Student Survival Guide

Your college experience at LAVC can be very rewarding if you know how to study, manage your time, and successfully pass tests. Here a few helpful hints that can help you toward achieving your academic goals:

Listening Skills

In college you will hear many different ideas that you will agree with and many that you will disagree with. You will meet people who think like you. And you will meet people who have different values than you do. However, keep an open mind. Your goal is to understand fully the speaker's message and intentions.

To get the full picture, be aware of details and ask questions about complicated ideas.

Focus on the message, not on the person delivering it or the method of delivery (like an accent, grammatical errors or mannerisms of the speaker).

Participate in classroom discussions whenever possible. It will not only help you understand the material, but it will make the instructor notice you and identify you as a serious, thoughtful student.

Note Taking

Come prepared! Be sure you have read the material before coming to class.

Listen actively. Maintain eye contact with the professor and ask questions to stay interested in the lecture.

Always date your notes and write the name of the class on your paper. This will help you to be organized.

Leave a few spaces blank between ideas, so that you can fill in additional information later if necessary.

Don't try to take down everything the professor says. Your goal is to understand the lecture, not to rewrite it. Be aware of repetition (it's usually done for emphasis). Jot down key words, definitions and important points.

Learn to use abbreviations.

Copy down everything on the board. If it's on the board, it may be on an exam. If your professor wrote it on the board, it must be important!

Finally, revise your notes after class if they seem disorganized. Make sure you review them within 24 hours after the lecture so that you have a better chance of retaining the information.

Improving Memory

Immediate review of class notes following a lecture is effective because it helps you establish the connections between ideas.

Do not just reread your book. Think about the material! Your goal is to understand the idea, not to memorize the whole textbook. The more meaningful the material is for you, the more likely you will retain it when it comes time to take tests.

Use flashcards to review vocabulary words.

Since it is impossible for you to remember everything, select the most important material to study and master it.

Time Management

You are not superman or superwoman! Many college students think they can work two jobs, be in a relationship, go to school full time, socialize with their friends, watch a lot of tv, and still get good grades. Remember that you can only do so much with 168 hours per week.

Do not procrastinate! Learn how to prioritize, so you don't procrastinate. Make a list of weekly tasks as well as a list of things to do each day, and make it a goal to accomplish them.

Use a planner. Keep a record of important dates, appointments and deadlines, so you don't miss them.

Study when you are at your high level of energy. This will enable you to focus and learn the material better than when you are fatigued.

Study difficult subjects first. You are able to think most clearly at the beginning of a study session.

2 for 1 rule: Remember that you need to spend two hours of study time outside of class for every hour you spend in a classroom.

Spread out your study sessions. College students tend to stay up all night trying to study for a final. As a result, they suffer from mental fatigue and do not do as well on the test because studying for long periods is usually unproductive. Distributed learning is more effective than studying several hours at once.

Make sure you get enough hours of sleep to be effective in your tasks.

Learn multi-tasking! Review your flashcards while waiting for the bus, listen to a lecture tape while driving or read that textbook while doing your laundry.

Self-discipline is the key. If you have a paper due the next day, learn how to say "no" to a friend who wants to hang out. One Saturday night of staying home won't hurt, but getting an "A" on a paper is rewarding!

Make room for leisure time. Everybody needs to have time to relax and enjoy themselves, but make sure you keep a balance in your life.

Test Taking

Avoid cramming. Review at least one week in advance of the exam. Check your syllabus for test coverage.
Attend Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions if your class is attached to the program. Your SI leader can help you study, and he/she might be able to give you a sample test, exercise sheets or handouts.
Do not make the mistake of not attending class prior to the exam. Instructors usually review for the test during this time and give hints about test questions.
Get a good night's sleep. Some students try to pull all-nighters the night before the exam. Students who practice this method of studying usually do average on their tests.
Never take a test with an empty stomach. Your brain functions better when you are not hungry.
Come prepared and arrive early. Students stay more focused when they arrive on time for an exam.
Do not just memorize the material. Make sure you understand it.
Once you receive your test paper, quickly look through the pages and plan your time. Do not waste time by trying to answer that difficult question. Instead, answer all the easy questions first then go back and answer the difficult ones.
Follow directions