Tips for organization during academy

rsagona1 · 07-11-2012, 19:18

This may seem like an odd question but my biggest weakness in college was organization of homework and study material. I already set aside a study room in my house that is free of distraction (tv and Internet). I'm more concerned about all the papers I will get. I am assuming I will have multiple subjects--should I get a binder per subject? Organize using a filing cabinet?

I realize it's probably an overkill question but I know my weakness and don't want to fail out.

What did you do?

Thanks a lot.

blueiron · 07-11-2012, 19:35

If you are in a military-style residential academy, they will tell you what they expect and what you must do. Some use recruit notebooks and everything fits into it, in a certain way. This actually helps the disorganized.

A collegiate style academy usually gives more freedom and thus, more opportunity to either get discombobulated or fall behind.

I use an iPad2 to keep all my school assignments, appointments, labs, research, and minutiae organized and on track. As soon as something gets assigned, it goes into the calendar with various alarms for suspense and due dates. When I was in the academy, it was a DayRunner style organizer.

Colored folders also are helpful [blue for syllabi or reference; green for long term projects due over three weeks hence; yellow for three weeks to 2 days out; orange for two days or less].

A large whiteboard on your wall at home with mandatory daily updates in the AM [before leaving] and PM [after returning home] can keep you on track.

Good luck.

collim1 · 07-11-2012, 19:58

My academy was not very school oriented. Get your mental game straight and you will be fine. Some of the goobers I graduated with barely graduated high school but were in shape physically and mentally so they did fine.

Keep your boots shined, your uniform pressed, and keep running even when you're whooped and you will be fine.

My academy's favorite trick was to tell us we were taking a 2mi run when in fact it was 5-6mi. We used to set the odometer on the way home at the end of the week.

collim1 · 07-11-2012, 20:03

My academy also gave us our required notebooks, paper, etc...and we were required to carried what was given to us and nothing else. Only thing allowed for us to supply was a ink pen, and it had to be black.

Agent6-3/8 · 07-12-2012, 06:06

Going home every evening! Is this the academy or day care?

We didn't have a choice at my academy. They told us exactly how we would organize our notes and gave us the supplies to do so. Our notebooks were even inspected every now and then.

With that said, I recommend everything gets hole punched and put into a 3-ring binder, with dividers separating the subjects. That's a simplified version of how we did things.

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DaBigBR · 07-12-2012, 07:21

You may be underwhelmed by police academy "academics." I know I was.

tx.45 · 07-12-2012, 07:41

Right now it helps me having my binder labeled with tabs for PC/SFST/CCP etc, also do the same thing with your penal code book. Good Luck

wolf19r · 07-12-2012, 08:24

I just graduated from one of the academies here in Florida. I was number 4 academically in my class. Study, highlight in your book anything that seems like a key concept or objectives and take notes. Our instructor mandated that we have a note pad on us all the time along with spare pens, pencils, and highlighters. We were also mandated to keep a note book 3" with all the hand outs and certificates we got. Study up and you'll be good. Good luck!

Goldendog Redux · 07-12-2012, 08:45

You will probably get printouts of the power points from most instructors. Make sure you write down whatever each instructor says when he stomps his foot or whatever cue he uses to tell you the next bit of info is on the test.

Flash cards are your friend for all of the rote memorization stuff like statutes and 10 codes.

While the academics should not be too tough, If you are a poor test taker, you will be challenged.

Unless they instruct you exactly how to organize your crap, then just figure out what works best for you.

I walked away with the top academic award from my academy. I think I was in line for top cadet and top academic. The director called my wife and asked her which award I would want most.

Of course, the plaque I got doesn't mean anything cause the cadet who finished last still got his certificate.

Don't worry about failing out because even "that guy" rarely fails out. I actually had to pull myself from an academy due to an injury. That pretty much blew but oh well.

The next time I went was when I had already put two years in for the dept in the jail. The academy was a vacation-a nice get away from working in the jail.

MF

txleapd · 07-12-2012, 16:42

I wish I could help, but I learned everything through osmosis.

Jameson4all · 07-12-2012, 17:59

Highlight important things, read the chapters 2 times. It will be over before you know it. Enjoy driving, it was my favorite part. Take care and good luck.

freeride88 · 07-16-2012, 18:30

My best study aid during the academy was a set of index cards to make flash cards with. Throw a rubber band around each set and you can easily take your cards with you anywhere you go and get some studying in any chance you get.

Sharky7 · 07-16-2012, 18:53

Do what I did for calculus. Cheat off the asian kid.

Big Kev · 07-17-2012, 20:41

I did 3 ring binders for all the hand outs. I did all the law/statute stuff in one big one and then broke up traffic and everything else in smaller ones. It was easier for me to study it that way and then I knew where every thing was. I did not study much from the hand outs though. I used my notes more. So maybe take good notes, and keep your other stuff organized if you need to find some thing that is not in your notes.

Good luck, and have fun when you can. Driving was my favorite, but shooting was a close second.