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One way to help ensure you thrive in college is a no-brainer: to study. You may find, however, that your high school study habits aren’t highly effective in college, where the work load tends to be higher, teachers are less personally involved, classes are larger, and exams are tougher. On top of that, college life is full of distractions.

That doesn’t mean you won’t succeed in your college classes. You may, however, need to kick it up a notch. What follows are some of the best study strategies for college classes.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep is critical to a well-functioning brain and body. If you get enough sleep, you will generally find it easier to focus and feel healthier overall. Young people ages 18 to 25 need seven to nine hours of sleep a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, try to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day, make sure your bed is comfortable, and avoid drinking caffeine or alcohol, especially in the evening. Also helpful: Doing some yoga or meditating before bed, using ear plugs if your dorm is noisy, and using room-darkening shades on your windows.

Feed Your Brain

Some foods, like candy and greasy dining hall pizza and french fries can make you feel good in the moment but may cause you to crash later or give you a stomachache. Instead, you’ll want to aim to eat nutritious foods that will power your brain.

Some of the best brain foods include fatty fish that contain omega 3s, dark chocolate, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, nuts, eggs, oranges, and green tea.

Drinking water and tea instead of soda and sugary fruit juices is also a good idea.

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Get a Study Partner

It can be a good plan to make friends with a good study partner who can hold you accountable as well as keep you focused.

If you have a tough time sitting down and focusing on your studies on your own, you may find that learning with a study partner will force you to stick to a study schedule and may also help ensure that the information actually sticks.

Find a Quiet Space

Many people are unable to concentrate when they’re in a noisy environment. Unfortunately, a college dorm room can be loud because it’s where social gatherings often take place. Plus, there are so many students crammed into one area, nobody has any personal space. That’s why it can be a good idea to hunt for a quiet study space.

Quiet spaces on campus could include a library, where students might be able to reserve a private room; a secluded place outside; the campus cafe when it’s not busy; or an empty classroom.

If you have a car, you can drive off campus to a park, uncrowded eatery, or public library.

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Put on Some Focus Music

Listening to music can be one of the best study tips for some college students. As long as the music isn’t distracting, you might find it helpful to pop in your earbuds when you study. Generally, the best types of music for focusing on work include nature sounds, songs without lyrics, songs played at medium volume, and songs with a specific tempo.

You might also like listening to your favorite upbeat bands that make you excited, as it may help you study and get your work done faster.

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute

Practitioners of the fine art of procrastination often pay a price.

Procrastination can lead to bad grades, higher levels of stress, and negative feelings. Procrastinators are likely to not have a great study session because they are rushed.

To stop postponing the inevitable, you might want to put reminders on your phone that tell you when to study and when your assignments are due. A study partner can also help put feet to the fire.

If you procrastinate over and over again, perhaps it’s a sign that you are not interested in your studies and may want to pursue a different major.

Get Organized

If your papers are scattered everywhere, you won’t know where your important books or files are, or you may forget when your tests are scheduled.

If you could benefit from better organization, you might want to set up a Google Calendar and put every test, class, and appointment in there. You can also set reminders that will show up on your computer or phone when you need to study.

You could also clean your room at least once a week, filing papers in folders, putting books in a neat pile, and storing backpacks, clothes, and other items in closets. You might also want to purchase storage systems from places like IKEA and the Container Store so you have a place for everything.

In addition, it can help to create ongoing to-do lists and check off each task as you complete it. The night before you go to class or have to take a test, you can organize your backpack and put everything you need into it instead of rushing the morning of the test.

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Shut Out Distractions

The noise in a dorm room or on a college campus can be distracting. Social media, text messages, and emails also take focus away from studying.

To buckle down, you may want to log out of social media and email and put your phone on do not disturb, only allowing emergency contacts to reach you.

If you are addicted to your phone or social media, you might want to install an app that turns off distractions and tracks how much time you’re spending on their phone.

Put Together a Study Schedule

Studying isn’t just going to happen. That’s why one of the most important study tips is to put together a study schedule that is realistic, while still having time to get involved on campus and have a social life.

For instance, if you like to go to bed at 2am, you can’t plan to study at 6am the day you have a test because you’ll be exhausted. Instead, you can plan to study the evening before the test.

