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College Study Skills - 5 Strategies For Improvement

How to improve your college study skills!


Learn from the expert about your college study skills now.


By Rossana Robinson
Effective college study skills are critical for college success. There is no one size fits all method of studying, but one thing that is likely true: the study habits you had in high school will probably be inadequate at the college level. Developing good college study skills from the beginning will start you off on the path toward success in your college years.



Study the material before you go to class. This may not have been necessary in high school. But with the amount and depth of material covered in each class at the college level, you will be behind before class even starts if you do not take time to become acquainted with the material before you step into the classroom. You will be relieved, if not pleasantly surprised, at how much easier you will absorb the lecture in class when you have made the effort to familiarize yourself with the subject beforehand.

Study every day. Studies show that students who take time to study every day fare better than students with more sporadic study habits, and much better than those who cram. How much time should you study? A rule of thumb for effective college study skills is to devote three hours a week for homework and studying for each credit hour. If your biology class is three credit hours, then you should spend approximately 15 hours a week on homework and studying outside the classroom. If you are taking a total of 15 credit hours, then you should be spending upwards of 45 hours per week on homework and studying. When you think about it, committing to a daily study schedule is really the only option you have for getting in all the hours needed for studying and homework each week.


Take an active role with your studying. College study skills require more than just reading. Highlight the material, take notes, make outlines, even quiz yourself or have a friend quiz you. Take a cue from grade school and use flashcards. These are good strategies to apply whether you are studying new material to prepare for class, studying after class for reinforcement, or preparing for an exam. Actively studying on a daily basis will help you comprehend and retain the material.

Adjust your study habits as needed. In the beginning you may go through trial and error as you figure out a system that works. You may find that some classes do not require as much studying as you originally thought but others require more of your time than you anticipated. Keep making the necessary changes until you have developed a system that meets your needs.

Plan, plan, plan. Effective time management is your best ally. Good college study skills require managing your time, and this takes planning. Take the time to plan and organize your days and weeks to allocate sufficient time for homework, studying, and other critical tasks. This is essential. If you are taking a full course load, then the amount of time you must devote to homework and studying each week is the equivalent of a full time job, and that is in addition to the time you spend in class. If you do not have a schedule to manage all of this then you will suffer for it.

Plan the first week and see how things go. Make any necessary adjustments for the following week, and continue adjusting until you have devised a plan that works. Include 15 minutes before the end of each day to review the next day's schedule. You will be surprised at how helpful a step this can be in your college study skills. Doing this before the end of the day will come in handy in case you overlooked something you need for tomorrow that must be taken care of today. At the very least you will minimize surprises, even save yourself some grief, and at best, you will be totally prepared for tomorrow's undertakings. A word of caution: do not schedule your days so tightly that you have no flexibility to deal with the unexpected. Leave a little wiggle room to accommodate those unanticipated situations that inevitably crop up.

With some up-front investment in time and effort, you can acquire effective college study skills that will pay off with good grades.

Developing good college study skills requires more than what can be explained in a short article. Visit http://www.college-success-strategies.com to learn about street-smart strategies for college success.

Article Source: College Study Skills - 5 Strategies For Improvement
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