Posted On: March 2, 2010

Being submerged in your college studies can be the most overwhelming part of your new life. The main goal of college is to learn, and most of that learning is validated through test scores and grades you acquire while you’re enrolled. Essays, exams, quizzes, oral examinations, group projects, and research are all much more daunting study processes than your high school studies ever were. Although you probably understand how serious it is that you study hard, you might not be employing the right methods to get the most out of your being there. Bad habits can lead to low grades, even if you taking school seriously. Luckily, there are some easy changes that can be made that will greatly tip the scale in your favor.

Time is one of the most important factors in your study exercises. Whether you’re gaining it, losing it, or making the best of it, it’s always going to affect how much you learn. You will most likely find that college will make you feel like there aren’t enough hours in a day to accomplish all you need to get done. Prioritizing is the key to solving this. A daily planner can be a blessing during your college years with trying to keep up on tests, class, work, and personal schedules. It can also help you to schedule your study times so that you fall into a pattern. Set goals for yourself time-wise. Allow yourself extra minutes or hours on subjects that are more difficult and tell yourself that you can have a break after every hour of studying. As good as it is to hit the books; it’s also healthy for you to relax your brain too.

Getting lots of rest is another important factor. If you aren’t sleeping enough then you will notice that your alertness dwindles, which can have a serious impact on your ability to retain information. It’s been proven in research studies that students who get a full night’s rest have higher scores than those who spend their days dragging along.

One of the best tips for studying might seem like an obvious one, but you would be surprised how many students find ways to get around it. To put it simply: read your assigned books. Finding ways to skim over passages, look up cliff’s notes summaries, or only studying your class notes are all cheaper methods to the real thing. Reading and understanding your text books or other assignments can be some of the best learning methods out there. By actually taking in the knowledge directly you are processing the actual information, not just getting a second hand account so you can remember it for an exam. Genuinely understanding the material will sit longer in your brain and, when exam time comes, you will be much more knowledgeable.

A very effective method in studying works in a five-step process called the, SQ3R method. This stands for, “Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review”. Because all of these steps help to reinforce what you are attempting to learn, the information has a greater chance of being retained by you later. First, start by surveying. This means getting an overall idea of what you will be studying; the subject matter, different sections within the genre, etc… Second, as you are studying your material keep track of any parts that are confusing and write down some questions. By pinpointing your troubled areas you can better keep track of what you need to improve on and what to ask during your next class period. Third, read all of your text thorough, as stated before. Fourth, recite what you have studied so far. Go over key words, definitions, headings, or main topics again to refresh yourself. You will remember much more and be able to connect them with new material you will go on to study in the future. Lastly, review all of your material as a whole. Try to understand how all of it is related. This part is especially helpful during your final prep moments before an exam.

There are many different tips out there for studying, but sometimes the most obvious ones can be the most effective. Use your time wisely and don’t try to cut corners by finding faster methods. Studying is not meant to be a quick process. With enough time and dedication you will be amazed at the impact it has on your grades.