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Making the transition to College level work can take students by surprise. Many students see their grade point averages drop by a full letter grade in their first semester in College. Follow these study skills tips to boost your GPA.
Put in the Time
It’s very easy to misjudge the amount of study time required for a class. The accepted guideline for study time is two hours of outside-class work for every in-class credit hour. In a three credit class you spend three hours a week in class, so you should budget an extra six hours for study. In a standard 15 credit load, you should plan to put in 30 hours of study per week.
While some classes may let you get by with less than that (a P.E. class, for example, or choir), some will take more.
Plan Ahead
Purchase a student planner, and note the following on the calendar:
- Class times
- Project and assignment due dates
- Extra-curricular activities
Filling in these time slots allows you to see where your free time is—time that you can be using for homework. Block out slots in your schedule of at least an hour at a time and reserve them for study.
Due dates for papers and exams tend to come around the same time, so there will be times when you have more than one major assignment due in the same week. When this happens, start your projects in advance. Don’t put yourself in the position of having to choose between turning in a History paper and studying for an in-class essay.
Review Your Notes
It can be a challenge to separate out the important points in a lecture while your professor is speaking. If there is an outline handed out or displayed on a screen, pay attention to the main points. If you handwrite your notes instead of using a laptop, leave space around the margins to expand concepts later—the lecturer will speak faster than you write, and you’ll want to fill in missing information later. It is especially important in lecture-heavy classes to review your notes periodically, because your exams will often be weighted more heavily with in-class information than with textbook material.
You Can Pull All-Nighters
Just make sure you choose those sleepless nights wisely. If you’re finishing a paper that is due the next day, it might be a good idea to work through the night. You can turn your paper in and sleep for a few hours afterward. If you are studying for an exam, however, keep in mind that one of the keys to good test performance is a full night’s sleep. Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep on the night before an exam.
Take Breaks
Study hard, but take frequent breaks, and when you do step away from your books, make sure you’re stepping away from your desk as well. Using that break-time to check facebook or email does not give your eyes a chance to relax from staring at the computer. Go for a walk, make tea—do something away from your study area and computer.
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