Tips for Academic Success

Consider the following tips to help you succeed academically:

Location, Location, Location...
If you’re serious about getting work done, find a place that is relatively free of distractions. Establish guidelines with roommates for quiet times or use the library, study rooms or empty classrooms.

Make It a Habit: Work Every Day
Avoid all-night cram sessions in which you (unsuccessfully) try to understand and retain large amounts of information. Spend small blocks of time on your studies each day, and you can stay on top of your courses and still have time for fun.

Help Exists! Seek It Out and Improve Your Grades
Whether you’re an ‘A’ student or a ‘D’ student, you can strengthen your learning skills. Check out the Academic Student Services in the Alumni Student Center.

Write It Down
Remember important dates. It’s up to you to remember due dates for assignments and test dates. A day planner or wall calendar is great for organizing your life.

Get Energized – Eat, Exercise, Sleep
When you’re hungry, tense or tired, your brain can’t function at its full potential. It’s especially crucial to eat well, exercise, and get adequate sleep during exam periods.

Go to Class Prepared and Take Good Notes
Don’t fall into the habit of missing class! Someone else’s notes aren’t going to be as good as having gone to the lecture yourself. Take a thorough set of notes; listen for examples. Questions after the lecture? Go to your professor’s office during office hours.

Lectures and Textbooks: What’s the BIG Picture?
University learning requires understanding how pieces of information fit together to form a “BIG picture.” Use course outlines, tables of content, headings and subheadings to organize the information in each of your courses. Ask yourself, “What’s the purpose of this detail?” and “Does it make sense?”

Do Something to Remember Key Information
Capture your understanding of course material in an active way. Generate examples, create mnemonics, make summary notes, identify key words, highlight textbooks, or add margin notes. Self test by recalling information without looking at your notes to be sure you understand the material.

Test Smart
Don’t lose marks because of test-writing errors such as misreading a question or running out of time. Think through specific strategies to tackle different types of tests (e.g., multiple-choice, essay). Also, carefully read instructions, budget time, and do less-difficult questions first to build confidence.

For More Help, use the following links.