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Efficient note taking while doing homework is one of the most important study skills you need to succeed in school. These studying tips will help you get more out of lectures and class handouts, help you study more efficiently at home, and prepare for tests.
Here’s how to get started:
Steps
Pick one new note-taking strategy to try when doing homework. The following list contains some proven strategies, but don’t try all of them at once. Pick one to try this week, then add new tips as you incorporate the previous ones into your study routine.
- Make up symbols and abbreviations. This can be fun, plus you'll save time when you use your own shorthand system for taking notes.
- Review your notes. Students who review their notes the same day they take them—even for just five minutes—remember more than students who don't look at their class notes until they're studying for a test.
- Keep track of dates. Put the date on every page. If your binder pops open and your notes spill out, the dates will help you get the pages back in order. Dates can also help you remember exactly when you learned something.
Review the tips listed. Are you already using any of the tips? How well do they work for you? Are there any strategies listed that you think would work better than what you are doing now?
Tip: Review your notes even if there isn’t a test that week. By reviewing often, you will feel better prepared when a test is scheduled.
STUDYING TIPS
Efficient note taking is one of the most important study skills you need to succeed in school. These studying tips will help you get more out of lectures and class handouts, help you study more efficiently at home, and prepare for tests.
Here’s how to get started:
Steps
Pick one note-taking strategy to try in class. - The following list contains some proven strategies, but don’t try them all at once. Pick one to try this week, then add new tips as you incorporate the previous ones into your study routine.
- If it's on the board, write it down. Teachers use the board and projectors to present important information. If they emphasize a point by writing it on the board or using a projector, it's important enough to go into your notebook.
- Take notes in the margins of your handouts. Don't rewrite information that's already been prepared for you in a handout but add notes to yourself and clarifications the teacher offers in the margins.
- Write down definitions and examples. Pay special attention to definitions and examples that your teacher uses to illustrate and explain new concepts.
- Don't try to write down everything the teacher says. You'll never keep up. Just aim for the main concepts. Write down words the teacher emphasizes, key questions, and important points.
- Pay extra attention at the beginning and end of class. Teachers usually introduce the lesson at the start of the class. If you keep the agenda in mind as the class continues, you'll follow the lesson more easily. Teachers often review important concepts at the end of class. During this review, be sure you've got the important concepts in your notes.
Review the tips listed. Are you already using any of the tips? How well do they work for you? Are there any strategies listed that you think would work better than what you are doing now?
Tip: Write down the strategy and put it somewhere you will see it as a reminder, like in your planner or calendar, in the inside of a binder, or on the cover of a notebook. Then use the technique in one or more of your classes until you feel comfortable using it.
10 Financial Tips for College and
"Soon-to-Be” College Students
1. Use Credit Cards Sparingly
Use credit cards wisely because this is a chance to establish a solid credit history. Watch the interest rates. Don't be suckered by low introductory rates. Expect the interest rate, or annual percentage rate (APR), to climb above 20% in three to six months. Don't use the card for routine living expenses or a night on the town.
2. Pay all Credit Card Balances in Full
Remember: Credit is a loan--and it doesn't come from The Bank of Dad. That means any balance on the credit card must be repaid. Get a card with a low limit. Shop around for the best deal and read the fine print before signing up. If you move, inform the bank of your new address. Guard your credit card number and close unused accounts.
3. Get the Best Deal on a Checking Account
Shop around before opening a checking account. Smaller banks may offer a better deal. Compare fees. Ask if there's a fee for dealing with a teller, including deposits or withdrawals. Ask if there's a fee to use a debit card. Ask about ATM fees. Ask if overdraft protection is part of the student package. If not, ask about linking such coverage to a bank-issued credit card.
4. Keep Track of your Spending
Use cash whenever possible because counting out the bills underscores the connection between the purchased item and money leaving your wallet. Use a debit card before a credit card for the same reason. Keep track of spending because a budget means nothing without accurate accounting.
5. Set a Limit on Entertaining
Set a limit for walking-around money and stick to it. Hitting up the ATM for another fistful of crisp twenties is easy--and guaranteed to deplete your bank account.
