Successful Students 9

Successful Students

9

9. Don’t cram for exams. Successful students know that divided periods of study are more effective than cram sessions, and they practice it. If there is one thing that study skills specialists agree on, it is that distributed study is better than massed, late-night, last-ditch efforts known as cramming. You’ll learn more, remember more, and earn a higher grade by studying in four, one hour-a-night sessions for Friday’s exam than studying for four hours straight on Thursday night. Short, concentrated preparatory efforts are more efficient and rewarding than wasteful, inattentive, last moment marathons. Yet, so many students fail to learn this lesson and end up repeating it over and over again until it becomes a wasteful habit. Not too clever, huh?

When you cram, you are taking the shortcut, and shortcuts never produce any real worthwhile results. Also, when you take shortcuts, you feel rather rotten knowing that you could have done it better but didn’t. Shortcuts cut you short. You can’t plant watermelon seeds and harvest fresh watermelon s the next day. It takes time. Cramming for a test or project and expecting to make a high score the next day is like planting watermelon seeds and expecting to harvest and eat fresh watermelon the next day. Plus cramming for a test or project doesn’t help you academically, so why even do it? Plan ahead, prepare ahead. Give yourself plenty of days and weeks to prepare for upcoming accountability opportunities.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ul9x3eui2jiy988/Successful%20Student5.docx

Study for Multiple Exams Part 3

Study for Multiple Exams

Part 3

English, math, foreign language tips: Practice – especially foreign language. It is hard to succeed in a foreign language class if you are just showing up and doing the work. But if you are in your room and look at objects and try to say them in the language you are learning it actually helps. Or if you send a simple text to a friend think about it, can you translate that to German or Spanish? These are the little things that will help.

Here are my final words of wisdom for students who want to get better grades in college: Time management and organization are critical key factors to success in college. And never be afraid to go ask your teacher for help. They have office hours for a reason-use them!

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/h89yy5kfjdluc3m/Study%20for%20Multiple%20Exam2.docx

Study for Multiple Exams Part 2

Study for Multiple Exams

Part 2

My strategies for written assignments: Everyone has their own writing styles. I generally come up with an idea and do massive amounts of research before I even think about writing. I then organize my research then sometimes prepare an outline before actually writing. I always print out the paper and come back to it the next day and reread it. That is the easiest way for me to catch my own mistakes. I have to give my eyes a break from it, and if I just wrote it I think it looks perfect. But if I look at it a day later I almost always find grammatical errors or phrases and sentences I just want to reword.

How I succeed in team projects: never assume someone is doing what they are supposed to be doing. Have regular meetings and have each member show their work, not just give you or the group their word for it.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/10mly3oq3wmud38/Study%20for%20Multiple%20Exam1.docx

Study for Multiple Exams Part 1

Study for Multiple Exams

Part 1

How I study for multiple exams, deal with multiple projects: Really it is my time management that I explained above. If I see I have multiple things due or study for all at the same time I spread out my time beforehand. For example, if I have a test Monday, and 2 tests Tuesday then I will study for my Monday test Thursday and part of Friday. Start studying for my next test on the second half of Friday and part of Saturday, then my second Tuesday test on Saturday as well as part of Saturday, then my second Tuesday test on Saturday as well and part of Sunday. Then Sunday night I can review for my Monday test because I already studied for it. When that test is over I can begin reviewing for the other tests. My overall study method: I try to break it up over several or at least two. I get bogged down if I to pull an all-nighter. How I’ve overcome an initial bad grade: if I received a low grade I probably knew it was coming because I didn’t prepare properly or I didn’t use the right study habit for the class. I usually try to go over what I did wrong and sometime discuss with the teacher what I can do differently on the next exam or what they suggest I do for studying the next exam.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2x7qqf420mhzg26/Study%20for%20Multiple%20Exams.docx

Sarah's Academic Success Story Part 2

Sarah’s Academic Success Story

Part 2

My test study method: I have different strategies for different types of tests or subjects. For me, any type of math is exceptionally difficult so I had to spend extra time on that. I would go back through the homework problems focusing on the problems that I had extra difficulty on. Many times I would ask the teacher for any additional study materials they could provide. If it was a class that required memorization or applying concepts I would create a sort of study guide for myself many times focusing on what were key focal points in the class. If I knew there were going to be essays I would try to take the terms and apply them to an example or create different questions on the concepts focused throughout the semester.

