Bite-Size Studying

For our readers who want to become top students, here is some advice. You can do it! You can develop master study skills and techniques that will help you to become an A student. The real secret is to keep a positive attitude while putting forth massive, well-focused effort. Here are a couple of bite-size articles to get you pointed in the right direction.

Get That A in Class - Five Ways to Use Your Imagination

If you are a student, an effective way to become a top performer in school is to practice using your imagination. We often visualize on a sub-conscious level before we complete tasks. You can bring this mental skill to the conscious level to use as an effective study tool.

When we set out to accomplish things, we do it twice - once in our imaginations followed by the actual achievement in the physical world. By consciously using visualization to practice performing tasks successfully, you can increase your chance of excelling in the physical world. The key to this approach is to set aside practice time for your imaginary performance. Then, follow your visualization with a diligent effort to duplicate in the real world what you visualized.

Here are five ways you can use your imagination to get better grades:

• Before you begin a course and often while taking it, envision yourself receiving an A. Imagine the professor or teacher catching you at the end of a class to compliment you on how well you are doing and encouraging you to keep up the great work. Imagine on another occasion seeing the instructor telling the rest of the class that one of your comments in class shows great insight or that it was an excellent one. Everyone respects your opinion and you understand the material thoroughly because you have read a lot, studied a lot and thought a lot about it. Imagine the great feeling of victory and pride that you have because you have aced this one and made it to the top!

• Before you tackle a new school assignment, dedicate a few minutes to visualizing yourself doing a fantastic job. For example, before you write a paper, imagine yourself writing a creative, well thought-out piece that will surpass your greatest expectations. If it is a reading assignment, imagine alertly reading, asking questions, and making connections with other material that you have read. Imagine yourself taking clear notes and making additional mental notes of the key points. Visualize yourself identifying items for further research and items that might need clarification. See yourself as a student-tiger willing to explore deeper and willing to work harder to gain a better understanding. Imagine the smile on your face when the assignment is completed and when you realize that you have simply out-done yourself.

• On your way to class or just before class, picture yourself sitting in class fully prepared. You have done your reading and assignments. You have worked hard and are ready to participate. See yourself raising your hand and offering insightful answers or asking great questions. See the impressed look of others in your class who realize that you understand the topic well and have really done a lot of work. See the instructor praising you. Picture the confidence that you have. Also picture yourself taking great notes and making personal notes of things to investigate to gain even more understanding. You are a star!

• When studying for a test, use your imagination to get that A. See yourself reviewing your notes, reviewing key text, asking and answering questions about the material, identifying the main points and key details that will distinguish the "pretenders" from you -- the "real deal". See yourself remembering everything and making all the right connections between various points in the material. See yourself having great insights and being very confident. There is an A out there for you and you are going to get it. When you are done with this exercise, you are ready to attack your test preparation.

• On the morning of the test, see yourself getting that A for which you just finished preparing. In your imagination, see yourself moving quickly, alertly and confidently through each part of the test. You are a tiger and nothing gets pass you. You have answers that are focused, well thought-out - even brilliant. You have surpassed even your own expectations and you leave the class with a confident smile on your face - because you know that you have knocked another one down, another A.

Remember, as you visualize, see yourself giving your maximum effort. When you imagine yourself working hard, it will become easier later to duplicate that effort in the real world.

These applications are only a few of the many uses you can make of your imagination to achieve above-average results. This skill can be used in every phase of your studies. The key is to practice the technique often and stay very positive. No matter what you think of your abilities or your chances of success, your imagination is the one place where you can be the best, the brightest, the top performer---and of course, the tiger.

Naturally, you will not realize your goal of raising your grades without backing it up with effort. To get the most from this technique you must exert massive effort to duplicate in the physical world what you just imagined. Try this technique diligently for one month. I am confident that you will notice a big improvement.

You Deserve an A in Class - Go For It!

Are you turning in sub-par grades in school and reaching the point of despair? Stop beating yourself up and take action. While no one likes to fail, failure can lead to success if you act upon it. The key is to learn from your poor performance and use that knowledge to rise to the top.

Poor academic performance can result from any of these factors: 1) failing to devote enough time to studying; 2) poor study skills; 3) poor time-management skills 4) lack of enthusiasm for the subjects or a negative attitude; 5) difficulty in understanding the material; or 6) generally poor mental or physical health. Any one or combination of these shortcomings can lead to poor grades.

You can reverse poor performance by evaluating each of these major areas and assessing your strength or weakness in each one. Here are some thoughts:

Study Time: It takes time and effort to get great grades. As a rule of thumb, most educators recommend that serious students - those who want superior results - devout at least 2.5 - 3 hours of study time per course for each hour spent in class each week. If you are an aspiring top performer, that commitment could work out to around 35 - 45 hours of study per week, in addition to the time spent in class - a full time job!

Study Skills: Good study skills cut the completion time for assignments while significantly improving retention. As you assess your study skills, focus on these key areas:

• Effective reading - are you pre-reading; deep-reading for important concepts and information; and reviewing what you have read?

• Quality note taking - do you take good notes in class and during your deep-reading? Notes should succinctly reflect key ideas, relationships, important developments, key people, key dates, etc.

• Writing essays - are you able to identify engaging topics, prepare a useful essay outline, stay on point with great insights and deliver a persuasive conclusion?

• Problem solving - have you learned to quickly identify the problem? Starting with the information/situation that is given, are you able to develop alternative solutions and choose the best one?

• Prioritizing assignments: do you prioritize assignments? Large assignments should be broken into smaller parts. Work on assignments should be scheduled such that all assignments are completed ahead of time and reviewed.

• Studying for tests: do you review your notes, develop and answer key questions, make a hit-list of important concepts, people, developments, dates, and use pre-test visualization to perform well?


Time management: This is really a misnomer. The goal of time management is to manage yourself so as to make better use of time. Skills such as goal setting, prioritizing, shutting down distractions and interruptions, delegating, and blocking out work time are all important time management skills.

Lack of enthusiasm: It is difficult to learn with a negative mind-set. Even if a subject is not your 'cup of tea', in the grand scheme of things it may be one of the stepping stones to your ultimate success. Work at staying positive. Quickly dispose of any negative thoughts. Keep your larger goal of performing well in mind.

Difficulty in understanding material: Get to know your instructors - they can be tremendous resources. Let them know that you are interested in their classes. If you are having trouble understanding things covered in class or in your reading, call or visit your instructor. Sometimes schools have tutoring services - if this will help, sign up. Another great resource is other students. They may understand a concept or point better than you.

Poor physical or mental health: Poor health of any kind can be an obstacle to learning. In this case, the best defense is a good offense. Make sure you eat properly and that you incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine. Most educators are quick to emphasis the importance of these two areas of health. If you have a physical or mental health concern, see a physician - you may be able to clip your problem in the bud and get back on track.

TV psychologist, Dr. Phil, once quipped that "insanity is when you do the same things over and over again, hoping for a different outcome". Don't let that happen to you. You can move from being a failure to being a success. By accepting and committing yourself to gleaning helpful information from your failure, you can use this information to get back on track. Be active.

Look closely at incorrect answers on tests or quizzes. Find out why any papers/essays are considered poor. Then make sure that you identify and understand the correct answers or shortcomings. Evaluate your study skills and look for ways to improve them. Lastly, top performance requires massive effort combined with a positive attitude. If you want great grades, make sure that you are willing to make some sacrifices.