Top Study Tips for the College Transition | CollegeXpress
Illustration of a woman wearing headphones sitting on blanket writing notes

Video: Top Study Tips

Ready for college academics? In this video, Joe offers tips on handwriting notes, joining study groups, and finding the perfect study environment.

A big difference between high school and college is the studying aspect. In college, there is a lot more independence, which means there is not always going to be someone to tell you how and when to study. Studying takes a lot of patience and practice, but Joe answers three common questions to get you started. Check out the video below!

How do you take notes? (1:08)

A study conducted by Mueller and Oppenheimer found that students retain information better when they write their notes by hand (2014). Whether or not you decide to type or write your notes is up to you; it may vary depending on the class.

Study groups: What and why? (2:45)

Find a study buddy in each of your classes or join a study group. Being a part of a study group makes it easier to figure things out because you have more brainpower! It also allows you to compare notes in case you missed out on a detail. Some people would rather keep to themselves during lectures, but making at least one friend in class who can give you notes on a day you miss is super helpful.

What are some other tips and tricks? (3:45)

  1. Switch up where you study: The library, your dorm room, a café, or even outside on a nice day.
  2. When you should study: Not the night before an exam! Your grades in college are usually based on a small amount of assignments, so start studying or completing assignments in advance.
  3. Don’t be hard on yourself: Studying is a skill that takes practice, so be patient if it takes you a little while to test trial-and-error methods that work best for you!

Do you have other study tips up your sleeve that you didn't see in this video? Let us know! Subscribe now if you want lots of college help on the regular, and be sure to let us know what you'd like to see by leaving a comment.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About CollegeXpress

CollegeXpress

Welcome to CollegeXpress, your one-stop college shop! We’re a free college planning website used by millions of college-bound students, parents, and counselors—anyone who needs help navigating the college search and application process, financial aid opportunities, and more. 

You’ll find comprehensive College Search and Scholarship Search tools, tons of articles and expert advice, unique college Lists & Rankings, and lots of other resources to help make your life easier. Teen Vogue even named us one of the 7 Best College Search Websites!

Current college students and recent grads also love CollegeXpress for our Graduate Program Search tool and endless information on student life, internships, and beyond. We really have something for everyone, no matter where you are in your college journey.

Create a free CollegeXpress account to start connecting with colleges, winning scholarships, and simplifying your life as a student!

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Morehead State University

Morehead, KY


Caitlin Eaton

Caitlin Eaton

$10,000 Scholarship Winner, 2021

I first discovered CollegeXpress during my sophomore year of high school while researching colleges that interested me. My SAT prep class the following year further familiarized me with the opportunities available through the organization. CX has personally helped me by exposing me to a diverse selection of schools as well as scholarships and life tips that have provided valuable guidance in my college search.

This scholarship will help me adjust to college life without worrying as much about tuition. This gives me more room to truly explore and benefit from all aspects of higher education. I plan to study Conservation Biology and work protecting species/ecosystems. I’m looking forward to getting field experience and seeing firsthand the problems research is solving.

Casey Kammeyer

Casey Kammeyer

$500 Refer-A-Friend Scholarship Winner

I love the site CollegeXpress; it has been very helpful finding colleges and getting them to send me information. It has also been very, very helpful with finding tons of scholarships. Also, I told many of my friends about it and they love it as well!

Hannah Nelsen

Hannah Nelsen

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me look at colleges that fit my interests by taking my profile and matching it to colleges that have the programs I'm looking for. It has the ability to connect me to colleges so I can be contacted by them and look at them more in-depth to find what's right for me. Additionally, the scholarship database is super beneficial for getting scholarships for college. Not only does it help lift the financial burden of college but it shows all the opportunities available. Overall, CollegeXpress has been very helpful to me.

Wendy Thompson

Wendy Thompson

Owner, Westport Educational Consulting

I just discovered your site and LOVE it—fun, interesting, full of incredible information you can’t find anywhere else, and a godsend for those of us in the college counseling business. I am a fan!

Maya Ingraham

Maya Ingraham

October 2021 Mini Scholarship Winner, Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has given me more confidence in my college process. With easy-to-access resources and guidance such as the CX Weekly Roundup, I have been able to find the best colleges for me. Most importantly, there’s a surplus of scholarship opportunities for every student to support their education.