Hello all, i am officially a college student starting this august, and i was hoping to find some tips on how to improve my study habits to help get some top notch grades.
A little background is in order i suppose. In high school, i had poor grades, so i joined the military. I served 4 years, and realized that what i really wanted to do was go to school. In high school, i had no drive to succeed in an academic environment, but after my time in the navy, i now realize how much i can benefit from school, and due to my poor high school grades i need to go to a community college before i transfer to a 4 year university. I AM going to med school, so i am looking for some crucial tips that i missed out on in high school to help me get there. I know i need to get and keep a very high GPA in college, but i am willing to do whatever it takes to do so. Any help would be much appreciated!
I’m in the same position as you, but without going to the military. I didn’t do well in high school, or really care to do well. Then, I went to community college, still careless, not really understanding the importance of school, and never had clear guidance. Five years later, I have it finally figured out, while all of my other friends have now moved on to universities, or have graduated.
Anyway, I spend A LOT of my time studying. I just ended a summer class, and I’m already studying for a class I start in three weeks. For me it’s useful to read the textbook, highlight important ideas, occasionally I’ll record lectures. Use a planner to help organize what is due, when tests/exams are, and organize my time studying. I like to spend an hour studying a subject straight, then take a 20 minute break, and resume that schedule. Sit towards the front of class, write down everything you can, color code, use Post-Its to remind you of things, don’t miss any classes, try to go over the material you will learn in class before you attend.
A lot of this seems like everything else you read online, or hear about, but once you actually start following it, it’s very useful and effective.
I agree with everything the above poster said. My story is similar to both of yours; I did horribly in high school–2.7 GPA–and now I have a 4.0. Because I waited a while to go back to school, like you, I found I had matured a lot–your military background will definitely help with that. I can definitely tell the difference between those who just got out of high school and those that didn’t. Keeping that in mind, night classes are very good. Many of the people that attend night classes in my school are way more motivated than those in the morning. Something else I would like to add: do your homework as soon as possible. Meaning, right when you get home. If you’re taking multiple classes, or even one class with a lot of work, you’ll find it’s a lot easier to manage if you don’t let the work pile up. Don’t just do it either. Make sure you fully understand it. If you don’t, send an e-mail to your teacher or go to tutoring. Understanding it right away ensures that you don’t need to cram for you tests or finals. Just do a quick review and you’ll be golden. It’s also important because everything you’ll do in class builds on top of itself. If you don’t understand something, that might prove catastrophic for the next chapter. I also found I enjoyed it more; there was barely any stress.