The study habits that work best in college are practice testing (quizzing yourself instead of rereading), spacing review over several days instead of cramming, and mixing different types of problems. Learning research has supported these for years. They feel harder than highlighting and rereading, which is part of why they work.
What most students do, and why it falls short
- Rereading notes and textbooks. It feels productive because the material becomes familiar, but familiarity is not the same as being able to recall it on an exam.
- Highlighting. Easy to do, and it rarely changes what you remember.
- Cramming. It can get you through tomorrow’s exam, but much of it fades quickly, which hurts on cumulative finals.
Habits that work
Practice testing
Close the book and try to recall. Use flashcards, answer the end-of-chapter questions, redo homework problems without looking or write out everything you remember about a topic and then check. Getting things wrong while practicing is useful; it shows you exactly what to review.
A simple way to start: after each lecture, write five questions the professor could ask about it. Before the next class, answer them from memory. Over a term, those questions become a ready-made practice exam.
Spaced review
Study the same material in shorter sessions spread over days and weeks. Thirty minutes on each of four days usually beats two hours the night before. Schedule a quick review of each week’s material at the end of that week.
Mixing problem types
Once you understand several kinds of problems, practice them mixed together instead of in blocks. It is harder because you have to decide which method to use, and that is exactly what exams ask.
Explaining it in your own words
Try teaching a concept out loud, to a friend or to an empty room. The spots where you stumble are the gaps. Go back to the notes for just those spots, then try explaining again.
A weekly study routine
- Before class: Skim the reading for ten minutes so the lecture makes sense.
- Same day: Spend fifteen minutes turning notes into questions.
- Midweek: Do the homework without looking at examples first, then check.
- End of week: Quiz yourself on everything from the week.
- Before exams: Make a practice exam from your questions and take it under time pressure, a week out, not the night before.
Fitting this in requires a plan; see time management for college students.
The environment matters
- Put the phone in another room, or at least out of reach and on silent
- Study in a consistent spot that is not your bed
- Use study groups for quizzing each other, not for reading together
- Go to office hours with specific questions; it is one of the most underused resources on campus
- Use the campus tutoring or learning center for subject help
When good habits are not enough
If a student is putting in real effort and still cannot focus, retain material or finish exams, it may be worth talking to a licensed professional about an evaluation for ADHD or a learning difference, and to the campus disability services office about accommodations. Students on academic probation should also ask their advisor about required support.
Where a mentor fits (and where a tutor does)
A tutor teaches the subject. A mentor helps with the habits around it: building the weekly study routine, actually doing practice testing instead of rereading, getting to office hours and following through when motivation dips. Many students benefit from both. Mentoring sessions are by video in the student’s time zone, with text check-ins between sessions, and with the student’s permission parents receive progress updates. See mentoring for college students and mentor vs tutor.
Related
- Mentoring for college students
- Executive function skills
- Academic probation
- Helping a struggling college student
- How to Talk to Professors and Use Office Hours
Common questions
Is rereading notes a good way to study?
It is one of the least effective common methods. Quizzing yourself and spacing review over several days work much better for most material.
How long should a study session be?
Focused blocks of about 25 to 50 minutes with short breaks work well for many students. Several shorter sessions across the week usually beat one long one.
Do study groups help?
They help when the group quizzes each other and explains concepts. They help less when they turn into rereading together or socializing.
Get started
Want help building study habits that stick? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.