Study Tips For Grad School
Once you begin grad school, you may find it difficult to focus and concentrate when you study and to later remember what you have learned. This is especially a problem if you have been out of school for a while and have fallen out of the studying habit. However, developing good study habits and memorization skills is crucial to your success in graduate school. In addition, remember that graduate school requires that you not only learn information but that you comprehend it.
Improving your concentration
To help you improve your concentration when you study:
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Plan your study time so you review the most important information first, while your mind is fresh.
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Schedule a regular study time every day so studying becomes a routine part of your day.
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Make your study time a manageable length. You cannot concentrate fully for hours at a time - plan for breaks to refresh yourself.
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Set your worries aside while you are studying. If you are anxious about something, try to resolve it before your study time or do something relaxing such as taking a walk or working out.
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Set up a quiet, well-lit area in which to study.
Developing memory skills
To help you improve your memory skills:
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Review your notes regularly instead of trying to cram a lot of information into your brain the night before a test.
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Rewrite and summarize your notes into essential ideas.
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Use memory techniques such as mnemonics to remember sets of information.
Testing your comprehension level
As a graduate student, you are expected to move beyond rote memorization and to show that you truly understand the material. As you study, make a habit of regularly asking yourself, 'Do I understand this information?' Put all of the concepts you are learning into your own words and try to come up with your own examples and illustrations. Taking these steps will ensure that you indeed comprehend what you have learned.