How do top students study?
There are many good “suggestions” about the best study methods but the real answer is, it depends on WHO YOU ARE. How do students from Oxford, Harvard, MIT study…honestly why do people focus on the school rather than the best ways to study?
No studying method is good for everyone as most people learn in different ways and at different rates. I’ve made up more of a practical survival guide and methods that can be used for just about everyone.
Here are some of the basics that apply to almost everyone:
Get a full night of sleep on a regular basis. Take a nap during the day if you have too. Sleep deprivation makes it harder to focus in class and is a detriment to long term memory.
Eat at least three times a day, especially before class. Do NOT overeat, it will likely make you tired. Try to eat healthy when possible. Losing energy in the middle of a class means losing focus.
Attend every class, get there early or on time. Sounds like a no-brainer right? But professors notice attendance, even the “easy” ones. Missing a class immediately puts you at a disadvantage as there is almost always material they review in class that will not be in the published material. ie This will be on the quiz. This part I really need you to focus on as it counts a lot in the coming term ect…
ALWAYS take handwritten notes. Methodology about how is later but it is a proven fact that for MOST students, taking written notes (even in a slide lecture) has a better chance of committing it to memory. (if you have writing issues, see later paragraph about audio recordings)
Always do the homework assignments and if possible DO THEM EARLY. You’ve just reviewed the required material and now it’s likely to stay with you longer.
Another obvious one, when farther into a semester, always review the previous quizzes and exams. Doing so regularly will keep it fresh in your mind. You also have been given the gift of learning HOW this professor tests you vs how they present you the material.
If the professor offers extra credit assignments, DO THEM. Even if you already have an A. You may find you need to miss an assignment because of unexpected circumstances and that extra may be the padding you need not to drop your GPA.
STAY ORGANIZED. You will need to divide your time AS NEEDED. Using your calendar app, reminders, white board or whatever works best for you to keep track of assignments, quiz and exam dates as well as ANYTHING that might change the schedule. Do this for ALL classes!
PARTICIPATE IN CLASS. Afraid to get an answer wrong? So what? Believe it or not if you do get it wrong, you’re more likely to remember the correct answer once the teacher explains it.
Study IN CHUNKS. It’s been said before by many others for good reason. Taking regular breaks keeps you from exhausting yourself and you’ll be more likely to retain the material. How many and how long DEPENDS ON YOU. Some people can go longer, others shorter. Ignore people who post specific study increments, they can be used as a guide but it can not and does not apply to everyone.
SLIDES. If your professor provides them you bet your bottom dollar that the quizzes and exams will be from the material included in them. STUDY them!
If possibles:
If possible, meet and talk to the professor regarding the material, even if you think you understand it. I convinced one professor to hold a separate class study session before each exam, everyone in that class received a major boost in their grade. We also video’d the session and made it public before the exam for students who couldn’t attend the extra class.
I’ll stress this again, MEET WITH YOUR PROFESSORS. EVERY professor I have talked to that wished their students would communicate with them more. Trust me, they take note.
If possible, find a tutor that you not only like, but works with you through the entire semester. In my case I found most of the best ones were NOT at the school.
If possible, join or create a study group. I regularly got to a class early and started using the projection screens to review the material. Soon, other students saw this and started joining in. We would do a “cram” an hour before the exam IN the same classroom. The teacher was so surprised at the sudden increase in good grades, she posted the comparison which showed a MASSIVE increase in grade results. (We used Quizlets, Kahoot! and just plain drilling each other on concepts)
If having difficulty in a hard but required course, see if you can ATTEND IT AGAIN and I don’t mean next semester! Most teachers have another set of hours for the same course and even if it’s not them, it’s the SAME course. I asked for permission more than once and took the same class multiple times. If it’s a different teacher, you get it from another perspective. If it’s from the same teacher, you get exposed to the material twice as much. Bonus, the teachers are interested in hearing your perspective on how the different classes relate.
If possible, EXCERCISE! Even while studying, cardio is usually easiest. Getting on the elliptical with your study material or playing a Khan video while on the treadmill will help keep you alert and likely absorb the material better. Some lightweight curling at your desk can also help.
------------------------------------
So that was just the things you should be doing, the others if you can.
Additional notes on studying:
Some student swear by this: if IN A LECTURE class that is light on slides, try using the Cornell Note taking system:
Cornell Notes - Wikipedia
No matter what note method you take, many high achievers will summarize the notes after class to help them understand what they just learned.
If given reading material and it includes questions, answer them, even if it’s not part of the assignment. Often professors take some of their test questions directly from the book.
Isolate yourself! Put the damn phone away and turn on DND. Turn off the TV or streaming. Get away from crowds and noise if you can. Focusing on the material is important. Getting interrupted means you will be spending time figuring out where you left off. I personally focus better when I have hearing protection on. Ear buds can be used for this with no music. Some people however focus better with a low music or white noise (many great apps for this). I also take care of anything around me that may bother me, like putting some things away in my office. Experiment to see what is BEST for YOU.
Other things to try:
Some classrooms are incredibly HOT! I find when it's too hot, I have a hard time concentrating/staying awake. I started wearing short sleeve shirts and shorts when the weather was appropriate. When it's really cold weather but the classroom is boiling, I've learned to dress in layers so I can strip down when I end up in the classroom that feels like a sauna...
Make an audio recording on your phone of each class (I only do this for the really difficult courses). Some classes offer an online video of each class. Listen to those recordings on the way to school or on your way home. I made my audio recordings available to everyone. (not helpful for all classes of course)
Quizlets is a great tool to use for memorization, use it if it helps you. I make detailed ones without fail for every quiz and exam. Some teachers now make my Quizlets directly available to students.
Quizzing yourself. The internet is a powerful tool and you can find almost any subject that provides extra study material available, including test questions.
Some students print out the slides for the class in advance and take notes directly on them. Some use their tablets to do the same. It’s a good way to keep the material together and organized.
I purchased an iPad Pro and preload any slides as PDF's so I can use the iPads pen to easily write directly on the slides. This has helped me tremendously at streaming my studying.
Online resources like Khan Academy are a great way to review material while traveling. You also may be surprised at the amount of YouTube (among others) videos available.
Chegg CAN be helpful when you’re REALLY stuck but I normally recommend against it. If you end up leaning too hard on a service that provides you the answer without you doing the work, you’re only going to hurt yourself in the long run. I ONLY used it when I absolutely was stuck and needed a fast resource. I cancelled immediately after.
APPS for your specific subject. Be careful what you choose but for some of the more advanced topics these can be incredibly helpful.
Hope this helps anyone who may need it!
-Max