Strategies for College Success

Strategies for College Success
University Learning Center University of Arizona

Introduction The purpose of this course is to expose you to various strategies and techniques that will enable you to become a successful student in the postsecondary environment

Course Contents Section 1: Self-assessment and Self-management
Steps in Successful Goal Setting and Achievement Learning Styles Anxiety/Stress Management

Course Contents Section 2: Study Skills Development Time Management
Memory Techniques Methods of Reading College Textbooks Note Taking Strategies Exam Preparation Tips Test Taking Strategies Internet Resources

Section 1: Self-assessment and Self-management

Lesson 1: Goal Setting and Achievement
What we’ll be covering: characteristics of goals how to break down goals where goal setting can go wrong

Goals should be... Realistic
The goals of winning a marathon after two weeks of training is an unrealistic goal. Use what you’ve accomplished in the past to set a reasonable goal for the future.

Goals should be... Self-chosen
You are much more likely to achieve a goal that you set for yourself than one that has been set for you

Goals should be... Moderately difficult
A goal that is too hard or too easy will decrease your motivation and won’t show you what you’re really capable of accomplishing Use what you’ve accomplished in the past as a guide

Goals should be... Specific
For example, getting an “A” in Math and a “B” in Geography is a lot more specific than just saying that you would like to get good grades this semester

Goals should be... Measurable
You’re more likely to give up if you can’t see any progress toward your goal For example, getting an “A” on your midterm is measurable progress toward getting an “A” in the class.

Goals should be... Positive
Say what you do want to accomplish instead of what you don’t want to do. For example, try “I will attend all classes,” instead of “I won’t skip any classes.”

Goals should be... Flexible
If it looks like you can’t reach your original goal, be flexible and redraw your plan

Goals should be... Associated with a deadline
When do you plan on accomplishing this goal, in a month, day, or year?

Goals should be... Written down
It will serve as a better reminder to keep you motivated

Where goal setting can go wrong
When goal setting is disorganized For example, keep personal and academic goals separate

When goals are unrealistic For example, becoming a company CEO immediately after graduation is an unrealistic goal

When you set goals that are ‘beyond’ your control For example, winning the lottery is definitely beyond your control

When goals are vague For example, “becoming successful” or “becoming a better student” are not clear goals to work toward.

When you set too many goals For example, at any one time you should focus on achieving only three or four goals

How to break down and achieve goals
see example

Summary Goals with certain characteristics will enable you to be more successful in goal setting and achievement. Breaking down large goals into parts will help you to see what steps you will need to complete on the way to accomplishing your goal

Homework assignment: Apply what you’ve learned
set an academic or personal goal select one personal or academic long-term goal and break it down to the steps you will need to achieve in the next year, next 6 months, next month, next week, and tomorrow

Lesson 2: Learning Styles
What we’ll be covering: What is a learning style? How you develop a learning style? What’s your learning style? How information on your learning style can help to improve your learning

What is a learning style?
an individuals’ characteristic and preferred way of gathering, interpreting, organizing and thinking about information. Your style includes the type of environments you like to learn in, your preferences for working with others, and the way you perceive information. no single style of learning has been shown to be better than any other

How do you develop a learning style?
learning styles develop over time as a result of an individual’s inherent preferences and experience with his/her environment they can and do change over time

How can information about learning styles improve your learning?
You may be more satisfied and more productive if you are studying with methods compatible with your style. Right now you may be studying with methods incompatible with your style and not know it. You can experiment with building up less-preferred styles so that you can be equally comfortable with different tasks and in different learning environments.

In class assignment: What’s your learning style?
Complete the learning style assessment View Suggestions for Studying and Learning based on learning style

Summary Your learning style influences the way that you perceive and process information. By knowing your learning style, you can employ methods and strategies to make studying and learning more productive. Without this information, you may make studying and learning more difficult for yourself without even realizing it.

