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13 Key Strategies to Help You Achieve Academic Success
All students have their strengths and weaknesses. Some retain information right away while others might need more time. Some take good notes but don’t have the best study habits. Students also have their own goals and priorities that are different from others around them. Regardless of all the differences, every student has the capability to achieve academic success.
It won’t happen over night, but with some hard work and discipline, it’s certainly possible. The challenges you’ll face in college will be overwhelming at times, but by utilizing the strategies below, you’ll gain the tools and knowledge needed to overcome those challenges and get the most out of your education.
1. Set Goals
Setting goals is a good strategy for keeping yourself on track with your studies and boosting your motivation. Before you set any goals, try evaluating parts of your life you’d like to change for the better. From there, you can focus your goals towards improving those things and developing a clear game plan on how to accomplish them.
Make your goals specific so you know exactly where to focus your efforts. Start by writing down short-term goals (daily, weekly, or monthly) and create a time frame for each one. Then, determine the steps you need to take to meet each goal and continue to revaluate the progress you’ve made as time goes on.
While you want your goals to be clearly defined, it’s important to remember your goals should also be realistic. In other words, you want to set goals that aren’t too challenging or unattainable. For instance, if you usually stay up late studying, making it a goal to get up at 5:00 a.m. every morning to workout doesn’t sound very realistic and could potentially set yourself up for failure.
If you have a goal you know will be difficult to achieve, break it down into smaller tasks that are easier to accomplish. Overtime, the progress you’ve made will allow your larger goals to become more attainable.
2. Get Organized
From decreasing stress levels to boosting productivity, being organized comes with lots of benefits that can make life easier and more enjoyable. In college, being organized allows you to prioritize tasks better, keep up with all your daily responsibilities, and ultimately achieve academic success.
Students who live a disorganized lifestyle are more likely to have poor mental health because they’re less efficient with getting work done and struggle to manage their time properly, which leads to stress and depression. That’s why good organizational skills are essential for your overall quality of life.
In order to keep your daily and weekly tasks organized, I recommend using a planner with a calendar. This will help you visualize your upcoming schedule so you stay on top of everything. Writing down important due dates, meetings, and other time sensitive deadlines in one easily accessible place like a planner is one of best ways to stay prepared in college.
It’s also important to keep your work/living space organized. Trying to study or do homework anywhere that’s cluttered can lead to procrastination. But a clean and organized living environment will allow you to be more productive and can actually lower feelings of anxiety. Read the related blog post below to discover other effective ways to boost your organization skills
3. Communicate With Professors
Talking to your professors is an excellent way to boost your learning experience and get the most out of each course you take in college. Never be afraid to reach out to them via email or in person after class, especially if you feel like you’re struggling to grasp the concepts they’re teaching.
You might not like every professor you have, but communicating with them on a consistent basis could open you up to future opportunities down the road.
Besides helping you achieve academic success, professors can assist you with growing your network and making connections with employers in your field of study. Many professors are well connected, so there’s a good chance they can open doors for you and even recommend you for a potential job or internship, along with writing you a letter of recommendation.
Professors are also great to talk to for advice, whether you’re dealing with an issue related to college or just looking to learn some useful tips that would be good to know as a young adult.
4. Don't Overcommit
Overcommitment is a common problem in college that can make life quite difficult. Unfortunately, it’s hard not to overcommit and overextend yourself when you have so many responsibilities to juggle at once — academics, work, sports, clubs, and other extracurriculars.
It becomes much harder to devote the right amount time and energy to the tasks you have to accomplish when this occurs. While being productive is always a good idea, trying to do too much at one time will prevent you from making a meaningful contribution to any of your responsibilities.
Being busy all the time like this can take a toll on your mental and physical well-being, which will eventually lead to burnout. You’re essentially self-sabotaging the success you hope achieve in college.
If you find yourself spread too thin with so many commitments, take a step back and prioritize the activities that will help you achieve your goals. Cut back on some of the clubs and organizations you’re involved in.
