Tips for Academic Success

1. Keep up: It's more manageable to do a little every day on reading and assignments than to try to catch up on a week's worth of work on a Sunday afternoon.

2. Review class notes: Reviewing class notes as soon as possible after class and often has been proven to increase understanding and retention.

3. Engage in active vs. passive learning: Transfer your notes or summarize information onto a tape recorder and listen when in your car; organize and re-write your notes; make a chart, diagram, or flashcards; or, discuss or teach what you are learning with another person. Any time you can interact with, and think about, the information in a new way, you increase understanding and retention.

4. Set the best stage for studying: Study when you are at your best. Are you a morning person? A night person? Can you study during your lunch hour and still be productive in the afternoon or do you need to find time after work? Research also indicates that setting aside a quiet, separate place in your home that will be your study place and always studying there is an effective strategy.

5. Set reasonable study goals: After two hours of studying one's effectiveness is reduced. Take breaks often; the average attention span of an adult is approximately twenty minutes. Study accordingly.