A Path to Success in College Courses

Written by: Megan DeKuiper, Pre-Health Peer Advisor

With a new semester starting, I thought it would be beneficial to share how I go about most of my classes and some tips I have for starting the semester off right. With over three years of experience myself, here is my step-by-step plan on how I stay organized, study, and succeed in my college courses.

1. Read the syllabus

I know this is something you have heard over and over again, so it doesn't bring me joy being the 1000th person to say this but, YOU NEED TO READ THE SYLLABUS. There is a reason why reading the syllabus is so stressed. The syllabus will provide you with very valuable information regarding how the class is run, and it is the first step in being able to succeed in the class. You have to know what is expected of you before you are able to succeed!

2. Make a schedule/planner

Deadlines are extremely important in your college classes. Most classes will provide no leniency for late work so making sure you are aware and conscious of all the due dates is ideal. This will make it easier for you to navigate through the semester in a more organized fashion. With this being said, after reading the syllabus for a class, my next step is to put everything into a schedule/planner. This is something that can be done a couple of different ways. The format you choose for your planner is entirely up to you in deciding whether you prefer digital or paper planners, monthly or weekly, etc. Personally, I use the app Goodnotes on my iPad to make a digital monthly planner. I prefer to write out my schedule for the entire semester or at least half to get it out of the way. I write out a list of tasks I need to do each day, reminders, deadlines, and events. I also color code the information for my different classes in order to make it more organized and easy to follow. Some prefer writing out a plan for their day and breaking it into time fragments. How you do it is up to you!

3. Introduce yourself to classmates/profs

The next step is to introduce yourself to your classmates and professors. This step can be intimidating but will help you out in the long run! Start by introducing yourself to some of the students that sit around you. Don’t be shy to ask for someone's contact so that you can ask them questions and study in the future! Another great way to stay connected is to join GroupMe’s for classes.GroupMe is a platform that allows you to communicate with other students and ask questions regarding the class setup or material. A good starting point to succeeding in a class is having a support system when you need help. You are not alone! So, be sure to put in the effort to make these connections as it will help out a ton!

 4. Start strong!

It is important at the beginning of the semester to start strong. What I mean when I say this is you must go to all your classes, make sure to not miss any deadlines, and study hard for the first exam. This will put you in a really good position for the rest of your semester and allow you some grace later as a lot of the material will build on itself.

 5. Study!

A crucial step in improving your learning is to find what study techniques work the best for you. It can be easy to get wrapped up in re-watching lectures and re-reading notes, but that is not always the best way! I have listed below some suggestions on how you could change up your study habits.

1. 1. Active recall- An example of this would be reading through a section of material and then, without looking at any notes, trying to remember as much information as you can. Then see how accurate you were and fill in any missing gaps. This method forces your brain to retrieve the information. Personally, I have found it to be the most effective technique when trying to memorize information (along with mnemonic devices).
   2. Teach the material to a friend- Actively saying the words out loud and explaining a concept can really help you find any gaps in your understanding! Let your friend or family member ask questions and see if you know the answers!
   3. Concept maps- In many courses, you will be able to see a connection between a lot of the information that is being presented. A good way to keep track of these and be able to visually see these connections is through concept maps. I find these to be useful when trying to get an overall view of the material in front of me.
   4. Study Buddy/Group- Having classmates to study with can be very beneficial while learning material as you will have other people to ask questions. You can also hold each other to some accountability by setting times to study and/or having deadlines for knowing certain information.

6. Assess how you have been doing- and make adjustments!

Sometimes you come across a class where you do all these things yet feel like your hard work is not translating over to your grade. This is okay and this happens. My biggest tip for when this happens is to be flexible! You must adjust to the class, not hope the class will adjust to you! Maybe your way of studying isn’t the best or you weren't looking over the right material. You must figure out what not only works best for you but also what might work best for the class. If you did not do amazing on the first exam, change the way that you are studying the material and see if that helps. Also, you can go to the help room and ask for guidance on how to do better in the course! Your professors and TA’s want you to succeed! 

7. Remember that at the end of the day, your goal is to learn!

I know personally how easy it is to get wrapped up in your grades and stressed out about the next assignment. The biggest thing that has helped me is remembering why you are here! We are all here to learn, and at the end of the day, that is the most important part of your college experience, not your grade. So, with this being said, give yourself some grace, take a deep breath, and enjoy the journey.