Go to your advisor for help and consider dropping a class if you’re too swamped with coursework. Once you’re able to free up time for yourself, the quality of your work will improve, as well as your quality of life.
5. Take Care of Mental Health
Poor mental health has been a growing concern in college for a long time. If left untreated, mental health issues can have a profound negative impact on a person’s wellbeing.
Mental health illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, are more prevalent in college students due to chronic stress. The constant feeling of stress stems from multiple factors: academic pressure, financial obligations, adjusting to new living conditions, and poor lifestyle habits.
The best way to counteract mental health problems is by seeking professional help, whether it be a counselor at your college, an online therapy service, or your own therapist you can meet with in person. Talking to your friends, family, or roommates about your problems is another good way to improve your mental health.
Additionally, it’s important to maintain a healthy self-care routine in order to properly manage the stressors you deal with on a daily basis. This means engaging in coping strategies, having a balanced diet, and exercising regularly.
6. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
In college, trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle is easier said than done, but it’s certainly possible if you stay committed to it. And once you start seeing the benefits, you’ll be motivated to keep making progress.
I mentioned how important a self-care routine is for your mental health; the same can be said for your overall health as well. The best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle is by taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
There’s pretty much an infinite amount of ways to practice self-care, but here are some ideas to get you started:
- Prioritize your sleep
- Eat nutritious foods
- Spend time outside
- Exercise regularly
- Take short breaks — around 15 minutes
- Stay hydrated
- Avoid drugs and alcohol
- Practice positive self-talk
- Get more involved on campus
- Spend less time on your devices
- Clean your dorm
- Engage in physical activities
Some key benefits you’ll get from utilizing these tips in your lifestyle include higher energy levels, better memory recall, and improved mental concentration. Additionally, you’ll see a boost in your overall brain power, which will certainly help you achieve academic success.
Even exercising or just being more physically active can and lower your risk of chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancers.
7. Use Online Tools
There’s a variety of online tools and apps that can boost your academic performance and make you a better overall student. Apps like Trello, Evernote, and Todoist specialize in improving productivity and time management. They come packed full of features to help keep your life organized and maximize your learning capabilities.
There’s many other online tools — Redshelf and Calmerry to name a couple — that are beneficial for college students. Check out the resources page to learn more about these effective tools and apps, along with other ones that can significantly enhance your college experience.
8. Review Syllabi
Each course you take in college will have a syllabus, which is given out by your professor. A syllabus is basically a guide that covers all the important topics you’ll be learning in once specific course, as well as due dates for tests, quizzes, and other assignments.
It also includes professor contact information, grading policies, required course materials, and the class schedule. Before you start the upcoming semester, it’s smart to review your syllabi so you fully understand what each one of your courses offers. This will help you be more prepared when the semester starts.
Once you have access to your syllabus, write down due dates for exams, projects, and papers in a calendar and/or planner so you can plan out times to study or start working on an assignment. Having all your important course deadlines written down in a convenient location gives you a better idea of what your future schedule will look like and when you’ll be most busy.
9. Take Advantage of Campus Resources
No matter what college you attend, there’s always campus resources available to help students in all aspects of their college journey. Here are a few resources you’ll want to take advantage of on your campus:
Academic Advisors
The main purpose of advisors at any college is to help students achieve academic success. It’s important to communicate with your advisors before and during each semester so you know you’re staying on track with all your courses and the goals you set for yourself.
They can also assist you with a variety of other things such as how to change majors, where to look for internship opportunities, planning for graduation, and answering general questions you might have about college.
Financial Aid Office
You can use the financial aid office to see if you’re eligible for any financial aid so your tuition becomes more affordable. Financial aid includes grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and loans.
Career Services
Thinking about life after college can feel nerve-racking, especially if worried about finding a job you’ll actually enjoy. Fortunately, career services can assist you with finding quality jobs within your field of study, along with opening you up to other opportunities with potential employers.
They’ll also help you build a resume, write a cover letter, and teach you interview skills. Be sure to utilize the career resources at your college so you have a better chance of landing a good job after graduation.
