College Study Tips for Acing Your First Exam

Study smarter to achieve academic success early and often. It’s a big leap going from high school to college; the classes are more complex, and the expectations placed on the student are significantly higher. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to study the right way.

Set Yourself Up for Success with these College Study Tips

Use these effective and efficient college study tips to prepare for the first big exam:

Study Everywhere: Research has suggested that students retain more information when they study in multiple locations. Use your room, the library, the quad, and any other part of campus where it is easy to focus.
Pair Up: Studying in pairs or groups is a great way to cover more information and ensure that nothing gets overlooked. Study partners can also quiz each other, encourage motivation and focus in the days leading up to the test.
Make Flash Cards: Some college study tips never go out of style. The act of writing the information on flash cards helps to promote retention. And the ability to mix up the flashcards and randomly engage with the information helps to improve memory recall.
Take a Practice Test: Simulating the test format and environment can help students to feel more comfortable and confident when the real test is being administered. The professor may be able to supply these tests, and there are a number of resources online applicable to general first-year classes.
Reject Labels: Rather than identifying as a certain type of learner – auditory/visual or left brain/right brain – explore a variety of study strategies. Also, be willing to incorporate multiple methods to aid in your success.
Show Up: It can be easy and tempting to skip out on large lectures but engaging with information exactly as the professor presents it is one of the best ways to prepare for a test. It’s much harder trying to learn everything straight out of a textbook.
Study Broadly: Instead of total immersion in one subject, study for a few things at once, or work on assignments for another class while studying for a big exam. This helps to alleviate boredom while keeping the brain agile and active.
Manage Time: The worst mistake a student can make it not giving himself enough time to study. Start preparing early, and be aware of the upcoming commitments that will make it difficult to focus on studying.

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Prepare your Mind and Body for the Exam

Even students who follow all these college study tips will struggle on the day of the exam if they don’t get enough sleep the night before. Being well rested is absolutely essential for having the physical and mental energy necessary to earn an A. In order to get healthy amounts of quality sleep, it’s important to have a comfortable bed, and the average dorm mattress is not up to the task. Upgrade the space and sleep soundly each night with a DormTopper from Beloit Mattress.