Write full description of how you like to learn Answer the following questions: “How do I learn best?”, What time of day do I learn best?, What kind of environment do I learn best in?, Do I learn better alone or with others? What study strategies are (or would be) particularly helpful for you? How will you be changing your study methods now that you are aware of your learning style?

Lesson 3: Anxiety/Stress Management
What we’ll cover What is stress? What causes stress? Strategies to reduce stress Strategies for dealing with stress

What is stress? Stress is the way that you react physically, mentally and emotionally to various conditions, changes and demands in your life. Many students experience varying levels of stress each semester. High levels of stress can affect your physical and mental well-being and academic performance.

Symptoms of stress headaches nervous stomach change in appetite
rapid breathing rapid heart rate sweaty palms irritability anxiety fatigue insomnia dissatisfaction anger depression inability to concentrate

In-Class Assignment: Reflect on a stressful situation
Write a brief description of a recent situation that caused you stress. Summarize your mental, emotional and physical states at the time.

What causes stress? Anxiety: uneasiness and distress about future uncertainties

What causes stress? Changes in life’s expectations or demands
Ex. Marriage, divorce, pregnancy, illness, bills, increasing demands of a university course load

What causes stress? Disorganization: feeling unprepared and powerless

What causes stress? Physical Constraints
Ex. Physical exhaustion, lack of good exercise and diet strategies

What causes stress? Time constraints: multiple projects and deadlines

In-Class Assignment: Self-assessment
Take the anxiety/stress assessment Use the results of this assessment to pinpoint specific causes of stress in your life. What (if any) control do you have over these areas of your life? Make a list of things that you can do to lessen your stress.

Strategies to reduce stress
Take control- manage your time instead of letting it manage you. Use a to-do list, follow a written plan, set goals and follow through. Procrastination is a major cause of stress. Make a realistic list of things you need to do each day. Start doing the most important things first. That way, even if you don’t finish the list, you get the most important things done.

Take a break Sometimes it is better to get away from the situation for a short time- take a brisk walk, focus on pleasant thoughts. Then, go back to the task feeling refreshed and ready to go tackle whatever it is you have to do.

Work on your attitude Put things into perspective- try not to take yourself so seriously. Think positive- “If you think you will fail, or think you will succeed, you are probably right.” --Henry Ford

Get help See your instructor, go to tutoring, and participate in study groups. See how to form a study group. Keep in touch with friends and family, and develop a support group.

Physical stress busters eat right, exercise regularly and get plenty of rest

Practice, practice, practice Build your confidence- do extra math problems, practice test-taking at home, rehearse your speech a couple of times before the presentation

In-class assignment: Self-reflection
Go back to the stressful incident that you described in the first part of the lesson and list some strategies for dealing with the situation, and some things you could have done to prevent it from being stressful. Also list some ways you can avoid a reoccurrence of such a situation in the future.

Strategies for dealing with stress
no one can avoid stress all the time. In a stressful situation, try these tips to help you overcome the effects of stress.

Join the crowd Even though you may think you are the only person in the world who is experiencing stress, the fact is that everyone experiences it sometime.

Talk to someone Find someone you trust, discuss the problems and look for solutions

Put it in perspective Chances are, this is only one small part of the rest of your life

Visualize Sit comfortably and think of a favorite place. Imagine yourself in a successful situation.

Breathe Sit quietly, and breathe deeply and slowly. Continue for five or six breaths. It is calming and the extra dose of oxygen increases the brain’s thinking ability.

It’s all in your head... and shoulders Roll your head loosely in a wide circle. Repeat five times. Tighten right shoulder and raise it as far up as possible and hold, then relax slowly. Repeat with left shoulder. Repeat with both shoulders.

Go on a diet Eating light and avoiding sugars can help with performance and lessen stress. In a stressful situation like an exam, have a light meal of mostly protein. Remember, a heavy high carbohydrate meal can put you to sleep.

Lighten up Take responsibility for your feelings. When you get angry, take a break and cool down before you act.

