<p>It sounds like you may have memorized well, but may not have full understanding of the concepts or understand how they relate to other concepts. Memorization only works well in a handful of college courses, otherwise most profs are looking for a level of mastery of the concepts on tests. </p>
<p>If your prof provides, or you can get your hands on, any old tests then practicing with those will give you insight into how he’s asking for information and why certain choices are incorrect (pay close attention to the incorrect answers!). Also, when you’re studying every week (and I hope you are studying for each class), try to formulate questions he might ask about that concept in a test situation. Incorporate material from both the book and the lecture. Write them down on a sheet of paper and write the reference/possible answers on another. When you’re reviewing for tests that will help you get into question and answer mode. If you realize you can’t apply the particular concept then that’s your cue to go to the prof or your TA for further explanation.</p>
<p>How are you doing on tests compared to the class average? One of the most difficult “concepts” for freshmen to understand is that, unlike high school, C truly means average and B really is superior (at least at colleges without rampant grade inflation!). Make sure you read the syllabus and understand how the course grading works. Since tests usually only account for 70% or so of the final grade, staying around 10 points ahead of the average on tests and getting good grades on the homework/quizzes can often result in a B for the course. Or even an A if the prof decides to apply a curve…my kids often don’t really know where they stand until final grades come in but have a “stay ahead of the pack and don’t worry” philosophy and it’s been a successful strategy. If you’re hovering around the average mark or below, take any and all opportunities offered for extra credit. That said, try not to get too caught up in grades on individual tests, or even individual courses. It’s a long road and really understanding the material is what counts.</p>