<p>I need SERIOUS help!! How do I improve my study skills??</p>
<p>Background: Got a 220 on the PSAT and 2320 on the SAT...but 2.9 gpa at an easy high school. 0 APs.</p>
<p>Now: a sophomore in college. I've realized that I just can't study. I procrastinate the living hell out of studying and even while studying, I don't pay full attention (even with adderall!). So it's a dual procrastination/attention problem. I study literally <1 hour for each huge exam in science classes. I want to go to med school really badly, but my studying habits are terrible and I'm getting depressed because of my mediocre grades.</p>
<p>My older brother had higher SAT scores than me as we'll as being a perfect student. He's a first year med student at UIC.</p>
<p>It helps me to study right after class. Like literally when I leave the room I find a seat around campus or in the library and just look over everything we learned that day. Then I might review it once or twice more before the test but because these review sessions are broken up instead of trying to cram, I retain the information a lot better and I only study half as much as my friends do. By the way, these “study sessions” should only be a half and hour tops. That’s the longest boring things can hold my attention anyway haha.</p>
<p>Try doing study groups. Study groups can be a double-edged sword: you could study more but you could also good off more with people. However, if your study skills are seriously bad then you have nothing to lose. Talk to some people in your classes and see whether you guys could do homework together or study for a test together. I find trading ideas, sharing notes, and just brainstorming in general with people is a lot more productive than shutting myself in my room. Your room could be very distracting, too. A bed, perhaps a TV. I find I’m more productive in study areas and libraries than in my room.</p>
<p>Also, try rewarding and punishing yourself for studying. For example, if you do not write three pages of your essay by noon you cannot have a snack or watch that Youtube video you’ve been eyeing. If you finish studying/homework by your set time then you could reward yourself by watching some TV or browsing the internet. </p>