Use it A little stress is a good thing- athletes use it to increase performance. If you are experiencing a small amount of anxiety, it can help to keep you active and alert. Use it to increase your performance.

Summary Stress is mental, emotional and physical tension, strain, and/or distress The signs of stress are classic. You may get a headache, stiff neck, backache, become irritable, lose your temper, and you may feel exhausted and find it hard to concentrate. When these symptoms appear, recognize them as signs of stress and find a way to deal with them. Just knowing why you’re feeling the way that you are may be the first step in coping with the problem.

Write about a situation where you would normally experience a high level of stress, (i.e. taking a test, giving a presentation, etc). Is the stress a bad thing? Can is be used to increase your performance? How would you do this? What coping strategies can you use to help you deal with the situation?

Section 2: Study skills development

Lesson 4:Time Management
What we’ll be covering: advantages to good time management assess your time management skills create your ultimate schedule making to-do lists

Time Management Why is time management important?
one of the most important skills for beginning college students being able to accomplish your goals depends, in part, on your ability to make the most efficient use of the time that you have good time management skills can actually save you time

In class assignment: Assess your time management skills
Complete the ‘Are You Using Your Time Wisely’ assessment What areas of time management are you strong in? What areas could you improve?

Time Management Tips Monitor your time
If you feel like you don’t have enough time, spend a few days monitoring your time to see exactly how it is spent download Where Does the Time Go?

Time Management Tips Make a daily to-do list

Steps to making to-do lists
Write a list of activities that you want or need to accomplish today Remember to prioritize and list the most important tasks first Check to see if there are any activities that you can accomplish at the same time

Steps to making to-do lists (cont.)
Write down how long you anticipate it will take you to get the task done Write down when you will start each activity

Making to-do lists: Know your options
Do it now- the most important things with approaching deadlines need to be done first Schedule it- you can break up large tasks into smaller parts and schedule each part Ask someone else to do it- in a study group or team, each person can be responsible for a portion of the project Trade tasks- for example, you run the errands while your roommate cleans the apartment

In class assignment: Practice making a to-do list
view a sample to-do list think of the things that you would like to accomplish for tomorrow use the steps we discussed as a guide in creating your list

Time Management Tips Use a planner
a planner can be an effective and easy way to help you organize your time look at a number of different kinds of planners before you select one- some will help you more than others choose one that is easy to carry with you commit to checking/updating it daily try to include your daily to-do list in your planner

Time Management Tips Make a long-term calendar

In class assignment: Make a long-term calendar
Download the Semester-on-a-Page write in important dates like exams and due dates post it where you can see it, like by the phone or on the refrigerator

Time Management Tips Try to be flexible
Don’t overload yourself. Always leave some free-time for some last-minute additions

Time Management Tips Avoid marathon study sessions
a couple of hours each day will help you to remember more than eight hours at once taking the time to schedule study time will help you to avoid procrastination and reduce stress remember to schedule study time over 5-7 days instead of packing it all into one or two days

Time Management Tips Use waiting time
Waiting time is the time you spend in between meetings, classes, events, etc.

In class assignment: How to effectively use ‘wait time’
One of the best ways to get more out of your day is to use ‘waiting’ time Create a list of 5 things that you can do in 10 minutes Create a list of 5 things that you can do in 20 minutes

Time Management Tips Learn to say ‘no’
Examples of good ways to say “no” Instead of: “I really should study”, say “You caught me in the middle of something important, I’ll call you later.” “I can’t go the movies tonight, but I can go on Saturday.” “Before I say yes, let me check my planner and get back to you.”

