If you’re new to higher education, you’re probably wondering about the best way to get good grades and looking for tips on how to study for college exams. Even if you’re not a new Freshman, you may need to brush up on your study skills in order to increase your GPA and graduate strong. Strategic study methods will help to ensure you perform your best throughout your college career, according to the Huffington Post. Follow these tips to instill a study routine that works for you.
Pencil It In
In order to fit in adequate study time each week and to avoid procrastination, it’s a good idea to add study time to your datebook, agenda or online calendar. Having regular study times will help you begin to form a routine that will soon become second nature. Try to fit study time in between classes, especially if you’re a commuter student. Doing so helps you to avoid heading home or back to your dorm where you may be tempted to nap or hang out with friends instead of studying.
Claim Your Space
While it’s okay to switch things up now and again for a little change of scenery and to give your brain a little recharge, designating a regular study space helps your mind to know that it’s time to focus. Choosing a place where you are comfortable and where all of your needed supplies are nearby allows you to cement your routine even further and to get in the right mood for learning, as well as to cut down on distraction.
Switch It Up
Alternating your study methods will help you to gather and process information in different ways, which will aid in retaining that knowledge. For example, don’t just stick with reading your textbook and notes to yourself. Read them out loud. Saying the material and hearing it personalizes the material and may help it to stick. If you’re having a particularly tough time with a section of notes, take time to re-write them, adding yet another way to input the information into your brain.
Break It Down
Avoid cramming all of your study material into one or two sessions. Even if it’s not the night before the exam, trying to remember a great deal of information at once is not an efficient way to retain knowledge. Instead, break it down into chunks. Study a little bit each day or find another system in which to divide the material. Repeating small amounts over and over is far more efficient in terms of memory than cramming in a lot all at once.
Use Groups Effectively
Using groups is one of those common tips on how to study for exams, but you have to use them wisely. You can assign sections or chapters to each group member, then have everyone teach their section to the group. Teaching something is a great way to remember it, and being able to listen to your group members’ lessons will help you to receive the information through yet another method. Be sure to take notes for your lesson and distribute them to your group.
Related Resource: Early Admission to College
These are a few ideas to get you started on creating your own study routine. Such tips on how to study for college exams are necessary in order to avoid procrastination and to truly absorb the lessons.
