Now that the holidays are over, along with finals and last semester’s classes, it’s time to go back to the whirlwind of new classes, classmates, professors, assignments and exams. Along with the New Year resolutions you might make regarding your health or social life, what about your academics? Especially if you didn’t hit your target GPA last semester, there is no better time to turn your year around and have the best semester ever. Her Campus tackles five common academic problems and how to turn them around spring semester so your GPA can skyrocket.
The Problem: You’re Disorganized
Do you start out the semester outlining all of your assignments in the free planner your school gave you? What about a few weeks into the semester? If you’re like me, you might get all of your books, notebooks, pens, pencils, paper and so on organized and ready for new classes, but after a few weeks of a grueling schedule, your bookcase and book bag look like they (barely) survived a natural disaster. By the time I start getting ready for the first wave of exams, I can barely find a pencil, let alone notes from the first week of classes.
The Solution:
Randall Hansen, founder of Quintessential Careers, a career, college, and job-search advice website, says to “keep homework, tests and class papers in a central location. You’ll need these for studying for future tests, for meeting with your professor to discuss them, and for figuring your grade in the class.” An easy organization system can help you throughout the semester, and can contribute to your motivation better than having to sift through a daunting stack of papers every time you need to study. Try using an expandable folder or binder with dividers to organize your papers from each class, organizing them into upcoming assignments, past assignments, test material, papers, etc. However you decide to organize your books and papers, make sure to stick with it.
Being overwhelmed is a big culprit of procrastination, as I’ve learned over the last few years at school. When I had so much on my plate and I couldn’t even figure out what assignment was due when, I wouldn’t get anything done and spent all my time doing pointless things (*cough* Facebook *cough*). Then, I got in the habit of putting every assignment in my planner and every major due date and event (including my class and work schedule) in an online calendar I frequently update and read. It was a lifesaver.
Colorado State University’s director of learning programs at the Institute for Learning and Teaching, Heather Landers, suggests a 3-tiered system to organize your assignments for each class:
- Big Picture: Know when your big exams and papers are – put them into a calendar or planner right away and start planning a study schedule. Landers says to effectively study, you should start planning a schedule ASAP and start studying at least two weeks before a big test.
- Weekly: Use a weekly planner to write down what is due in your classes each week – this will help you prioritize when it comes to creating a study schedule for the week.
- Daily: Create a to-do list every day with small goals you want to accomplish – whether they be finishing an assignment or putting in a few hours of studying for your upcoming exam (or squeezing in a date or workout!).
Get (and use!) a planner – Whether it’s from your school or not, a planner (or similar organizer, like your phone), can help you keep track of due dates and help you prioritize. To spice things up a bit, check out these cute planners and start organizing!
[pagebreak]
The Problem: You Don’t Ask for Help
If you aren’t one to go to your professors’ (or TAs’) office hours and usually try to figure things out on your own, it may be hurting your grade. Whether you don’t have time to seek assistance on a concept or assignment you don’t understand, you’re too shy to reach out, or you think you can just wing it (a popular strategy, but not super effective), getting help from a TA, professor, or classmates can be the difference between a so-so grade and the best grade you can get.
The Solution:
“Seek out assistance when you find yourself struggling,” Hansen said. “Besides the professor and your classmates, most colleges have an academic support center that typically offers assistance in learning how to study, time management, and note-taking, as well as tutoring for a variety of subjects.”
Get help when you need it – your test grades, papers, and even notes will improve drastically. Within the first few classes, find out your professor’s and TA’s office location and hours and get a few email addresses from classmates sitting near you (a great way to meet new friends as well!) so you know where to go for help right away. Before big tests, attend any study sessions that are available or get a group of classmates together to review material for a few hours. Utilize campus resources as well – most colleges have a way for students to get help on testing problems (especially if you have a disability) and many times there is free tutoring for basic classes.
The Problem: You’re Overwhelmed
Whether you’re an athlete, a sorority leader, a student government member, or taking 18 credits with a job (or all of the above), collegiettes™ are notoriously busy. If this is your biggest setback when it comes to study time and making the grades you’d like, let HC help!
The Solution:
“Students often don’t acknowledge how much time you waste,” Landers said. “Be aware of how much time you’re spending on Facebook or with friends. Really give yourself a schedule. Stick to those limits. Once you get distracted it’s hard to get back on track.”
Hansen gives his Do’s and Don’ts for time management when studying:
- DON’T study for the sake of studying. Putting more time into studying will not help you achieve better grades; instead, you need to study smarter. Landers suggests beginning studying for tests two weeks in advance – rather than just reading your notes, try rewriting or typing them, reorganizing them, etc. after each class, preferably the same day when the lecture is still fresh in your mind.
- DO find a study system that works for you, but don’t make it cramming the night before. There are numerous study techniques, such as outlining, flash cards, study groups, etc., and you need to find the one – or the combination – that works best for you for each subject.