Understanding procrastination
When do you procrastinate? low interest or motivation large tasks What happens when you procrastinate increase stress poorer performance

Reducing procrastination
Break tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks for example, writing a paper can be broken down into getting references, reading reference, writing an outline, creating a rough draft and completing the final copy When given an assignment, do some work on it right away Spend some time studying each day Reward yourself along the way

The Ultimate Schedule Download the sample Ultimate Schedule

The Ultimate Schedule First, block off time for your FIXED activities
class work meetings

The Ultimate Schedule Second, block off time for your RITUAL activities meals travel/commute sleep grooming

The Ultimate Schedule Third, block off time for your PRIORITY activities studying try to schedule 2 hours of study time for each hour spent in class exercising

The Ultimate Schedule Your FREE time is the time that remains, use it for: watching television shopping socializing

Summary As time management skills develop, your stress and anxiety levels will go down and productivity will go up Time management tools which include day planners, to-do lists, weekly and long-term calendars will increase organization and help eliminate procrastination

Download the Weekly Schedule Sheet Using the steps for creating the Ultimate Schedule, design your ultimate schedule

Lesson 4: Memory Techniques
What we’ll be covering: things that can effect your ability to remember something basic memory tips strategies to improve your memory

What can effect your ability to remember something?
distractions time of day your comfort level stress your interest in the material your level of motivation

Thirteen memory tips Learn from general to specific
Before learning something new, get a general overview to use as a framework on which to hang specific details

Thirteen memory tips Make it meaningful
Why is this information relevant? What is the value in knowing this? If you don’t see the value- Find it! What kinds of situations could you be in that you would need this information? Use this as an opportunity to use strategies that will make you a better student

Thirteen memory tips Create associations
Relate what you’re learning to something that you already know Try using analogies and metaphors

Thirteen memory tips Learn actively
Manipulate or change the information in some way Try creating a mind map, diagram, pictures, or note cards Always put information that you’re trying to learn into your own words

Thirteen memory tips Reduce distractions
Turn off music, phone, television

Thirteen memory tips Monitor what you’ve learned
Check yourself to make sure that you’re learning Try self-testing yourself using the review questions at the end of the chapter or make up your own

Thirteen memory tips Check your attitude and anxiety
Find yourself thinking how much you hate the course or instructor? Know when your attitudes and/or anxiety are inhibiting learning and try to address them

Thirteen memory tips Turn abstract ideas into concrete examples

Thirteen memory tips Distribute learning
Use many short sessions for studying instead of one long session

Thirteen memory tips Remember something else
When you get stuck and can’t remember something, try to remember something that is related to it or what you were doing at the time that you learned it.

Thirteen memory tips Stay away from studying similar topics at the same time to avoid confusion

Thirteen memory tips Use mnemonics, or memory techniques
Try creating a song or rhyme to help you remember Use acronyms

Thirteen memory tips Avoid studying material in the same sequence
Try starting at the end or middle of the material

Summary By using memory techniques you can take steps to learn and remember information more quickly and effectively Most memory techniques require that you change or organize the information that you need to learn. Repeated reading of text and notes is often not enough.

Pick five concepts that you will be required to know in a class Apply any memory technique that we’ve discussed to each concept

Lesson 5: Note taking What we’ll be covering:
what to do before, during, and after class picking out main points in a lecture the Cornell Method mind mapping

What to do before class Pick the right notebook
there are numerous advantages to picking a 3-ring binder handouts can be inserted into the relevant sections pages of notes can be removed and replaced dividers can be used to separate sections or topics

What to do before class Read your textbook
reading your textbook can help you to understand what is being discussed in lecture

What to do before class Skim the notes from the last class
this will refresh your memory and focus you for the next lesson

What to do before class Make a commitment to attend all classes
You may be getting only a partial set of notes if you copy from other students Note taking is a skill and you may be copying from someone who is a poor note taker and not realize it

What to do during class Try to sit in the front, center portion of the classroom fewer distractions can see and hear better less likely to doze off

What to do during class You will need to identify the visual and verbal cues given by the professor that indicate an important topic is being addressed examples of visual cues: gesturing, writing on board, underlining examples of verbal cues: repetition, summaries, listing

Identifying important points
Think of three additional verbal cues that would indicate an important point Think of three additional visual cues that would indicate an important point

