Kaino
What are good study techniques to use in college to help you with time management and successful grades.
I am a high school graduate, going on to college, and wanted to know the most efficient ways of studying. #college #graduate
2 answers
Bethany Obert
Bethany’s Answer
Hi Kaino,
That's a really great question! Believe it or not college is pretty different from high school and requires a lot of organization and self-discipline especially when it comes to your study habits. Every student has different ways of learning and retaining the information they study so I would say it's pretty important to know yourself and how you best learn. When I was in college it was super important for me to take notes AND read the notes out loud to myself when I was studying. That may sound silly but I remember a lot more information when I hear myself say it. Plus I could make up rhymes or songs to help myself remember important information for a test.
Also pay close attention to your most effective study habits now. Do you need a quiet environment such as a library or does a noisy coffee shop force you to focus? Notes are very important in college. Many professors will repeat things in their lectures that will be on the test or really emphasize a particular point. How are your note taking skills? Do you find study groups helpful or distracting? It can be a lot of fun to study with a group of friends if everyone is committed to actually studying. For me, I studied best alone or with one other friend who had their nose in the books as much as I did.
Another thing you will really want to pay attention to is your syllabus. Most of your professors will very clearly outline the assignments, their expectations, and what it will take to make a good grade in your syllabus. You would be shocked at how many students do not read the syllabus and end up missing important deadlines. A syllabus will describe your whole semester, all your projects, and when everything is due. Pay close attention and make yourself a schedule of all your assignments. Simply turning work in on time will make a huge difference in your grades.
Lastly I would say that every school has different learning and tutoring centers with great resources and study aides and there is no cost to you. Take advantage of those centers to help set yourself up for success.
I hope you find this helpful!
Nicole Baillie
Nicole’s Answer
Adding a bit to the awesome answer that has already been provided, one of the best study techniques I developed for myself when I was in college was routine. For me then (and now), knowing what I was going to do at a certain time of day helped me to maintain focus. For example, my alone study time was usually 6-8pm each night. Sometimes less, sometimes more. Once I established that anchor, then I could look to other study tools, like studying with others, reaching out to professors and/or teaching assistants for extra help...I could do these things at times that I knew would not interfere with my "study anchor" time.
Hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck to you!