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When you're in college, does studying by yourself work better or studying with a group of people?

I am not the best at studying, but I would like to get better. #studytips

Thank you comment icon Some people have a better time concentrating when they are with other people and are able to accomplish a lot during that time but you really need to find good study partners in that case or it'll be more of a hangout than study time. Studying by yourself is probably better so long as you can make yourself focus. When you're studying alone you can study the subjects that you may be weak on and don't have to make sure that other people are on the same page. Colleges expect you to put A LOT of time towards studying so I spent an hour per class per day studying. I also copied all of the notes I took in class or the notes that the professor posted into another notebook. Also, colleges will probably offer some sort of tutoring service on campus which you can take advantage of. Christa

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Terence’s Answer

There are generally a bunch of options in college, I'd encourage you to try them all out. Group study, tutors, casual studying w/ friends, studying by yourself. Even environments should be considered, do you need total silence and no distractions? Do you need background noise? You're essentially testing to see what works for you in different situations. Everyone will be different.

The question is what issues do you have studying? Is it the focus or lack of it? Is it time management? Comprehension? These are all things that will help narrow down what may work for you. I personally needed to be in a noisy environment, with some music on to study (music with no words, like classical music). I had difficulty studying with zero noise, so I'd always have headphones on. I also found that I could better sort out or fine tune concepts when discussing them with a study partner.

Find out what works for you and iterate on it!
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Alexa’s Answer

Everyone is different and every class is different! Try out a few different study options your first semester and see what works best. Sometimes groups can be distracting and not as efficient. However, for other classes brainstorming and discussions are more effective and help student retain the information better. I found it best to at least study with one other person so that if you get stuck or have a question you have someone to turn to.

Thank you comment icon Hi Allyson, I agree with Alexa - everyone is different! You should try to find which studying method works best for you. Personally, I find I am more effective when studying by myself, as working in a group setting tends to cause more distractions. However, it can be helpful to study with another person if you are struggling with the material and you know that they will be helpful rather than distracting. Lindsay Hanson
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lauren’s Answer

I think everyone is different when it comes to study habits so finding out the best way your personally learn is a great first step! Group studying can be helpful and is a great way to practice information with classmates and peers. It is also a great way to get to know others and discuss questions you might not have thought about yourself. Studying alone is my personal preference and it helps me focus and have less distractions. I find note cards to be helpful when needing to memorize terms or equations, and then taking notes and completing practice problems help me with more situational questions.
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