What to do during class Use a method of note taking Use Cornell Method
Create Mind maps

The Cornell Method Split page method of note taking
Allows space for possible exam questions Allows space for student reflections and summary Good for self-testing

Practice using the Cornell Method
Download a sample page of notes using the Cornell Method Recopy a page of your notes using the Cornell Method

Mind Mapping Pictorial representation of ideas
Good for visual learners Shows how topics and ideas are related Uses both sides of your brain

Steps to mind mapping Identify the topic of the lecture or reading, place in the center and circle it Branch out the main ideas, each stemming from the main topic From each branch, mark key words and examples Don’t be afraid to personalize it with pictures or symbols

Mind Mapping Practice Download a sample mind map
Practice creating a mind map

What to do during class Identify possible exam questions
Use them to self-test yourself later

What to do after class Review your notes within 24 hours
Are they complete? Do they make sense?

What to do after class Identify any questions that you may have and find the answers Re-copy or re-organize if necessary

Note Taking Practice Watch this short lecture and use the note taking strategies we discussed

Summary Class notes will be a better study tool for you if they have the proper content (the main points of a lecture) and are organized in a way that makes sense. Try using the methods that we discussed to accomplish those two crucial aspects of note taking.

Lesson 6: Reading Textbooks
What we’ll be covering: previewing annotating

Why preview? improves concentration, memory, and understanding
only takes 5 minutes to preview an entire chapter if you don’t have enough time to read before class, previewing may give you enough information to understand what is being discussed

Steps to previewing material
(1) Read the chapter title The title announces the topic or subject. Try to remember what you already know about the topic.

(2) Read the introduction or first paragraph This is a lead-in to the material and will often itemize what the chapter will cover. If it is long, read only the first 5 or 6 lines.

(3) Read the closing paragraph or chapter summary These sections are often used to draw conclusions based on the facts that have already been presented or to restate key ideas.

(4) Read questions or vocabulary at the end of the chapter This section is used to test your knowledge of the material. Reading them beforehand alerts you to what is most important within the chapter.

(5) Read each boldface heading Headings separate chapters into main divisions and indicate important concepts. By looking at these headings, you can detect the organization of the chapter and the general approach of the author.

(6) Look at any pictures, graphs, or charts Pictures, illustrations, or captions may help you clarify ideas and give direction to your thinking.

Why annotate? Have you ever felt that you’ve been reading for hours and can’t remember what you’ve read? annotating can keep you focused annotations tell you WHY important points are important download a sample page of annotated text

Steps to Annotating Text
First, preview a chapter or subunit of text Next, read one or more paragraphs. Then stop (the amount will vary, so judge according to your text’s difficulty and organization).

After reading, go back and underline the key word, phrase, or idea to which your annotation will refer. These key ideas often occur as: definitions, examples, lists, causes/effects, characteristics, similarities/differences, and names/dates.

Check your annotations to be sure that they make sense and that you are not merely copying the text into the margins. In order to be most effective, your annotations must be in your own words, except in the case of technical definitions.

If you have no annotating, you should have no underlining.

Go on to the next paragraph or section. Remember, not every section of text will have a key concept that should be annotated, but every page or section usually does.

Summary Reading your text numerous times is often not enough to insure that you have understood and retained the information covered. You must actively participate in the reading process by thinking about what you already know, identifying topics that you don’t understand and picking out important points that are likely to be on a test.

download text

Lesson 7: Exam Preparation
What we’ll be covering: key elements of exam preparation creating and using note cards the Eight-day study plan

What problems are you currently having with preparing for exams?
Take a moment to complete “Exam Prep: A Self Check” What areas could you improve on?

Key elements of exam preparation
Know what the exam will cover If you don’t know, then ask. Visit instructor’s office hours or ask over .

Know what type of exam will be given Match the method of study to the kind of exam you will be given (hint: you wouldn’t use note cards to study for an essay exam)

Avoid procrastination If you wait until the last-minute to study, you’ll remember less and stress more

Use memory techniques Remember the techniques we discussed?

