Study Tips

Time Management Hints

1. Set aside time one day a week, for example, on Friday or Saturday morning to plan your week. No excuses. Make time to save time.
    
2. List the activities you need to do during the week: meals, laundry, housecleaning, shopping, classes, study, religious service, etc.
    
3. On a time management sheet, schedule time for each activity. Be sure that the blocked periods include such considerations as travel time.
   Sample Time Management Sheet
    
4. Block time for class study as well as you can. Designate times for each course. The normal rule of thumb is two hours of study for each hour of class. Study should include reading/note taking, reviewing/editing class notes, writing drafts and working problems.
    
5. Schedule study sessions for time periods when you are most alert and productive. In general, avoid late night study. Unfortunately, we often do not make the most of our most productive work periods.
    
6. Allow for "occasional" interruptions in your working study schedule. Be flexible-but not too flexible. If you are always changing your schedule, you need to analyze, prioritize and reschedule your activities.
    
7. If your study environment has too many distractions, find a new one. Talk to friends about your schedule so that they are aware of your study-work hours. Good communication will maximize production and reduce the strain on friendships.
    
8. Review and edit class notes within 24 hours. Since we forget nearly half of what we hear within a day, it is important that we complete and correct our notes ASAP. Get together with a proficient study partner to enrich the activity. Create, record and answer potential test questions based on the class lecture
    
9. Anticipate class lectures and come to class having surveyed the material to be presented. This will help with the note taking process.
    
10. DO NOT MISS CLASS! There is no substitute for hearing the class lecture and recording key concepts and ideas (future potential test information) in your own words.
     
11. SPACE OUT STUDYING! Academic material is best learned when it is distributed (broken down into small learnable chunks and periodically reviewed.) Include weekend study/review and the work will not seem too overwhelming.
     
12. Cramming for tests should not be the only test preparation technique in your study arsenal. Frequent reviews are usually more productive than all night cram sessions. Prior to a test, schedule private and group (two or three individuals) review sessions. Allow for adequate time to visit with the instructor for any needed clarification. Practice potential essay questions.
     
13. During a test: 1) arrive on time and avoid test discussions among other students. 2) arrive with adequate test taking materials (erasable ink pens, extra pencils, blue books, calculator, watch, etc. 3) listen and read instructions carefully. 4) schedule time for test questions; give high point test questions their due. 5) prior to answering an essay question, think and write a brief general outline. 6) answer questions you know and mark the questions that you need to return to. Don’t waste time pondering the imponderable. 7) if there is time, review your test before submitting it, there are not bonus point for racing.
     
14. Make time to review the returned test. If you did poorly, trace your notes to see where the test questions were devised. Keep the test and test corrections for use as a study guide for any later comprehensive tests.
     
15. Visit with the instructor during his/her office hours to discuss concerns, problems, etc.
     
16. If you have a job while you are a full-time student, it is highly recommend that you work no more than 20 hours per week. Being a full-time student is a full-time job in and of itself.
     
17. If you are a full-time student and a parent, it is highly recommended that you schedule quality time with your children. This will help reduce the guilt and will allow for needed interaction between you and your loved ones.