- DO consider breaking up your studying into smaller chunks throughout the day; you’ll face less burnout, have more time flexibility, and retain more information by doing so.
- DO develop a regular time to study and read your textbooks, but DON’T make that time late at night or while laying in bed. It’s best if you study your schedule times on days you have that class – the material is fresher in your mind. Go back over your notes with your textbook open, and find similarities or discrepancies in order to make connections and really learn the material.
Prioritize your commitments – by reevaluating what is really important to you and focusing on a few larger projects or groups, rather than devoting a small amount of time to many, your schedule will clear up and you will be more desirable to future employers. Both Hansen and Landers stress the importance of having time to enjoy yourself in college – even if you have to pencil in time to do fun things, don’t let school and other activities take up your entire schedule.
[pagebreak]
The Problem: You Don’t Take Tests Well
When you understand the material but freeze up for whatever reason during exams (or you just don’t have a good study system yet), your grades will suffer, especially in classes where tests could be 100 percent of your total grade. Luckily a few improvements to your test grades should reflect in your average GPA this semester!
The Solution:
Before the test: Every professor is different, and knowing your professor’s testing style can help immensely. Hansen suggests obtaining old tests or asking the professor directly what to expect (ask what kinds of questions to look forward to and what content to study).
Try taking practice tests (whether one provided by your professor or one you made yourself) suggests Landers. Being tested on material is one of the best ways to learn the information. This, she said, is called the “testing effect,” which has been proven to increase memory of the material and slow down the process of forgetting.
Schedule in time each week (well in advance of the exam) to go over notes and be sure to space out your studying, says Landers. “Quality studying – an hour or so a day – beats five hours studying the day before every time,” she said.
The night before your test, get your bag together with everything you need – it’s a good idea to bring last-minute notes you want to read right before the exam. Get plenty of sleep and arrive early to do one last review. Most importantly, relax!
During the test: “Read questions carefully and plan answers. Take your time at the beginning of the test to read through all the instructions and make a plan of attack,” said Hansen. “Pace yourself so you have plenty of time to complete all parts. And know the point values of questions, so you can be sure to complete the most important ones first in case time does run out.” Hansen also emphasizes asking for clarification if you don’t understand a question – better safe than sorry!
If your test anxiety or other testing problems are too serious for self-help, use your campus’s resources (many have testing centers) to get the most out of your classes through personalized testing.
The Problem: Your Note-Taking Skills are Lacking
Some professors, while extremely talented in their field, are terrible at lecturing. When you encounter a professor who can’t seem to get his point across or talks way too fast, it’s impossible to know how to take effective notes that you’ll be able to understand the next day or weeks in the future. Good note-taking is essential in college, and being able to study well from your class notes is vital for your grade in the class when it comes to exams – especially finals.
The Solution:
Hansen says to establish a note-taking system that works best for you. Also working out an abbreviation system can be extremely helpful – the faster you can take notes and the better you can understand your own notes, the more you will be able to understand when reviewing later on.
Landers says the system of note-taking you use depends on what the material is and your learning style. Visit the TILT website for resources on effective note-taking and learning styles (as well as other great resources!).
Hansen also suggests sitting in the front of the class (it’s been proven students in the first few rows perform better, and probably get less distracted) and avoiding sitting by friends. Avoid giving in to daydreaming, texting and doodling and really pay attention and listen in order to get the most out of lectures and have the best notes, and don’t bring your laptop – if you type your notes, do that later as a way to review.
If you missed something the professor said, don’t just skip over it. Compare your notes to your classmates’ or ask your professor/TA during office hours or after class. After class, review your notes and even consider rewriting or typing them not only as a means of organization, but also to help you retain the material much better. “The biggest mistake people make is they rush to write everything down and just go on auto-pilot,” Lander said. “Actually listening to what the professor is saying and actively thinking will improve your notes.”
Make your resolution!
“I think the most important thing for students to improve grades/GPA is that they have to want to do it for themselves,” said Hansen. “Pressure from family or concerns about scholarships or grad school won’t be enough and can actually cause enough stress to make grades worse. The key is for the student to decide for herself that she wants to take positive action steps to improve academic performance. It will probably involve changing habits and possibly learning new studying techniques.”
Use Hansen’s advice on making resolutions this year when it comes to your grades. Visit his website for the full list of how to make (and most importantly, reach) your goals this semester. As a fabulous collegiette™, we know you can rock this semester, and most importantly, learn the skills to keep it up.
Sources:
Dr. Randall Hansen: “College Study Do’s and Don’ts: Tips for Thriving in College,” “Effective Note-Taking: Critical Note-Taking Do’s and Don’ts,” “10 Tips for Getting Good (or Better) Grades,” “Academic Success in the New Year: Making and Keeping Resolutions”
Heather Landers, Director of Learning Programs, The Institute for Learning and Teaching, Colorado State University
The Institute for Learning and Teaching