10 Study Strategies for Success Student Academic Success Center

1. Attend All Classes Actively Engage and get to know your Professors  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  Your professors should know you by name and know that you care enough to check on your progress

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

3. 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  GV/Google allows you to create task lists

4. 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.

5. 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.

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

7. 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!  This will save you time when you are studying for tests because you will only have to review the material instead of relearning it! Test Review Time Info retained with review in first 24 hours AND weekly Info retained with review in first 24 hours Info retained with no review

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

Knowing what to do and actually doing it are two completely different things

Goal Setting  Using your study skills inventory assessment and the 10 tips presented tonight, set a goal of at least one new strategy that you will try.  Improving your grades won’t happen over night, you will have to continue to use a study strategy before you will see results

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.