Library
The library is so much more than a building filled with books. Along with being one of best places to study and get work done, the library offers tons of online resources to do research for papers, projects, and other assignments.
Learning Center
At my college, there was a learning center where students could go to if they were struggling or didn’t understand how to do certain assignments. If you’re having problems with your coursework, I recommend meeting with an assistant at your learning center so you can receive some academic guidance — or talk to your advisor about finding a tutor.
Health Services
Most colleges have a place on campus that offers medical and counseling services to all their students. Whether you get sick or just need someone to talk to about your problems, the trained medical professionals and mental health counselors on campus can help you out. It’s a good idea to locate your campus health center as soon as possible because you never know when you might need to use their services.
10. Improve Time Management
One of the main keys to success in college is the ability to manage your time efficiently. Time management involves maximizing your time so you can accomplish more. This is done by prioritizing your activities accordingly and planning out how much time you need for each one. Unfortunately, not all college students are the best at using their time wisely, which ultimately hurts them in the long run.
How well you manage your time affects every area of your life. With good time management skills, you’ll be able to balance out your chaotic schedule, keep your life organized, and gain more opportunities to achieve your goals. That’s why it’s crucial to learn effective ways to better manage your time.
It all starts with prioritization — organizing your tasks from the highest priority to the lowest. Prioritizing your coursework and other tasks will make it easier to stay aware of everything that needs to get done and determine the best plan of action.
Also, stay mindful of the things that distract you and cause you to procrastinate. If you find yourself getting distracted easily, try finding a more quiet place to work or take a short break to refocus. Read through the in-depth guide below for more tips on how can you improve your time management.
11. Participate in Class
Volunteering to answer a question from your professor in a room full of students you barely know can feel scary. However, willingly participating in class more often can help you retain the information that’s being taught, as well as improve your critical thinking skills.
Participation also promotes a better learning environment for everyone. Answering questions can lead to engaging conversations, which can make class enjoyable rather than being a total snoozefest.
By interacting with your professor and the class, you’re creating an experience that makes the process of learning much more effective. Step out of your comfort zone, and let your voice be heard. It will be much more rewarding than staying mute and just listening.
12. Take Good Notes
Taking good notes is key for being successful in college. The process of listening to a lecture and writing notes on what was said means you’re actively learning, which helps improve comprehension and memorization. Effective note-taking involves notes that are clear, concise, and organized so you can study them without confusion.
You also don’t want to write down everything you hear. Instead, focus on the main points and write short summaries of the topics being discussed.
In order to do this, you have to engage in active listening, which allows you to differentiate between important information your professor is discussing and the nonessential tidbits they add in. Overtime, you’ll be able to improve upon your active listening skills as you become a better notetaker.
Another good note-taking tip is to think about what is being said while you write. Regardless of when or where you’re taking notes, always draw your own conclusions about what the professor is talking about. Along with that, record thoughts and questions that are confusing so you get them clarified later on.
Once you’re done taking all your notes, it’s time to revise them. This is a good time to go back through all your notes and fill in definitions to terms, add onto certain parts you didn’t fully understand, and prioritize what sections you will need to study.
Additionally, review your notes with other students in your class to see if they had any key information you might’ve missed. Be sure to follow up with your professor to get a better understand of what key concepts will be on upcoming exams so you can further revise your notes.
13. Discipline Yourself
We all know college isn’t easy. It’s an expensive and stressful endeavor that can sometimes be too much for students to handle. There might come a time when you question why you’re even in college at all, but with proper discipline, you’ll be able to overcome those negative thoughts.
Staying disciplined means you’re willing to make sacrifices and put yourself in uncomfortable situations to accomplish your goals. Discipline will give you the strength you need to keep pushing on when you have no motivation and feel like giving up.
You’ll gain the ability to persevere through any tough situation, resist temptation, and strive to be the best version of yourself everyday. With this mindset, you’ll not only achieve academic success but also gain success in every other area of your life.
