Two heads get more As.

One thing I always tell my students over and over again is how important your classmates are to your education. You will often learn more from them than you do from your professors. And when you think about it, it makes sense. Each person in that class has a different background, a different experience, and a different perspective. If you were able to draw on all of that knowledge, and synthesize it with what you're learning in class, how cool would that be? Enter, the study group...

We all know that two heads are better than one, but that is especially true when studying for a particularly challenging class, assignment, or exam. Make the most of this by engaging an effective study group:

1. Study groups are best at around 3 - 5 people. Make sure someone there is smarter than you. It is important that the folks in the study group get along (or study time may be eaten up navigating interpersonal conflicts), but the most important thing is that everyone there wants to learn and to do better.

2. Meet for at least an hour, but not more than 3. More than 3 hours and people start to get distracted, and productivity drops.

3. Structure: effective study groups have a structure they use for each meeting. If you follow a study guide given by your professor, make one up of your own, assign chapters or sections to each member, etc. Agree on a structure, stick with it, do your part, and show up prepared.

4. After Action Review: wrap up each study session with a brief review of what still needs to be covered, who is doing what, and when and where you are meeting next. Maintaining digital notes and files online, like with Google Drive or Dropbox, is super handy for collaborating.

5. Ask a lot of questions, and listen well. So often study groups get dominated by a talker. Try to gently curb their chattiness by asking questions directed at another member of the group. Are you the chatter? Recognize that the more you listen the more you learn, and find ways to ask questions of your teammates. Remember, you're all in this together.

#studygroup #study #tips