1. 10 Study Strategies for Success Student Academic Success Center

2. Attend All Classes and Actively Engage  Go early and stay until the end  Sit in front  Participate and ask questions  Take notes  Instead of having to teach yourself the material, you can spend your study time reviewing what you need to know

3. Schedule Regular Study Hours  Study 2-3 hours outside of class for every hour you are in class (at least 20-30 hours per week) every week!  Be realistic and keep them like appointments  Study in 1-2 hour blocks with breaks

4. Create “To Do” Lists  Lists help you take control of what you have to do  Know what is coming up in each class  Prioritize your tasks

5. Learn to Study in the Best Environment and Time for You  Be aware of your best time of day to study; when do you have the most energy?  Find a study location that works for you.

6. Set a Specific Goal for Each Study Session  What can I realistically accomplish in the next 45 minutes.  Study your most difficult subjects first  Don’t worry if you don’t reach that goal in your allotted time. You can reschedule the task to another study session or come back to it later that night.

7. Keep up with Reading  Reading is “studying”  Break reading in to small chunks  Read “actively not passively”  Take notes when you read

8. Review Your Notes Daily  Studies have shown that you can only recall 20% of the information from a lecture the next day.  Reviewing notes keeps the information fresh in your mind and will save you from cramming for an exam in the future!

9. Breakdown Large Tasks  Your workload will be spread out  The assignment won’t seem so overwhelming  You won’t be waiting until the last minute to finish

10. Vary Your Work  Break up your study time into different methods of studying (reading, note- taking, homework, writing papers)  Vary the subjects that you are studying  A change in material and way of studying is like giving your brain a break.

11. Reward Yourself  When you complete a study goal, reward yourself  This gives you an incentive to reach your goals and will help motivate you to get your work done.  Take time to relax, exercise and have fun.

12. Adapted from:  Fraser, L. (2009). Making your mark: Develop the motivation and skills to achieve high-performance college and career success. Toronto: LDF Publishing.  Conestoga College (2008). Study Hints Handout  GVSU’S Student Academic Success Center’s Twenty Tips for College Success.