College classes are demanding by definition, and college life can leave students struggling to balance their academic, social, and work lives. Unfortunately, students spend a lot of time cramming for tests at the last minute or writing for 36 hours straight to finish a paper by the deadline.  The truth is that, like many other things, it is the quality of study that is important, not the quantity of study.  So here are five steps to maximize your study effectiveness.

Step One—Define a Study Space

A defined study space is not your dorm room or the sofa at your parent’s house.  A defined study space is a place, perhaps in a library or a separate room, where there are no distractions.  That means, no cell phones, no friends dropping buy, no Facebook.  The only thing you do in a defined study space is study.

Step Two—Rank Your Classes

Rank your classes by degree of difficulty.  Ranking your classes allows you to allocate your time to the classes that need the most work. Ranking my change from week to week depending on the work required.

Step Three—Study in Chunks of Time

Studies show that students are more effective when they study in 20 to 50 minute chunks of time, followed by a 15-minute break.  It is actually helpful to take a break to do something fun like play bingo online or watch you-tube videos.

Step Four—Study in the Daytime

Crazy as it may seem, studies show that studying in daylight is twice as effective as studying at night.

Step Five—Use Active Study Methods

Active study methods include taking notes, asking yourself questions about the text, writing summaries of your learning, and discussing key concepts with other students and your instructors.

The key to a successful academic life is to learn and apply the five steps to effective studying.  The application of these steps will help you get the most out of your college years.