• Contact Us
• Search
• Calendar
• AppalNET

• LSS
  Home
• One on One
  Consultations
• Course
  Offerings
• Study Skills
  Resources
• Praxis
  Prep
• Ask a Study
  Skills Question
• Contact
  Us

Resources

Ask a Study Skills Question

I think I know what I'm doing, but I wouldn't mind knowing some general tips just to make sure I'm on track. What are the most important things I can do to succeed in college?

Here are our top ten tips for success:

• 10. Set up your study environment
  (this is how you can improve your ability to concentrate and sometimes avoid procrastination--make sure you are working where you will get the most work done, won't feel sleepy or tired, and won't be tempted or interrupted by well-meaning friends)
• 9. Set goals each semester
  (A goal is a road map to your future. It's how you know where you are going and what you should be doing).
• 8. Take care of yourself
  (It is hard to succeed if you are tired or worn down or upset or unhappy, etc. Take advantage of campus resources such as the Quinn Center & the counseling center, eat healthy foods and get enough rest).
• 7. Use active study skills
  (Don't just passively sit in class and later passively scan over your notes. Write things into grids; quiz yourself; meet with classmates or a study group to discuss what you are learning, etc.)
• 6. Understand syllabus/course requirements
  (In most classes, the syllabus contains critical information--assignment information and deadlines; relevant readings; contact information, etc. Many of your questions in a class may be answered by referring to the syllabus. Also, some assignments are only mentioned in the syllabus; your professor may not remind you about it all until you notice everyone around you turning something in. Read and honor your syllabus!)
• 5. Sit at the front of the class
  (You will be more alert; you will be more able to hear and speak, and thus participate in the class, and thus learn more from your time spent in class. Students in the back rows not only have to strain to hear and see, they also have to fight the temptation to let their attention to wander. Don't let your time in class be wasted--sit in the front!)
• 4. Develop reading skills
  (Much of your learning, not just in college but in life, takes place through reading. Get comfortable reading. Learn to skim when you need to skim, and read closely when you need to read closely. Learn to read even if it's not officially required. Learn to use the textbook as a resource even when it's not mentioned at all.)
• 3. Time Management
  (This may be the first time in your life when you are completely in charge of your time. Choose carefully how you spend it--don't let it slip away from you and then panic because everything is due at once. Use a planner and carry it with you everywhere--my favorite is the Time:Master academic calendar, sold at our bookstore).
• 2. Strengthen note-taking
  (In many classes, your notes are your insider's guide to the exam. Take the best notes you can--but make sure they are notes, not dictation; pick out the key points. Spend time studying your notes each day).
• 1. Attend class
  (Even if there is no attendance policy, even if it's beautiful outside, even if you are 99.9% sure you don't really 'need' to go to class, go to class. Don't gamble on missing class, because you may miss the most important thing you need to learn all semester. Other students will not take notes the way you would; you need to be there. Being in college costs a lot in terms of time and money. If you skip class, you are throwing it away, and putting yourself at risk of doing poorly later on).

top