6. Keep an Eye out for Free Money
Apply for scholarships. This requires digging and persistence. See what's available. Don't be bashful. If you have a shot, apply. If it's a long shot, how can you go wrong for the price of a stamp?
7. Get a Part-Time Job
Check out college work-study programs. A few jobs may be related to your studies. Otherwise, look for a job with tips such as waiting tables, parking cars or delivering pizza. Summer work is a necessity for many students, but don't overlook internships--they're a good way to get a taste of what you may make a career and establish contacts in the field.
8. Avoid taxes on Stupidity
Avoid unnecessary expenses at all costs. Parking fines are a tax on stupidity or laziness. Read the signs and follow the rules. This goes for little things like returning library books or videos. Pay your bills on time or you'll get stuck with a late fee.
9. Don’t Eat Out All the Time
Pack a lunch. This will save you big bucks. Don't eat regularly at fast-food restaurants because it will reduce your bank account while bloating your belly. At the supermarket, buy the house brand and increase your savings. Never shop on an empty stomach.
10. Look for Student Discounts
Clip coupons. Many businesses give students discounts in an effort to establish a relationship that will continue when they enter the real world and start earning a paycheck. Take advantage of the perks. Be on the lookout for deals on plane tickets, pizza, books, clothes--everything. The student newspaper is a good place to start. The Internet can be a gold mine of discounts.
Six Tips for Student Success
1. Use daily, weekly, and semester calendars to keep track of appointments and assignments and to plan how you want to use your time.
- Effective time managers don't rely on their memories to hold important dates and times. They write them down! This clears their brains for more important tasks like thinking.
- Combine due dates for several major projects on a long-term calendar to help you set and accomplish goals, plan and use your time wisely, and avoid procrastination or last minute panics.
2. Review your lecture and reading notes within 24 hours after you take them.
- Since we tend to forget about 80% of what we read or hear within the first 24 hours, this first review is vital to retention. Equally important, it helps you to build a "framework" of knowledge that you continually add to instead of starting from scratch.
3. Keep all your class materials syllabi, notes, papers, exams, and homework in a 3-ring binder.
- Many students spend half their time just getting organized. Do it as you go; then, use the time you've saved for valuable physical and mental recreation.
4. Establish a regular study routine, and study during daylight hours.
- Find a place that is comfortable but not too comfortable and always do your studying there, preferably during the same hours each day. Also, keep in mind that you're about 1.5 times more productive during the daylight hours than when the sun is down.
5. Begin preparing for exams from the first day of class.
- Make everything you do from taking notes, doing homework, writing papers, and taking quizzes an exam preparation strategy. Watch and listen for potential exam questions. Then, use the week before the exam to review not to learn.
6. When you need help, see your instructors during their office hours, and talk to your academic advisor.
TIPS TO GET TO KNOW YOUR PROFESSORS
Being friendly to your professors can pay off big at the end of the semester. Remember, the professor is the person who determines what grade you are going to get, so it's better to be on good terms with them. Many students just show up for class and never talk to their professor, so by putting in a little extra effort you can stand out from all of the "other" students.
Top 10 tips on how to get on the good side of your professors:
1. Try to meet with the professors one on one early in the semester (before you start having problems in the class).
2. Say hi if you see the professor walking around campus. Most students avoid professors or pretend they don't know them on campus.
3. Do the required assignments. Make sure you don't show up to class without doing the required reading or without the paper that is due.
4. Turn in work on time. Some professors are really particular about assignments being turned in on time, and may not accept work if it is late.
5. Don't be late to class. Some professors do not like it if you show up after the class has started, make sure you are always a little early to avoid this.
6. Do not miss any classes, otherwise professors will think that you don't care.
7. Contact the professor ahead of time if you absolutely have to miss a class.
8. Don't fall asleep in class. Bring a soda or coffee to class if this is a problem for you.
9. Ask or answer questions. This helps the professor get to know you.
10. Sit in the front of the class. Professors get to know the students up in front of class because they are closer and seem more interested to be there. This will also help you concentrate and pay attention.
These are all tips that should help you get to know, and get along with the people who determine your grades.
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