A Better Student

Important Collegiate Tips on How to Study the Smart Way

Studying in college is similar to studying in high school in several ways. However, for the most part, the way that students study in college is vastly different from the way they studied in high school. In high school, teachers are constantly reminding students that they must study. Days and sometimes even weeks before a test, high school teachers encourage their students to study and sometimes even offer after school help.

This is not case in college. Instructors hand out a syllabus at the beginning of the semester and expect students to keep up with the test dates throughout the semester. College instructors only remind students of a test the class period before the best, and sometimes not even then. Once students enter college, it is up to them to make sure they do the studying they need to succeed.

To study effectively in college, it is important that you find a quiet place where you can concentrate without being distracted. Your dorm is usually a good location. Many dorms have designated quiet times where the noise level must be kept to a minimum. This is a great time for you to get some studying done in the convenience of your own room. Libraries and computer labs are other great options. You can find quiet places to study all over campus.

Make sure that you don't get behind in reading the necessary chapters and other text for your courses. The syllabus that instructors give out at the beginning of the semester outlines the pace that the lectures will follow. Given that you have several classes, this could mean that you have to read over three hundred pages of textbook a week. If you get behind in your reading, it will be almost impossible to catch up again. Reading the designated chapters before the date will help reinforce the lecture and make it easier for you to study for exams. Take notes as you read to improve your understanding and remembrance of the material.

Taking good lecture notes is also vital to being able to study effectively. If you don't take good notes in class it will be difficult for you to study them later on. Pay close attention to the instructor and write down all the important information. Organize your notes in a way that makes it easier for you to understand. Don't try to write down everything the instructor says, just the things that are most important.

Many students find that consolidating their class notes and textbook notes helps them study more effectively. Supplement your class notes with information that you read in the textbook. If you know you will be doing this consider leaving some extra space in your lecture notes. You can fill in this extra space with key information from the textbook.

Use index cards to make flash cards. You can do this with key factual information as well as other information from your notes. Read through your notes and make up questions about the various points in a similar way to what might be on a test. Do this with all of your class notes each day when you get out of class. Periodically quiz yourself with the flash cards to test your retention rate. Separate the cards by those that you are able to answer successfully and those that you need to review. When it gets to test time, you can cut down on study time by spending more time reviewing the difficult information that you haven't learned yet.

Find a study partner. Studying with someone else helps both of you to learn and understand the information. There might be something that one of you missed during the lecture that the other can help cultivate understanding. When more than one person is studying, it is easier to quiz each other and come up with ways to remember difficult information. Students do better when they help each other learn information.

One thing that is important to remember is that you don't overdo the studying. When you are having a study session make sure to take frequent breaks. Balance your time between studying and having fun. Too much studying can lead to burn out and has a undesired effect on classroom performance.