Tips for Academic Success

 

“Do you know HOW to study?”

“Do you have difficulty staying organized?”

“Are your lecture notes hard to read and often missing important information?”

 

If you’ve answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, here are some tips to help you on your journey to success in high school and beyond.   Keep in mind that good study habits and grades don’t just happen.  They take hard work, patience and practice. 

 

  1. Keep an agenda/planner.  Be sure to update it throughout the day, as you move from class to class.  And once you get home, look over it carefully.

 

  1. Set-up a daily schedule.  Take into consideration the amount of time that you generally relax (talk on the phone, watch TV, play on the computer, hang-out with friends, etc.), sleep, and get ready in the morning.  You may be surprised at how much time you actually have to complete homework and study.  This can be especially helpful to those of you who are involved in extra-curricular activities. 

 

  1. Set goals for your grades each 6-Week’s, as well as for the semester.  In setting your goals, you want to challenge yourself, but be sure to make them realistic and attainable.  Research has shown that if you shoot for a goal that’s too high, you are more likely to get frustrated and maybe even give-up.  Write your goals down, so that you can refer to them whenever you want and monitor your successes.  Also, write down the methods that you plan to use to reach your goals.  Setting a goal is a good start, but having a clear action plan will greatly strengthen your chances of success.

 

  1. Find a study method/s that works best for you.   Most importantly, don’t procrastinate!  Even on the days that your teacher has not given you a specific homework assignment, you should be reviewing your notes, preparing for upcoming tests and quizzes, working on project research, etc.  By looking over material covered in class on a regular basis, you’ll find that you’ll be able to relax more when a test comes along and have an easier time memorizing the necessary information.

Some examples of ways to study…

    1. Flash cards
    2. Cornell notes
    3. Completing practice problems
    4. Ask a friend to quiz you and vice versa
    5. Rewriting your notes
    6. Create acronyms
    7. Create a study group
    8. Go to tutoring

 

  1. Learn how to take effective notes.  Here are some examples of what makes good notes:
    1. neat and easy to read
    2. use of abbreviations, bullets, and headings
    3. goes in an order that makes sense and is easy to follow; stays on topic
    4. includes all important information from the class’ overhead, power point and lecture, but is still concise and to the point
    5. skip lines between main ideas

 

  1. Get sufficient sleep and eat healthy, so that you’re ready to make your way successfully through another day.
    Also, seek for a balance between school, friends, family, and yourself.