by Sam Ramsay

Created on: May 20, 2008

Congratulations! You've made it to college! You are now in the major leagues, and to make top grades, you'll need an effective game plan.

Here is a step by step plan to help you study effectively for college.

1- Examine the course syllabus:
Your course syllabus is the key to structure your work. Transcribe the titles and subtitles with plenty of blank spaces on note papers. You will fill the blanks later.

2- Read material before attending class:
While doing the recommended reading prior (emphasis on prior!) your class, mark unclear passages and questions to ask the teacher. Use the prepared papers from step 1. Also, write down, in bullet form, the main idea of each paragraph.

Your note papers should look something like this:

Chapter 1: Title of chapter 1
Subtitle 1
1a) Paragraph 1 main idea
1b) Paragraph 2 main idea
1c) Paragraph 3 main idea
Questions to ask.

3- While attending the class:
While listening to your teacher, grab your note papers and place a star when a topic is covered. If the teacher hints that a particular subject is really important, put more stars. It may seem obvious now, but a few weeks down the road it will help you concentrate on what is really important. Make sure your questions were answered. Don't be afraid to them, there is always a bunch of classmates having the same questions.

4- It's now time to study for the exams!
Take out all your note papers. When reading each paragraph main idea, make sure you can explain out loud what is covered in that paragraph (even better if you have a classmate listening to you! That way if you misunderstood something, you can be corrected). If you can't explain the paragraph main idea, go back to the textbook. Make sure you know very well the subjects with many stars. If you have practices questions at the end of a chapter, do them and check your answers with the one provided in the textbook. Variations of these questions are likely to appear on your real exam. You can also invent your own questions and try to answer them as best as you can.

5- Just before the exam!
Double check on the class date and time, and make sure you are near the classroom a few minutes before the exam. It is very likely that you will find many classmates revising together or making sure they really understand challenging material. Have extra pens or pencils as you don't need the extra stress of having some hardware' malfunction.

6- Sitting at the exam:
Take a few moments to check on the length of the exam itself. It will give you a rough idea on how much time you can dedicate on each question. If specific exam questions are worth more than others, it may be a good idea to start with them first, so you spend more time on them. Skip the questions that you can't answer at first glance, and come back to them later. Answering other questions may help to trigger your memory. If you have time left, re-read your answers to make sure everything is logical, well written and check your spelling.

If your follow these simple steps you will have a very structured way of studying. You will be well on your way to make top grades and enjoy your college years!

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