Is it possible to get straight as in college

Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Method 1. Take notes in class and when you study. When you're listening to a lecture or reading a chapter of your textbook, the act of taking notes helps you focus more closely on what you're hearing or reading. Additionally, your notes will help you remember the key points of the lecture or reading assignment when it's time to review the material.

Carry a notebook and pen and take notes by hand if you can. When you take notes by hand as opposed to typing them, you're forced to focus on the most important points instead of writing everything down word-for-word. You might also find it helpful to read your written notes aloud to yourself. Read the assigned materials. If your professor assigns readings, don't try to coast by on what you're learning from the lectures. Do the required readings, too. They may contain additional material that's not covered in class.

If you feel overwhelmed by your reading assignments, try breaking them down into manageable chunks. Start by doing a quick skim, focusing on the introduction, conclusion, and informational headings. This will help you spot the main points of the text. Make sure you understand your assignments. Read the syllabus for each class carefully. Check over your assignment handouts for instructions and information about how the assignment will be graded. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask your professor or TA.

You'll have a much easier time meeting your instructors' expectations if you know what they are! Some professors provide detailed grading rubrics that can help you understand exactly how they evaluate and grade a test or assignment. Review what you've learned. Review is an important part of remembering and absorbing what you learn.

You may not hold onto information or understand it fully if you only read or hear it once. Take time to go back over your notes and readings to make sure you remember and understand the material. Quizzing yourself will help you evaluate your knowledge of the material and figure out what you need to focus on during review sessions. Be honest with yourself with how well you're doing. If you're studying difficult questions and only answer half of them right, you should probably go back and review some core concepts.

Take frequent breaks. Sitting down to study for too long in one stretch will leave you burnt out and make it harder for you to focus. Don't study one subject for more than about an hour at a time, and take brief breaks every 25 minutes or so. During your breaks, you might take a walk, eat a snack, or even put your head down for a power nap.

After every 25 minutes of work, take a 5-minute break. During the break, do a little meditation or visualize a calming scene. Ask for help if you need it. If you're struggling to understand the material or complete an assignment, don't hesitate to talk to your professor, TA, or academic advisor.

They may be able to offer advice or connect you with resources that can help. It's up to you to do the work of studying and completing your assignments, but it's their job to give you the tools you need to succeed. First things first, ask yourself: Is this the field that interests me the most? Take the time to reflect on your passions and choose a major that suits your interests.

Are you more of an early bird or a night owl? Would you prefer to take back-to-back classes every day or have breaks in-between? Do you learn better during minute classes three times a week or 2-hour lectures once a week? These are questions you need to ask yourself to recognize your learning preferences.

Personally, I enjoy waking up early, having breaks between classes, and 2-hour lectures once a week. However, if you are someone who wakes up later in the day, then having an 8 AM class might not be the best option. You may show up to class tired and sleepy or not even at all rather than awake and ready to learn.

Pro Tip : If your schedule allows it, try to get Fridays off, so you have an extra day to focus on studying. Getting more work done during the week will give you more time to rest during the weekend. After visiting my professor one time, I understood the material and even got advice to study for class more effectively. For the rest of the semester, I visited my professor at least once a week.

You can meet with your professor either online or in-person. I understand that visiting your professor can seem nerve-wracking and scary. Past professors can be a great resource for that, but only if they know you and your work. Attending office hours can help build that close relationship. It can also be helpful to visit the TA if they are the ones grading your papers, lab reports, etc. Pro Tip : You can also attend office hours to double-check your grades. A professor accidentally gave me an F on a project instead of an A.

The first thing I do when I get a class syllabus is to write down all the critical dates in a planner. You can use either a paper planner or a digital planner, such as Google Calendar.

Once you have all the due dates for assignments and exams in your planner, add other parts of your schedule such as work, internships, sports, club meetings, gym, etc.

Doing this will help you remember when things are due and where you need to be. However, for the larger assignments I make sure to plan at least two weeks ahead. This is because you never know what could happen unexpectedly that will set you back and make you miss an assignments deadline. Then, place your syllabus in the front of your binder, folder or whatever you use to stay organized. This makes it easier to find and refer back to. I use the Any. Why I personally like this app is because it is simple and easy to use.

Once you complete a task, all you have to do is swipe it and shake your phone and the task magically disappears. Note: I am not sponsored by the any. I am honestly not that good at anything science-related so Quizlet and flashcards basically saved me when it came to Biology.

Quizlet has study sets, tests and diagrams to help you better understand and remember the material, which is a life saver, especially if you are a visual learner like me. I only use multi-colored flashcards for general vocabulary words and Quizlet to study for difficult tests.

I find that I focus better and am less distracted when I take handwritten notes. Bonus points if you rewrite your lecture notes every night and color code them. Not only do I study the night before, but I also study the morning of a major test. Therefore, studying the night before and the morning of, right before class starts, allows your brain to retain as much information as possible.

This is so important and is something I regret not doing earlier. Last term I was taking a computer programming class which goes toward my graphic design minor. I met with my professor during office hours and talked to him frequently.

Anytime I needed help with anything I would stop by his office hours.