Make sure you’ve taken adequate notes and read the text Get any notes that you’ve missed

Have the proper attitude

Monitor your anxiety level A little anxiety is good, but a lot will hurt your performance Remember what we talked about in the stress management lesson?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions Ask during class, over , at tutoring and in your study group

Look for (or create) practice tests and questions

Creating and Using Note Cards
When note cards are a good idea when you are a visual learner when you will be given an objective test

Creating and Using Note Cards
Using them the right way frequently shuffle the cards to keep from learning them in order use only one concept per card- they aren’t designed to hold more use your own words- by putting concepts in your own words, you’re actively learning while you create them take out the ones you know until the final review- don’t waste your time studying things you already know

The Eight Day Study Plan
download the Eight-Day Study Plan

Summary Re-reading your text and notes is often not enough to prepare you for an exam. You will need to have good study strategies and a good study plan. It’s also important that you know where to go for additional help, including instructor office hours, tutoring centers and preceptors.

Complete the Eight-Day Study Plan for one of your classes Download the Eight-Day Study Plan Sheet

Lesson 8:Test Taking Strategies
What we’ll be covering: general test taking strategies how to take different kinds of tests learning from your mistakes what to do when you don’t know the answer

General test-taking strategies
Try to ignore other test takers (before and during the test) Sit in your usual seat, if possible Bring all necessary materials

Listen carefully to directions If something is vague or hard to read, stop and ask the instructor for clarification Answer the easiest questions first, mark and postpone the harder questions Change your answer only if you’re absolutely sure the second answer is correct

Look over the test and budget your time accordingly Leave time to review your work

Suggestions for objective tests
Circle or underline clue words like all, every, none, always, etc. Watch for negatives

Suggestions for answering essay questions
use pencil or erasable pen read the questions carefully and underline key words create an outline in the margin of what you’d like to say begin your answer by rephrasing the question in the next sentence announce what you’ll be saying in the rest of your answer devote a paragraph to each of the main points

Suggestions for answering essay questions
save time to check for the following: completeness and clarity punctuation and word usage spelling neatness did you answer the question?

Suggestions for computational exams
as soon as you receive your test, jot down any formulas you needed to memorize try drawing a picture if you’re stuck try to estimate the answer

After the test..learning from your mistakes
don’t just look at WHAT you missed, but look at WHY you missed it! mastery of information: you didn’t study properly and don’t know the material thinking gap: you misunderstood what you were being asked method of test taking: you made some bad mistakes like reading too quickly and missing key words reaction to situation: test anxiety got the better of you

Correcting “mastery of information” mistakes
Go back and look at how you studied. What do you need to change? Did you give yourself enough time? Are there other study strategies that would work better?

Correcting “thinking gap” mistakes
Next time, raise your hand and ask your professor or t.a. to rephrase the question. Keep asking until you feel that you fully understand the question.

Correcting “method of test taking” mistakes
Read/listen to the directions carefully Force yourself to slow down and read the questions carefully Identify the key words in the questions Read all answers before you select one

Stress reduction and management
have a study plan get some exercise proper nutrition keep a positive attitude get enough rest

What can you do when you don’t know the answer?
look for wording in the question that may give you an idea see if the answer appears somewhere else in the exam try to eliminate some answers before guessing plug in numbers to see if they generate a possible solution

Summary You should approach different kinds of tests in different ways. Even if you don’t know the answer, effective test-taking strategies can increase your chances of guessing it. If you are not getting the grades that you expected, check to see where you are making mistakes.

get a copy of a test that you’ve already taken code your mistakes using the categories we’ve discussed write a plan of how you plan to address these mistakes in the future

Lesson 9: Internet Resources
What we’ll be covering: how to conduct a search some of our favorite sites

How to conduct a search

Some of our favorite sites

Pick five course topics and find a related website information for each. Make sure to write down the web address for each.

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