Before entering college, I saw posts online describing how studying in college would be a lot different than high school, and they left me questioning if I could handle the transition. I’d say the reality is there’s no need to fret, but you should be prepared to adapt to different classes’ teaching styles and a new level of academic rigor.
Use electronics over printouts
In high school, a lot of my classes used Canvas (an online learning platform that we also use at Hopkins), but nearly all the work was still done on paper. Teachers would give us printouts of assignments and important information, and all our notetaking was done the old-fashioned way with paper and pencil. Having a computer was helpful, but never necessary. In college, some people still operate this way, but the overwhelming majority of students use a mix of iPads and laptops. Some teachers offer printouts of homework, but most don’t. Although printers are available on campus, it’s much easier and faster to have everything condensed electronically. What’s worked best for me is having both an iPad and a laptop. This allows me to type or handwrite my notes and directly edit any PDFs uploaded in Canvas. This is a pricey option, but thankfully students who receive financial aid can apply for a tech grant up to $2,000 to cover the cost of a new computer.
Structure your studying to the class
Although this next tip sounds like common sense, it’s helped me a lot: Figure out how each class is structured and tailor your studying to fit that. Before college, all my classes followed the same general structure, but now, each one is organized in a unique way. One study method won’t fit every class like it used to. For example, I learn the material in my social psychology class solely by turning my notes into flashcards and studying those. This strategy never would’ve worked in my sociology class. For that one, I do our assigned readings and make sure I understand them. For a class like physics, on the other hand, I spend more time doing practice problems than reviewing my notes.
Prioritize the important stuff
Teachers here are really good at providing resources, so it’s important to work smarter, not harder. For example, in physics we’re given online problems, textbook problems, in-class problems, and written problems. Doing all these would take forever, so I first only look at whatever’s graded, then give the majority of my attention to questions that are the most exam-like. In one of my neuroscience classes, the teacher provided massive PDFs of notes but later told us to use them to fill in the concepts that don’t make sense instead of reading the entire thing.
It also helps to be flexible with the way you study. Students ask all the time how they should study for classes and our teachers give us tips. If a test doesn’t go well, I’m quick to analyze why and experiment with different ways of studying. For example, I initially thought we had to read the massive PDF of notes in my neuroscience class. My studying became much more productive once I stopped relying on the PDF and looked more at our lecture slides and practice problems.
Recognize that everyone is different
The most important tip of all is to find what works for you even if it doesn’t work for other people. In high school, I loved studying in bed under my blankets. I thought I needed to change that when I started college, but somehow this has always been where I’m the most productive. I don’t even have a desk in my apartment because I know I won’t use it. My logic is that if I know I have to study for a long time, then I want to at least be comfortable doing it! It’s definitely weird, and I haven’t met anyone else who does this, but it’s what works for me. Everyone is different, so the best college studying advice I could give is to try new techniques and find what fits you best.
