Study Prof

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DON’T study with a group all the time. Remember, you recall best [hidepost]under the same circumstances in which you learned the material. Since you won’t be taking the test together the majority of your studying should take place outside the group.

However, a good group can really supercharge your comprehension and fast-track your time to master a concept. Just don’t (more…)

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DO set the agenda at the start of each meeting. You propose the agenda; don’t wait on someone else to do it. No need to get all fancified (or to even write anything down). I’m just talking about having a game plan. You might say something like, ” I was thinking we could maybe go over those problem sets Dr. Nahasapimapabalan gave us last class, and then review the readings from this week.”

Most people (especially those who hate to time-sucking study groups) will be pleased to have a game plan. If you wait around for everyone else to come up with the agenda, (more…)

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DO set a start and stop time (and stick to it like stink on a skunk)! At your very first meeting, enter the room, greet everyone, and say, “Guys, I’m going to have to go to another meeting in two hours (or whatever). Can we go ahead and get started with item x? By the way, if I’m ever late, don’t wait on me. No reason to waste your time for me. Please go ahead and start, and I’ll catch up when I get here.” Then jump right in and get to work.

The trick is to do this at the very first meeting while everyone is still trying to figure out who’s gonna be head honcho. (more…)

I loathed and detested study groups when I was a sniveling college noob. Study groups tossed together by professors like a scholar salad were usually total wastes! There was always somebody(s) who was irritating and/or distracting, and the group frittered away more time trying to keep them on task than we did actually studying. My rule of thumb was…

15 minutes studying by my lonesome = 1 hr studying with study group

so

study groups = waste o’ time

But they don’t have time be jurassic-scale time leeches. (more…)