You may also want to schedule a time when you can find a quiet place to study or when your dorm room is going to be less noisy. You will likely not be able to concentrate on a Friday or Saturday night in your dorm because of surrounding shenanigans. You could block out time on a calendar when the dorm is quieter and make sure you stick to it.

Take Breaks

Studying for hours without a break could lead to burnout. Instead, pause to walk around, get some fresh air, or grab a glass of water or a healthy snack.

Some research suggests that the most productive people focus on intense work for 52 minutes and then take a 17-minute break.

You don’t have to follow the rule of 52 and 17 to a T; instead, you might get up every 20 minutes or so, or at least once an hour, whenever you start to feel you’re losing focus or your body is cramping.

If you are studying by looking at a computer screen, you can shut off the screen and phone and look at something else during that break. Looking at a screen for too long can hurt your eyes and have a negative effect on focus.

Here’s to Hitting the Books

You might have to try different techniques, and most of them will require practice, but once you hit a groove, you should be well on your way to getting good grades — a stepping stone to a fulfilling career.

You may also find it easier to focus on your studies if you’re not worried about paying all of the costs associated with college. There are a variety of ways to cover your college tuition and expenses, including financial aid.

Federal student loans are one option, as are private student loans. Some students will find that a combination of these two funding sources helps them afford their educatiol costs.

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The Takeaway

Studying is a key part of college, and good habits can help you thrive. These include healthy sleep and eating habits, having a study buddy, knowing when and where to study, and other strategies. Another key part of college is financing your education, which can involve scholarships, grants, and student loans, whether federal, private, or both.

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.

FAQ

What is the most effective way to study in college?

One of the most effective study strategies can be to have a study partner to help you stay accountable and hit your marks with studying. Other tactics include finding quiet times and places to study, getting enough sleep and healthy nutrition, and avoiding procrastination.

How many hours a day should you study in college?

In general, the amount of time a college student spends studying will vary greatly by student, the school they are attending, and the courses they are taking. One rule of thumb is that a student must study 2-3 hours weekly beyond class time for every credit hour. That would equal 24-36 hours weekly for a 12-credit hour course, which means about 5-6 hours daily, depending on whether you study every day or six days per week.

What is the hardest year in college?

Often, junior year is the most challenging year of college. This is because students typically face increasingly difficult coursework and start planning for post-grad life, which can involve applying for internships and researching graduate programs and career opportunities.

About the author

Julia Califano

Julia Califano is an award-winning journalist who covers banking, small business, personal loans, student loans, and other money issues for SoFi. She has over 20 years of experience writing about personal finance and lifestyle topics. Read full bio.

Advanced placement, or AP, classes that are offered in high school can help a student prepare for college, be a more competitive applicant, and save money on tuition. Those are among the reasons that many students consider taking AP classes in high school.

Here’s a closer look at what AP classes are, what the benefits of taking them are, and how they can affect a student’s college experience.

What Are AP Classes?

AP stands for “advanced placement,” and AP classes prepare students for college by giving them college-level work during high school. Their dedication is awarded accordingly, as they can earn college credit and placement by taking corresponding AP exams.

One of the primary motivators for enrolling in AP classes is they prepare students to take and pass AP exams. Students who earn qualifying AP scores on these exams can receive credits from most colleges and universities in the United States.

Depending on their high school’s offerings, students can enroll in one or more of the 40-plus AP classes that cover a variety of subject matters such as arts, languages, sciences, mathematics, and literature.

In order to enroll in an AP class, there may be prerequisite classes that you must take first. It’s recommended that even if students meet the required qualifications in order to take an AP class, that they consider carefully if they are prepared to take a college level course.

The three main benefits of taking AP classes in high school relate to saving money, becoming a more competitive college applicant, and preparing for success in college.

Benefit #1: Saving Money on College Tuition

AP classes will take up a lot of your time in high school but can also save time and money down the line in college. When you receive a high score on an AP exam, the college you attend in the future may give you credit that cancels out the need to take a similar college class.

Some schools may offer advanced placement instead, which allows you to effectively test out of introductory level courses in the specific subject, but may not be counted toward credit.

Policies vary by school, but the more AP exams you pass, the more credits you may be able to earn. These credits could allow you to skip classes which could save you a semester of attending an introductory English literature or Spanish class. Add up enough of these credits, and you could potentially shave off an entire semester or more of your time spent at college.

