This isn’t High School anymore:
Study strategies and tips for college
students
Ithaca College Academic Advising Center
607-274-1001
130A Rothschild Place
The Center for Academic Advancement
College vs. high school studying
• More material to cover – 4 or 5 classes minimum –
lack of coordination between faculty
• Increased independence and self-motivation and
expected to complete work on your own
• Application vs. memorization – deeper knowledge
• May have fewer projects/exams – each one counts
more
What are the barriers to studying?
•Not enough time
•Lack of motivation
•Not knowing how to study
•Too much material -- overwhelmed
•Not understanding the material
•Anxiety about the exam
Components of studying
• Your motivation – Academic success only occurs
when there is a desire to do well and a purposeful
commitment to devote the time needed to
succeed.
• Academics have to be first and not last in a list of
priorities – entertainment, co-curricular activities
become the reward for time spent on academics.
Lift the weight off your shoulders. Decrease the
snowball effect.
Components of studying
• Recognizing what you don’t know – It is important
to identify terms, formulas, concepts that are
troublesome for you and to seek the necessary
assistance to increase understanding.
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Faculty office hours – USE THEM
Teaching assistants – help sessions
Tutoring – www.ithaca.edu/tutoring
Peers – Study Groups
Components of studying
•Understand how the brain works – short
term vs. long term memory
• Frequent studying in short bits of time over
a few weeks vs. cramming the night before
An activity
• Piece of blank paper and a pen
• Put your pen down
• Look at the next slide for ten seconds
Draw the objects that you just
saw in the same pattern as they
appeared on the screen.
Draw the objects that you just
saw in the same pattern as they
appeared on the screen.
Why was it easier to draw
the second set of figures?
Chunking
You can better remember
information if it is organized
into patterns.
Short Term Memory
7 items plus or
minus 2
Components of studying
• Consistent, frequent and brief review of notes and Power
Points – review notes briefly after class
• Breaking down reading into smaller segments -- checking
your comprehension. It is not about just doing the reading it
is about absorbing it.
• Look for purposeful connection between
assignments/readings and course content – change from
abstract to concrete – think about the goal of the
assignment.
Components of studying
• Understanding that different disciplines require different
ways of studying
• In science/math/computer science = formulas, concepts,
connections, problem sets -- practice, practice, practice
• In humanities/social sciences = concepts, theories, trends,
analyzing, more large amount of reading, focus on papers
Components of studying
• Not every student learns the same way; not every
student should study the same way
• Know your learning style preference and look for
techniques that match it –visual, auditory,
read/write, kinesthetic
• www.vark-learn.com
Learning Styles – VARK
(mnemonic)
• Visual – highlight, colors, mapping, charts
• Auditory – read out loud, quiz yourself
• Read/Write – copy notes, lists, quiz yourself by
writing answers
• Kinesthetic – move around while you are studying,
white boards in classrooms
Write notes – bulleted lists – use white
space -- colors
Example of a mnemonic –
Economic Consequences Industrial Revolution – Loud Tim
• Labor organizations
• Overproduction
• Underemployment
• Division of labor
• Trade increases
• Inequality wealth
• Mass production
Test Preparation
• Identify concepts that you don’t understand and
focus on these – ask your professor to clarify
• Keep track of when you have exams and plan
accordingly – weeks ¾, midterms, weeks 10/11,
final exams.
• Don’t cram – review notes consistently for short
periods – use textbook or supplemental readings or
Web sites for clarification (.edu or .gov)
Test Preparation continued….
• Know the type of exam and plan accordingly.
• Multiple choice – concepts are important – college vs. high
school – know how to apply concepts
• Anatomy & Physiology – memorize – mnemonics
• Chemistry/Math – problem solving
• Either short answer or essays – compare and contrast, describe
processes
• Learn from your first exam/quiz and apply to the next one
What works for you?
Additional tips – Academic Success
Strategies
www.ithaca.edu/advising/
•What tips for studying can you share with
your peers?