My time management secret: I always carry a planner with me. I even use different color highlighters to show what each event on my calendar is for. For example, pink is personal, yellow is school, orange is work, blue is for appointments, and green is for my sorority. Although I use white-out frequently, I can see in bright yellow that if I have that project for fianance due on Tuesday, I need to start working on it on [the previous] Wednesday so I can just get it done. My friends have always been amazed at how early I get things accomplished but that is really all I do.

 

 

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https://www.dropbox.com/s/go4i3q0mgzvw3yd/Sarah1.docx

You Can Succeed Everyday Part 1

You Can Succeed Everyday

Part 1

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My overall study method: I break up everything over several days and over the course of the evening and day. Cramming never works for me so I try to not do it. I will have longer sessions on nights before big tests, but I never stay up much later than normal before tests. I know that if I take the test tired the next day I will not do as well as if I was rested.

How I’ve overcome an initial bad grade: I usually look over the test or paper to see what I did that the teacher did not want. Basically, I do not stress out about grades that much because for me they are not worth getting really upset about. I do well because I know that I know the material. However, if I do get a bad grade, or one lower than I expected, I make sure that the next time a test is coming I study even more so that I won’t be surprised by the questions.

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https://www.dropbox.com/s/bmpnj80et9ums8n/You%20can%20Succeed%20Every%20Day.docx

Effective Study Methods Part 3

Effective Study Methods

Part 3

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How I deal with multiple projects/test: when I have more than one test or project, I break up my studying. I will study for one test for 30 minutes or so and then switch up my studying. I will study for one test for 30 minutes or so and then switch to the other one. If there is some part of a project that I know will not take me very long, I will do it when I don’t have much time. If I am really in a crunch for time on a specific day, I will study for one test in the morning and the other in the night. By breaking up the studying into different sections, I feel like I get much more done. Cram sessions do not work for me. I need to study something for a shorter period of time more often for it to sink in.

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CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ntg99ffjom5l7v9/Effective%20Study%20Method2.docx

Effective Study Methods Part 2

Effective Study Methods

Part 2

My time management secret; my secret is to use time wisely. I know that on certain days I do not have much time to run errands or hang out with friends even. Each minute of each day is used for something. One thing that works really well for me is to write everything down. I mean everything. I write down if I am going to email people, write letters, or study. It works for me to have a planner that goes by the day and shows me what I am going to be doing every day. Knowing what I have to do every day helps me plan out my week and my days. If I don’t have time on Tuesday, I will try to get more things done on Monday or Sunday. I plan ahead, especially if I am going to be on the road for volleyball. When I am on the road, I bring my books and read on the bus/plane/hotel room. Missing class is killer to make up from, but if you are upfront with your professors, they are usually nice about having to turn things in late or not being in classes.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lyxgygzw9npbzqv/Effective%20Study%20Method1.docx

Effective Study Methods Part 1

Effective Study Methods

Part 1

My test study method: When it comes time to study for the test, I usually start 2-3 days before the test. I go through my notes and make flashcards on what was important for those sections, paying special attention to what the teacher said would be on the test if there was a review session. Also, I go through the book and read the inset stories and add to my flashcards. If there are practice problems or online assignments or old tests, I use those to help my study for the test as well. Once the test is over, I keep the flashcards so that I have them for the next test or for the final. Flashcards are a marvelous learning tool. The key to remembering something is to repeat it numerous times-spaced rehearsal. If you forget something, it is because you haven’t repeated it enough times for n extended period of time. Repetition is a law of learning; therefore, to learn and remember, to recall, it is mandatory that you repeat over and over the things you desire to learn and remember. You may be thinking, “Oh, no, repeating something.” You need to get used to it. For example, the more you practice a song on the piano, the better you become at playing the piano-the more you practice saying or doing it the better you can remember it because you have repeated it numerous times since first being exposed to it. So, Practice rehearsing those things you desire to remember, and they will stick with you.

PracticeàProficiencyàPleasure

The better you can remember, the more pleasure you obtain from studying and learning.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u2b3dibkm7n6sr8/Effective%20Study%20Methods.docx