Old Piece Of Info - Call-back, Draw Comparisons, Mind Map)
11:40 Mistake 5: Doing A Single Pass
(Review Your Notes. Don't Just Leave 'Em. Build 'Em Up Over The Semester .... Revisit & Revise)

Here Are Notes For The Vid :D

[RekeEgbe]

I started using mind mapping, spaced repetition, active recall and late at night I review my mind maps before bed and I've noticed significant progress in my study . Thanks Gohar for the tips ❤❤

[PetarMarks]

What’s truly crazy is, once you read book Infinite Money Mastery by Mr Brown, you realize how blinded you were, but it’s never too late. That book has some serious knowledge ...

[chessmaster]

This man jas truly helped me! I went from a 89 to a 97 just because of this man!

[danielpippin]

The editing just keeps getting better and better... love you Gohar!

[donotdisturb]

I like how he clarifies what he means after he gives us a piece of information that we may not understand. He immediately breaks down an idea that is at first hard to decipher.

[allissonpaz]

Most of my classmates don't take notes. They do, but a little bit and sleep off. When there is a test about it, they get 100 on it. Some of my classmates focus on making their notes perfectly and fail the quiz. I should focus on taking notes that are going to help me and use them when studying! Thanks Gohar!

[dark-marshmallowyt]

I absolutely love these long form videos because I don't need to go through 30 different shorts on study methods. Thanks

[ayakhalid]

The most helpful advices I have ever heard, without unnecessary talks . To the point .

[SmileyCinema]

Some classmates write with fancy stationery while my friend’s notes are messy. I just take my notes down perfectly instead of wasting time making it organized. I did write with fancy stationery last year and ended up with a 79 but wrote a summary about the slides this year and I have a 95. 🤷‍♂️

So I recommend writing a short summary and a little bit of mind map just for a quick detailed review.

[steveste]

This video is a game-changer! 🤯 I used to just transcribe everything, but now I'm all about translating ideas into my own words. My notes are so much more useful now! Thanks for the tips! 🙌

[Kingshrek]

Remember it’s important to pick which note taking technique works best for you. Especially when trying to pick a technique for non-technical and technical courses. Some note taking strategies for technical courses might not play out for non technical courses. Take what Gohar said and experiment with it.

[Arnav-dc]

The video discusses five common note-taking mistakes and how to fix them, with some additional details:

Mistake 1: Transcribing instead of translating (0:52)

Instead of writing down everything verbatim, focus on translating the information into your own words.
Focus on your professor's words for 10-20 seconds, let it digest, and then write down the main points in your own words. (1:44)
Focus on the overall structure first, then the details. (2:25)

Mistake 2: Obsessing over form (3:20)

Don't focus on aesthetics during the lecture. (3:36)
Choose a format that works for you. (4:12)
Different note-taking formats:
Outline method: Organize information hierarchically. (4:51)
Cornell notes: Divide your page into sections for cues, notes, and summaries. (5:15)
Box method: Group similar notes together and box them. (5:43)
Mind maps: Use a central idea with related ideas branching off. (5:55)
Use mind maps to study outside of class. (6:17)

Mistake 3: Ignoring your inner monologue (7:53)

Capture your thoughts and questions in your notes.
Use question marks to indicate confusion and ask for clarification immediately. (8:38)

Mistake 4: Failing to contextualize (9:20)

Connect new information to what you already know.
Methods to contextualize:
Include callbacks: Note if a topic feels familiar. (10:01)
Draw comparisons: Include callbacks followed by similarities or differences. (10:26)
Map it out: Use mind maps to connect new concepts to existing knowledge. (11:10)

Mistake 5: Doing a single pass (11:35)

Revisit your notes after 24 hours to clarify and flesh out your thoughts. (11:54)
Leave gaps in your notes to refine your thoughts later. (12:28]
Revisit your notes at increasing intervals (spaced repetition). (12:39)
Quiz yourself on the material. (12:56)
Use the Feynman Technique: pretend you're teaching the material to someone else. (13:11)

[erhartrobley]

Taking notes by hand is so old school, right? Tried Olovka AI with their smart notes feature and it's actually insane how much time I save.

[andreperkins]

Hey, awesome video. Here are few things I did that helped me transform the way I study and learn. And since I am student, this improved my life massively:
1. I read all books on Mindbloomery, this is a game-changer from Mindbloomery, this is a game-changer
2. A book 'The Joy Equation: Play Smart, Live Big' by Eleanore Blake' taught me how to balance productivity and distractions.
3. I created a routine that includes daily goal setting and mindfulness
4. I stopped saying "yes" to distractions and set healthy boundaries to protect my free time and focus

It's incredible how much easier learning anything becomes when your mind is in the right place.

[catsarepotatoes]

The best and only channel for study advice is Gohar, literally. Amazing, really amazing

[A.M]

This is going to be superbly useful for school next week
Hats off the to you