Essential Study Skills for College Success

Even good high school students with a solid foundation of study skills may find that college-level academics are a whole new experience. Your teen will be responsible for his
or her own learning, which means that self-discipline, analytical skills and time management and prioritizing will be imperative like never before. Many students figure these things out within the first month or so of college, but knowing in advance some of the most important strategies for success in college will help your teen prepare him or herself for the college experience.

How are college classes different than high school classes? Depending on the college size, your teen may be among 300 students in some of his or her general education classes. He or she will not physically attend class as frequently as in high school. Perhaps the biggest difference is professors’ expectations of students in college. Your teens’ high school teachers likely gave frequent reminders about assignments and tests and approached students personally when they seemed to be struggling. In college, quite simply, there is far less hand-holding. Professors expect that students are eager to learn, will ask questions and are supplementing class lectures with reading and effective studying on their own time."

Knowing these major differences, how can your teen prepare to get off on the right foot at college - and avoid damaging his or her academic record with a bad first semester?

10 study skills for college success:

1.     Get to know how you learn best. College does require more studying, but adjusting how   your teen studies for different classes is just as important. Consider having your teen take a learning styles inventory or assessment his or her senior year.

2.     Move beyond memorization. Your teen will still need to memorize some things, but he or she will need to think critically, analyze and evaluate what he or she reads and hears, and review what he or she learns as he or she learns it.

3.     Focus on what the teacher says. In college, it’s easy to get distracted, but paying attention during class lectures is crucial.

4.     Do not rely on study tools for comprehension. Things like making flash cards or using a highlighter to underscore information are only effective if they truly help your teen absorb information.

5.     Do not write down everything the professor says. As your teen takes notes, he or she should understand that it is less important to take down every word out of a professor’s mouth than it is to listen carefully, process, then write down a condensed summary that will later trigger the ideas and topics discussed in class.

6.     Learn good note-taking techniques. Your teen should learn to take notes in an organized way, writing down sufficient information to understand the point, summarizing key ideas and noting important examples as he or she listens and reads.

7.     Before reading a chapter, skim. Your teen can make the most of reading sessions by identifying key terms to learn and even reading the conclusion or summary of learning points at the chapter’s end before beginning to read.

8.     Read actively. Strategies such as self-quizzing and text annotation - making notes in the margins - will help your teen retain information as he or she reads it.

9.     Take breaks. Studies show that it is far more effective to take breaks when studying than to engage in long sessions with lots of procrastination and zoning-out time. When your teen’s mind begins to wander or he or she simply isn’t focusing, that’s a good sign that it’s time to stop studying for the night.

10.    Read the syllabus. A professor’s syllabus outlines goals and expectations and may even offer study tips or suggestions to succeed in his or her class, so your teen should read it carefully and if needed, clarify with professors early in the semester.