Posted September 16th, 2014
By Kris Powers
Whether you are a recent high school graduate, or you are taking courses while in the workforce, there are steps you can take to make your learning experience more successful.
1. Take care of yourself. While in college or taking college courses, there is no one to stand over you and tell you what to do. Eating properly, getting enough rest, going to class, studying, turning in assignments -all of these are things you're going to have to do without a teacher to remind you. It is up to you to take control and take responsibility!
2. Research your professors. Take the time to find the best professors on campus or online and sign up for their classes. A good professor can turn a neutral subject area into something fun; a poor professor may turn you off on a subject area you might have loved. Talk to your advisor, other students or use your school's faculty review resources to locate faculty members of interest.
3. Participate. Skipping class is the best way to fail. Missing even one or two classes can cause you to miss out on important lectures and content. Attend each and every class and be an active participant. The same is true with online courses; don't let too much time go by before logging in and completing your next assignment. Participate in group discussion boards and contact your mentor with any questions you may have.
4. Focus. Focus on what you are doing this very moment. Students today have so many distractions; smart-phones and devices can constantly interrupt your learning process by alerting you to the fact that there is a new text message, email or Facebook post. Turn off all outside interruptions until your lesson or coursework is complete. Your grades will thank you for it!
5. Study. It can be difficult to juggle classes, study time as well as extracurricular activities. That's why it's important to block out a few times a week to find a quiet place to study the material presented. Put those times on your calendar - it's an appointment with yourself!
6. Take a pre-exam. Before an exam, it's a good idea to construct a pre-test using questions from the study guide and take it a few times to familiarize yourself with the material. Re-read lecture notes, watch power-points, study with another student. Establish a study routine that works for you and stick with it!
7. Prioritize. Your college education is your number one priority right now and every single decision you make needs to feed back to that being your priority. That might mean prioritizing homework before play and leisure time. Or re-thinking that late night concert the evening before your 9:00 a.m. class. It also means logging in, each and every day, to your online course to do assignments, check for updates, etc.
8. Connect and get support. Get to know your professor or mentor. These visits can be done in person, email, IM or even Skype. You will have an opportunity to better understand the course material, and you will also begin establishing professional and academic resources for future use. Students should be familiar with the academic support center and the career services center, either on campus or online.
9. Don't declare your major right away. Students are often asked to declare a major early in their freshman year. It's a much better idea to take a few courses in a field of interest and see if it's something you might like to do. Conduct a "reality check" every semester to make sure that you are on the right track and still interested in your major.
10. Feed your passion. Each semester, take at least one course in a topic you are passionate about. You might learn a skill that you have always wanted to learn, or delve deeper into a topic that has always interested you. The satisfaction you'll feel from studying something that you enjoy will brighten your semester!
Sources:
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2010/08/17/top-10-secrets-of-college-success
