WHAT WORKS FOR YOU?

Which study strategies have you tried for improving your grades?	There are a variety of study strategies and no single strategy is likely to work best for all of your classes.  Strategies might include taking notes on chapters in the textbook as you read them, reviewing your notes each day after class, reworking homework problems under test-like conditions, or testing yourself on the notes you have taken in class.  Experimenting with various strategies that seem appropriate for different classes will help you decide which strategies work best for different types of classes.   Your learning style will also have an impact on the study methods that help you learn most effectively. Some people prefer to study alone while others learn better in groups.  Some people learn auditorily and benefit from talking aloud as they study.  Some people are visual learners and need to see what they are learning.   Think about how you learn best and try to include those learning methods in your study process as much as possible to enhance you learning.
Which strategy or combination of strategies have you used most effectively prepare for tests?	Just as there are a variety of correct answers to the previous question, there are also a variety of strategies that are useful for preparing for tests.  It is important to know if you will be taking a multiple choice, essay or problem solving test because this will have an impact on the way you study. Study strategies for multiple choice tests may include reviewing notes after class each day, carefully reading the textbook and taking notes as you read and making flashcards with specific information you are expected to learn.  Studying for an essay exam might include reviewing notes daily, reading and reviewing the textbook, trying to understand the "big picture," and making sure you can support general ideas with specific points.  Preparing for a problem solving test may involve reworking homework problems, completing extra problems, meeting with a friend to talk through when to apply different problem solving methods, and creating your own test or taking an old test from the professor under test-like conditions to assess whether you know the material well enough to complete the test within the time that will be allowed.  There are many other strategies as well.  Finding strategies that work for you and allowing adequate study time to implement the strategies for each class is the key.
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