Learning to acquire effective study skills for college students aren't as hard as a lot of people make it seem. Age doesn't matter when you're trying to learn something new. People go back to college to improve their education and other people go right out of high school. It doesn't matter both sets of people need to learn how to study properly.
Without a study habit to lean on, college courses can seem like a nightmare to go through. But having a study habit that works will help you get through those courses easily. Without a study skill implanted the time spent in school will be like work.
When you're in college you're part of a group of people in the same situation. Better to learn and study together to come up with study skills that work. Otherwise being an outsider won't help you nor anyone else. So by learning a couple of proven study skills that I will outline later in this article you will feel like you're in control of the situation.
You'll be able to take any class on any subject and be able to study and come out with a passing grade.
If you don't take a stand now on learning a study skill, the effort that you put forth in class will be for nothing.
The study skills that I will outline has been proven by countless students. Some of these techniques may work for you and then some may not. So what? Pick one that works and go with it.
Here are some obvious suggestions that people may discount as common sense but nevertheless I will list them out so that you can choose.
1) Pick a quiet secluded area to study. Yes I know this seems obvious, but trying to study in a public place with a lot of distractions just isn't conducive to retaining any type of information.
2) Study on a full stomach. Don't be hungry when studying. That is a distraction that will cause you to munch food all the while you're studying.
3) Learn to speed read. Better yet learn to skim material in your textbook. There are plenty of courses that you can take to improve your reading speed. Yes I know it's another thing to learn but its well worth the effort. Once you learn how to go over material twice as fast as anyone else you will have twice as much time to go over notes.
4) Take notes in class. Okay everyone does this but not in this way. Take your usual notes in class just like everyone else does. Now when you get home at the end of the day before you start studying, rewrite those same notes and paraphrase them. Write down a summation of what those notes meant to you. Now if you are having a test on those notes, all you have to do is read your summary notes and your good to go.
So it may seem that the toughest skill to learn will be to rewrite the notes you took during class. Get into the habit of doing this for every class and you'll be surprised at how easily you will remember the information.
Once you master any of these skills then go on to another study skill. College is all about learning and once you learn how to study skillfully, you will come out with grades you can be proud of.
You will know that it isn't too late to get effective study skills for college and start planning for the future.
Next up will be the financing of college expenses.
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Plants are shaped by cultivation and men by education. .. We are born weak, we need strength; we are born totally unprovided, we need aid; we are born stupid, we need judgment. Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given us by education.
(Jean Jacques Rousseau, Emile, On Philosophy of Education)
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