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High School Study Habits: Do They Still Work in College?



Back in the University of the Philippines, it didn't take long for me to realize that most of what I knew about "studying for exams" in high school no longer apply. It was the first big exam after enrollment; the trial of fire. It was when each of the new students could get a feel of who among their compatriots are their competition. Because, to most of the freshmen in that school, everything is a competition. 

So, a few days before the exam. I read and re-read the reference and my notes, and recited the material out loud. I took notes while I browsed the books. Everything I did in high school, I applied. But my final score was mediocre. To others, this would have been enough. But I wanted to know what else I can do, and even more badly, I wanted to know why my old study strategies didn't seem to work anymore.
 

College vs. High School: The Basic Differences 


Teachers in high school typically know their students, as in they know who's performing well and who's not. They also know who needs help in which subject. Some high school teachers take so much pride in their ability to teach that they couldn't bear it if their students don't seem to get the lesson. They are tremendously involved in their students' progress.

High school peers are also different from college peers. In high school, peers are more willing to help out and share their knowledge. 

In college, professors are not as engaged in their students' learning, they are not as involved as high school teachers. Many professors are part-time, i.e., simply teaching because they're research has not attracted any big pharma company or capital investor. They give grades fairly, and rarely give students slack. After all, they don't remember enough of their students to give any one of them any slack. If you want college professors to notice, you either have to run after them after class to get a few minutes of their time, make an appointment or wait outside the faculty room for them.

Unlike high school classes, the college classes are huge, which means it's every man for himself. The group projects, which many high school students have used to skate by with excellent marks, are no more. Exams in college are worth a lot of points, because quizzes, assignments, and projects are rare. 

Read for Enrichment, Not Just for Exams 


If you've never been much of a reader in high school, you will need to up your game in college. Intensive reading is required, because classes are rigorous. Develop new and more effective study skills or be left behind. 

Start by reading for enrichment. Just reading the material before the exam is not studying. If you've always been a good crammer, you'll know that this won't work anymore. Simply re-reading your notes won't cut it either. 

As soon as you get your syllabus or the outline of the semester's topics, get reading. Find books you can use, make a list of them and check your library for other possible resources. Go to the internet and pre-research all topics. You may need all these for enrichment, because there's usually a final examination that will test your comprehensive knowledge of all that has been taught during the semester. 

Connect Your Lecture Notes to Reference Text

To really comprehend your lessons, take notes during the lecture, and then connect your notes to what's said in the book. Better yet, before the class, read your reference and note the salient details. Then, during the lecture, use the professor's insights to enrich your learning from the reference. 

Take Notes to Highlight and to Quiz Yourself On


Active studying also includes highlighting topics that are the main subjects, then identifying topics that could serve as minor supporting arguments for your main subjects. Create your own questions and problems before you study, then do your highlighting and note taking around the possible answers to these questions. Explain your answers by writing an essay and underlining the important parts of the essay. 
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