Study Tips for College Students- 

Any college student will tell you that everybody has an opinion on how you should study. Many so-called educational experts will insist that everyone benefits from “overlearning” material – repeating and rereading over and over until you know it in your sleep, the way some actors rehearse a play. But is that really the only thing that will get you through finals?

The reality is that everyone studies differently, and not everyone needs the same amount of study for every subject. A class that comes naturally for you could be a struggle for somebody else, and vice-versa. To be successful in college, you need to find out which study methods work best for you. Practicing good study habits will improve your retention and your grades.  There are a few things that most people find helpful which can get you started.

Study Tip #1- When Should You Study?

Having a set schedule is a good idea for everyone, and you can start by knowing what you need to study and about how much time you want to devote to each subject a week. Of course, this will change depending on tests and papers you have coming up, but a major problem college students make is allocating too much time for recreation and not enough time for study. Every hour of classroom time requires at least one hour of  study and possibly two three or four.  So don’t make the mistake of thinking that classroom time is the extent of your college commitment. And don’t let friends convince you that the distraction of the day is more important than study (or that you can study later).

Also make sure you pick a good time of day to study. Cracking open the books when you’re too tired, or rushing in between work and other engagements, or worst of all, right before the class, is not going to help you as much as utilizing a free block of time that you’ve prepared for.

Study Tip #2- Where Should You Study?

Obviously, there is no set answer for everybody, but you should think about what you personally need from a study environment. Most people concentrate better without distractions, but maybe you work well with music, television, or other people around. Some people can study at a coffee shop or a library, but maybe you can’t imagine leaving home purely to go over your notes. Whatever kind of “studier” you are, picking the right place to study is as important as choosing the right time and schedule, and the part that really matters is just knowing your own brain and how you function. A New York Times study even suggests that frequent changes in where you study can help you remember things better, because memory is linked to location.

Study Tip #3- Getting the Main Ideas

Many students who haven’t gotten the knack of studying yet, sometimes wonder what exactly it is that people do for hours when they study. The main thing is reading, and college classes will provide you with no shortage of reading material. But the trick is to really absorb what you read, and the first step to doing that is to discover the main idea. Usually, there will be several main ideas, especially in a textbook chapter or in your lecture notes, which are hopefully organized accordingly. Being able to pick out the important facts in a lesson is something every student should know how to do. Then you can write them on flashcards, repeat them to yourself, or turn them into song – that’s the easy part.

The real secret to learning is discovering what works for you and devoting enough time to it.  Overlearning or rote memorization is scientifically proven to not be that helpful. It is generally just stuffing the information into your short term memory so you can spit it back for the test but then come finals time you will have forgotten it all and have to start over again.  Find your own way to engage with the material and you will find yourself acing your finals. Linking new information into the matrix of what you already know is the best way to truly learn something. Try to understand the relationship between old information and the new and your brain can build pathways that allow you to remember it better and for much longer periods. Don’t memorize, understand. If you have to memorize a list of something like all the bones in the body, use a Mnemonic or a tune to help you remember.

Study Tip #4-Visualization

You can also use visualization. An easy way to remember a list of 10 items is to learn the list, 1-Sun. 2-Shoe, 3-Tree, 4-Door, 5-Hive, 6-Sticks, 7-Heaven, 8-Gate, 9- Sign and 10-hen.  If  your list of items to remember are a Pen, Notebook, Eraser etc. visualize the first item- a pen sticking in the sun, actually spend a moment with your eyes closed and actually see that pen poking all the way through the sun, it is so hot the ink is melting and running out.

Next see the notebook rolled up and sticking in a shoe, it is all curled around (do you see it?),

And the eraser is erasing the tree (not a drawing of a tree a real tree being erased) see some of the leaves are half gone, now the trunk is disappearing…

Do this for all ten of your items and you will be able to easily go down the 1-Sun list and spit them all back. For 10 bones it might be a bit more difficult maybe a “Femur” sticking out of the sun, metatarsus and phalanges in a shoe, etc. The key is to take the time to close your eyes and actually visualize the items you are trying to remember.

See Also:

• College Savings Accounts
• Choosing an Online College
• 3 Tutoring Jobs You May Not Have Considered
• Is a Liberal Arts Major a Wise Choice?
• Tips for Non-Traditional Students
• 4 Tips for Staying Organized in College

 Study Tips from Amazon:

•  Study Smarter, Not Harder: Use the genius inside you.
• The Everything Guide to Study Skills: Strategies, tips, and tools you need to succeed in school! (Everything Series)
• Pocket Guide to Study Tips (Barron’s Pocket Guides)
• Learning Outside The Lines: Two Ivy League Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success and Educational Revolution