College Study Skills
by Neil P. O’Donnell
What do you do once you’re accepted to college? How do you prepare/study for classes? How do you gain the most from reading textbooks? No one mentioned any of this to you before?
No worries, I’ve got your back. Follow the ideas below, and you will be on your way to straight A’s.
• Recognize your responsibility to study and prepare for classes. Only you can pick up a textbook and read or complete a research paper before the due date. Likewise, if you fail to complete your work, you need to hold yourself accountable.
• Read over class notes immediately after the class ends. Yes, I understand that sometimes students have classes back to back. In that instance, read over the notes at the first available opportunity. In addition to reading over the notes after class, read the notes again that very night. Then at the end of the week, study all the notes from that week. It is absolutely crucial to study within the first twenty-four hours in order to retain what you learned in class. This study procedure was recommended to me my freshmen year, but I didn’t use it until I was a junior; I regret that, because it works.
• Prioritize/Manage your time. Use a daily planner to help you plot out tests, quizzes, term papers and other assignments. Continually look the planner over – writing down due dates means nothing if you never look at the planner again.
• Read, Read, Read! I know textbooks can be boring, but you have to get the reading done. My suggestion is that you read in sessions about thirty to forty minutes in length with a ten to fifteen minute break in between. Also, it’s a good idea to outline what you read, which will help you retain information while simultaneously creating a study guide for tests and quizzes.
• Read some more! Read novels, short stories and other sources (newspapers, magazines, etc). Reading a variety of material will make you a stronger reader, something that will help you better understand the reading you do for school. Reading can also be a good source of entertainment.
• Study in as quiet and well lit a place as you can find. A lot of students tell me that music helps them concentrate. If you believe that, at least try studying in silence; you’ll end up realizing that music hurts your retention just like I did.
• If you need help, ask a parent, teacher or tutor for assistance. It takes courage and conviction to say “I need help.” I wish I had learned that earlier than I did. If you’re struggling with material talk to a professor or a tutor. If you feel uncomfortable asking questions or for help during a class, speak to your professor before or after class (and utilize their office hours as well)
• Develop your own test questions to study from. Creating your own tests and quizzes to study from is an effective way to prepare for the real thing. For additional benefits of this approach, ask your teacher to look over the sample test you made in order to get feedback.
• Find time to relax each day! All the studying in the world won’t help if you’re exhausted. Take time to read a book, watch one of your favorite TV shows or spend time with family and friends each day. Just remember to get back to the books after taking a break, because you are still responsible for completing the work and understanding the material.
You will quickly develop your own habits that will help you succeed at college. Until then, these suggestions will give you a great start.