<p>Hello I was just wodnering… people are always saying you cannot use the high school study method when you are in college… </p>
<p>But I feel like I’m still using the same method and my grades are not as good as how I want them to me…</p>
<p>What kind of study methods do you guys use or have suggestion to me ^^;</p>
<p>I want to make a lot of improvements when I go to my second year but I’m just not really good at coming up with my own new study method…</p>
<p>What helped me the most:</p>
<ol>
<li>Office hours</li>
<li>Friends who took the class</li>
<li>Peer learning</li>
</ol>
<p>I know the office hours one seems to be repetitive, but honestly, it’s what helped me out a lot. I usually ask about recommendations for study methods and what information to emphasize in my studying. Most of the time, my professors/TA’s provided me with helpful study tips and insights that they wouldn’t mention in class.</p>
<p>I was also fortunate enough to befriend some upperclassmen in my dorm and clubs who took the class. They’ve had some great TA’s, so they gave me study guides/notes/practice tests that their TA’s created. Joining pre-professional societies is a great way to meet people who would be definitely willing to give you some tips in classes! </p>
<p>And of course peer learning provided me with a lot of practice problems and an opportunity to ask questions when my professor/TA couldn’t explain a concept. Peer learning sessions in itself are helpful, but I think I got the most out of it when I studied the material beforehand and came in with questions. </p>
<p>Overall, all three of these gave me focus and prevented me from studying unnecessary material. Hope this helps! :)</p>
<p>For me, what helped me the most is go to OH. I ask a lot of questions. It might sound easy to you but to me, I had to learn how to ask questions. Not that I don’t know how to do it but its just that I didnt ask a right question.</p>
<p>There’s a book every college student should read about studying. It’s called What Smart Students Know by Adam Robinson, written by one of the founders of the test prep service Princeton Review. I have never seen a better explanation of the steps you need to follow to really <em>learn</em> the material, and if you’ve learned it well you will have no trouble with grades.</p>
<p>Its easy to fall into the rut of doing schoolwork almost mechanically while writing up a lab, reading a chapter and answering the questions, solving problem-sets, etc. After you complete each homework assignment or chapter the next 5 minutes you spend is actually the MOST important. Ask yourself what you’ve just learned. Put it in your own words, as if you were summarizing it to a friend who hadn’t done the work yet. And when you have some free time (walking to class, etc) imagine explaining something you’ve learned in class to a friend who missed the class.</p>
<p>Another tool I found useful were the “problem-solver” type books available for many subjects. These have thousands of problems with the steps to get to the solution. Find the chapter on what you’re studying and spend some time practicing until you can get the right answer; when you see a similar problem on a midterm/final you’ll want to laugh out loud because it’s going to be so easy! </p>
<p>There are lots of websites with study skills info; a good starting point is [University</a> of St. Thomas : Academic Support Center](<a href=“http://www.stthomas.edu/academicsupport/studyLinks/default.html]University”>http://www.stthomas.edu/academicsupport/studyLinks/default.html) and I also like the idea behind the post at <a href=“How to Ace Calculus: The Art of Doing Well in Technical Courses - Cal Newport”>How to Ace Calculus: The Art of Doing Well in Technical Courses - Cal Newport;
<p>Lastly, ask yourself if part of the problem is simply not spending enough time studying. Many people at UCLA cruised thru HS because they were among the smartest kids in their school. If the teacher taught and graded to their level then most kids would have flunked. But now at UCLA all the smart kids are with you and so the habits that may have been enough in HS don’t cut it anymore. A good rule of thumb, especially for more technical classes, is to spend 3 hours outside of class for every hour in class.</p>
<p>It’s true that in high school that my teachers did not grade to my level. He or she had to grade and teach the class at a rate so that everyone would be able to move together. If you were a smart kid, you’d really just cruise through. For me, I would only spend a few hours a day on homework (2-3) and the rest of the time I would just watch TV or play games or do whatever online.</p>
<p>In college, I feel like my weekdays and weekends are dedicated to studying. Sure there are some weekends and evenings where I can go out and do fun things, but I know that the next day I’m going to work hard to make up for the studying I didn’t do the night before. Most of the time, the first few weeks of school are easy and that’s when I go out the most. When it’s the midterm and finals periods (the week or 2 before), I start to hermit myself until exams are over. Once they’re done, I go out again.</p>
<p>College is more of a cycle really. Play, study, play, study.</p>
<p>The best advice i can give that had helped me out tremendously is: make sure you understand every single topic/idea that was discussed in class by the professor or covered by TAs in discussion sections!!! If you don’t understand a concept be sure to sit down with your prof or TA to go over your questions. Before I would try “practicing” the class material from other sources (old tests from other professors or on the internet at other schools) and found that I was only wasting my time. The exams that you take a specifically what your instructor wants you to gain from what they lectured on; therefore, spend the majority time on reviewing your textbook, homeworks, and class notes.</p>
<p>well, what’s your major, and what kind of grades do you want?</p>