Note that the policy on AP scores will vary from school to school, and not all schools offer credit for AP classes. Some schools may require a four or five on the AP exam in order to qualify for credit, while others may accept a three. It’s wise to look for details on this kind of policy when conducting your college search.

Generally, you can use AP credits to your financial advantage in two ways. You can either graduate early, which will save money on tuition, fees, and living expenses. Or, you can take lighter course loads across a four year period and can make time to take a part-time job or could add a second major or minor.

At the very least, you may be able to avoid paying for textbooks or lab fees in classes in which you have already mastered the subject matter.

Benefit #2: Making Your College Application More Competitive

When you apply for college, you typically work hard to put your best foot forward and to prove that you will thrive once you land on campus in the fall. College admissions departments carefully comb through transcripts, test scores, and personal essays to see if students will not only be a good fit at their school but to ensure the student has every chance of succeeding once they enroll.

This is one of the reasons AP classes can be beneficial to high school students. When a student thrives in an AP class, they are essentially thriving in a college class. Before an AP student arrives at college, they will clearly understand what will likely be expected of them, how rigorous the course work can be, and what steps they need to take to succeed academically.

Alongside proving preparation, AP students could receive a bit of a grade point average (GPA) boost if they earn good grades. Some high schools, but not all, will give more weight to AP grades than normal ones. For example, receiving a B in an AP class may provide as many points towards your GPA as if you earned an A in the non-AP version of the class.

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Benefit #3: Prepare for College Better

Taking an AP course is akin to taking an actual college course, which can help you get a taste for college. If structured properly, an AP course should give you a preview of what skills you need to succeed in a college class and what the workload might look like.

Learning to manage time properly, developing strong research and analytic skills, and covering material more quickly in an AP class can be helpful preparation for the rigors of college life.

Taking AP classes can also help you identify your interests and passions which may lead you to the right college. Having a preview of what it would be like to study French, Psychology, or Chemistry in college can help guide you during the application process towards schools that have strong programs in your chosen area of interest.

College Financing Options

When it comes to paying for college, there are a lot of different options available to students, including scholarships, grants, and federal financial aid.

But figuring out what you qualify for and how to apply can be overwhelming. A great first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This will let you know what financial aid you are eligible for. For students and parents that need extra help covering the cost of attending college, student loans are a potential option. There are two types of student loans, federal and private.

Federal loans come with a fixed interest rate. With a subsidized federal loan, you don’t pay any interest while you are in school at least half-time. With an unsubsidized federal loan, interest begins to accrue right away (though you don’t have to start making payments until six months after you graduate).

Private student loans are available through banks, credit unions, and online lenders. Interest rates can be fixed or variable and will depend on the lender. Students that have excellent credit (or have cosigners who do) tend to get the lowest rates. Just keep in mind that private student loans may not offer the same protections, like income-based repayment plans, that come with federal student loans.

The Takeaway

Advanced placement or AP classes can benefit students in three key ways. It can give them a taste of college-level work and prepare them for what’s ahead. It can make them a more competitive applicant since it shows colleges that a student has undertaken advanced work. And it can potentially help a student save on tuition since they may be able to opt out of introductory and prerequisite courses. If a student still needs help with tuition costs, scholarships, grants, federal, and private student loans are possible sources.

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.

FAQ

What is the benefit of taking an AP class in high school?

The AP Program allows students to pursue college-level work while in high school and receive college credit, advanced academic standing, or both when they attend college. This can save money on tuition.

Do colleges care if you take AP classes in high school?

Yes, colleges often want to see evidence that applicants were able to excel in challenging classes in high school. For this reason, it can be advisable to take AP classes if they are offered and you are qualified to take them.

What are the disadvantages of taking AP classes in high school?

There can be disadvantages of taking AP classes in high school. These include an increased workload, the potential for lower grades since the courses are more challenging, and the cost of taking the AP exams (currently $99 each for students in the U.S., U.S. territories, and Canada).

About the author

Jacqueline DeMarco

Jacqueline DeMarco is a freelance writer who specializes in financial topics. Her first job out of college was in the financial industry, and it was there she gained a passion for helping others understand tricky financial topics. Read full bio.

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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