Summary of Students dumber than you are getting A's and studying LESS: Here's why

Summary of "Students dumber than you are getting A's and studying LESS: Here's why"

This video explores why some students who may seem less intelligent or capable than others still manage to get better grades while studying less. The core message is that success often depends less on raw intelligence and more on mindset, habits, and strategies. The creator shares a viral meme-inspired mental reframe and six key tips to study and work smarter, not harder.

Main Ideas and Lessons

• Overthinking vs. Action:
  Most students fall in the middle of the intelligence bell curve and tend to overthink, leading to "analysis paralysis." In contrast, those perceived as less intelligent often overestimate their abilities or simply act without overthinking, gaining the "first mover’s advantage." The key is to clear your mind and "just do it" rather than waiting for the perfect plan or moment.

Six Detailed Tips for Academic Success

1. Put the A in Lazy (Be Lazy to Avoid Procrastination and Stress):
   • Avoid procrastination by being "too lazy to get stressed."
   • Starting early reduces last-minute cramming and mental overload.
   • Working steadily saves effort compared to frantic last-minute work.
2. Use KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid):
   • Simplify study methods and tools rather than overcomplicating with complex systems.
   • Use intuitive, straightforward approaches that you can maintain consistently.
   • Example: Instead of mastering complicated apps like Notion, start with a simple digital planner (e.g., a customizable Kanban board).
   • Simplification reduces activation energy and increases consistent usage.
3. Don’t Wait for the Perfect Moment or Setup:
   • Study and work even in imperfect, chaotic environments.
   • Train yourself to focus despite distractions.
   • Assume your brain can only focus on one thing at a time and hack away at tasks incrementally.
   • Use mobile study apps (e.g., Thea Study) to learn anywhere, anytime, turning idle moments into productive ones.
4. Don’t Learn Everything (Prioritize and Target Your Learning):
   • It’s impossible and inefficient to learn every fact or detail.
   • Use human strengths like reasoning, creativity, and prioritization to focus on what matters most.
   • Ask teachers what will be on tests and learn from examples (e.g., A+ essays).
   • Aim to maximize your “conversion rate” (output/results ÷ input/effort) by minimizing unnecessary input.
5. Hack the System Ethically Using Soft Skills:
   • Soft skills (networking, asking for help, building rapport) are more valuable long-term than hard skills alone.
   • Learn from peers who succeed and model their approaches.
   • Seek easier teachers or classes strategically to reduce workload without sacrificing grades.
   • Be proactive and humble—don’t let pride stop you from getting help or using resources.
6. Underestimate Natural Ability but Never Underestimate Hard Work:
   • Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard (tortoise and hare analogy).
   • Even if you think you’re less naturally gifted, consistent effort will pay off.
   • Talent combined with hard work can lead to exceptional results.

Bonus Life Hack

• Cut Your Screen Time:
  • Reducing screen time frees up significant time and mental energy.
  • The creator shares a separate video with unique tips on cutting screen time from 8 hours to 3 hours daily.

Additional Resources Mentioned

• Thea Study App:
  • Available on iOS and Android.
  • Allows uploading of study materials and automatically generates flashcards and practice questions tailored to your skill level.
  • Encourages smart, adaptive studying anytime, anywhere.
• Stop Procrastination Cheat Sheet:
  • Free resource linked in the description to help overcome procrastination.
• A+ Digital Planner:
  • A customizable digital planner (Kanban board style) used by the creator to organize tasks and classes efficiently.

Speakers/Sources Featured

• Primary Speaker: The video creator (unnamed), a student who studied chemical engineering at Caltech and shares personal experiences and tips.
• Referenced Peers: Friends and upperclassmen who helped with study hacks and teacher recommendations.
• Thea Study App: Partnered product featured as a study tool.

Overall Message

Success in academics is less about innate intelligence and more about mindset, simplicity, action, strategic effort, and leveraging soft skills. Overthinking and perfectionism hold many students back, while those who act quickly, simplify, and work smartly often outperform them.

Notable Quotes

— 00:05 — « It changed my brain chemistry and will change yours, too. Bear with me. »

— 05:18 — « Underestimate your brain. Pretend like your brain only has capacity to do one thing at a time. »

— 07:17 — « Use your human advantages, reasoning, creativity, prioritization. Use these incredible mother nature-given skills in your brain to target exactly what your teacher or your class wants. »

— 09:01 — « It's not that my friend just had better writing skills than me. It's that my friend knew what the teacher wanted. »

— 10:35 — « Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. »

Category

Educational

Video