Most would think that by the time you reach college you would have your own personal method of studying down cold. Well, I for one cannot say this to be true. In our world today, learning happens in such a variety of ways, environments, and under many different teaching methods that it makes it impossible to rely on one specific method of studying. It is certain that by this point in life most can determine what type of studying works best with their personality, whether it is through listening, through repetition, through speaking aloud, through visualizing information, or ways other than these. Yet, I am convinced that students would never vow to one method alone. I find that communicating with classmates, teachers, and even discovering the evolving technology around us are all important measures for the long and rigorous task of studying.

The crucial first step for any student is to absorb the material while it is first taught in class. Keeping your notes organized will allow you to be efficient and productive when it later comes time to review. In college, it is all about making the time. Most students can attest to the fact that their agendas become overwhelmingly busy within no time at all and sadly, but often, studying gets left until the end. I personally always make sure that with such a busy life at school I am making the best use of my time studying by using all of my possible resources. My ideal plan encompasses combining my own knowledge with that of my peers, so therefore I form a small and focused study group. Among each other, we are able to learn the material by discussing it and also by quizzing one another. Eighty percent of my studying is dedicated to this and the final twenty percent I spend alone using online sites that offer services for creating quizzes and flashcards. It is far quicker than using flashcards and it saves paper- plus, it is all stored on your online account! Resources such as TestSoup can lend a helping hand for those students who are looking to achieve that higher test score in a more convenient, reliable, and efficient manner. Unlike old-fashioned studying, we can now find premade flashcards ready for that upcoming SAT, LSAT, or whatever test it may be. Nonetheless, no matter what is suggested, studying is simply something that will never have a one-way road. There are a variety of possibilities, and depending on personal experience, every student will find the methods that will assist them on the path to success.

I was inspired by this flippant blog post from Bethesda World News to write about the difference between smart studying and just cramming answers into your head to help you pass an exam.  Obviously, there is a big difference, and this difference becomes quite apparent when you’re talking with someone who knows only enough to get by (the slacker student who is convinced they have it all figured out) and someone else who actually understands the material (the professor — hopefully).

Let’s start by considering just how complex and fascinating a thing our own memories are.  Memory is not an on-off switch — it’s not like we either remember something or we don’t.  First of all, there are several different types of memory.  But think about the times when you know something but you just can’t recall it at a particular moment.  Why does this happen?  I’m going to be completely honest here: I don’t know.  I’m not a doctor.  But I do have what I consider to be a reasonable hypothesis.

When a piece of information enters your brain it can go any number of places.  Perhaps you will disregard it entirely.  Maybe you will give it a small amount of your attention and store it very temporarily (such as for the duration of a conversation).  If it’s important, hopefully the information will get processed and stored somewhere ready to be converted into a long-term memory.[1] But just because a piece of information is stored doesn’t mean we’ll always be able to access it at will.

In some cases, we may not know enough about the information to know that it’s relevant and worthy of recall in a particular instance.  In others, we may not even be aware that we’ve learned anything related to the task at hand.  It is only through a solid understanding of a subject that we can develop the neural network to connect all the random bits of information that we’ve ingested on a subject to make good use of our memories.

Here’s where the difference between the slacker who crammed right before the exam and the professor who has been studying this subject for years is thrown into sharp relief: the slacker may be able to spit back the correct answer when posed the exact question that he is used to, while the professor actually knows enough to answer questions that are only loosely related to it.  Why?  Because the slacker has ruthlessly created only one pathway to the information in his head; the professor has developed a vast network of interconnected ideas, any one of which can be used to tap into the main source of knowledge on a subject.

The slacker method may work for an exam, but it’s unlikely that you’ll ever be asked those same types of questions in “the real world,” thus rendering his study efforts useless after the course is over.  Maybe he won’t care (he is, after all, a slacker), but many of us do.  We go to college not for the degree but for the education.  For this reason, we seek understanding first and good grades second, and so we study smart.

We’re all familiar with the idea that there are many different learning styles out there.[1] For a quick and dirty overview of the three predominant types, LDPride has some decent explanations that aren’t weighed down with excessive scientific detail.  You can also take one of the many tests available online to see which one you are — just do a Google search for “learning styles.”

Of course, you can also think critically about how you learn to figure out your learning style.  I’m a man of many hobbies.  When I write, I find myself thinking in full sentences, reading a lot, and seeking inspiration in the world around me through in-depth conversation.  When I play an instrument, I learn best from hearing the piece performed.  When I work on my car, it’s not enough to simply look at what must be done — I must be instructed before I feel confident enough to start turning any wrenches.  This suggests that I am predominantly an auditory learner, with some degree of kinesthetic learning present.

While it may feel good to figure out what type of education benefits you the most, it is important to note that everyone has elements of all three working in their brain.  If you really want to internalize a subject you need to work on combining all three methods into your studies.  This is why I would use the notes I gathered throughout the semester in each subject to construct a study guide for myself that I could read over or have someone else quiz me on before each exam.

Now might be the time for a shameless TestSoup plug.  TestSoup’s system allows you to harness all three learning styles with their digital flashcard system.  First of all, you will see the information presented to you in a way you’re likely to see it on an exam.  That covers the visual side.  Then you read the information and process it yourself and can even have someone else read it to you if you have the luxury of a study partner.  That takes care of the auditory style.  Finally, you’re answering questions with full explanations rather than just passively taking in the information.  Score one for the kinesthetic learners of the world.

The point is, no matter what learning style suits you best, it is possible to find a way to study that will cater directly to you.  This is what will net you a good grade, and more importantly, a lasting understanding of the subject matter.  So take some time to figure out what category (or categories) you fall into.  Then use that information to make your studying more effective.

President Obama recently signed legislation into effect that will pump $2 billion dollars ($500 million per year over four years) towards community colleges, which already saw a 17% spike in enrollment from 2007 to 2009.  He is calling for community colleges, “the unsung heroes of America’s education system,” to produce an additional 5 million graduates by 2020.  Amidst these difficult economic times, Obama points out that two-year education programs are more important than ever.

TestSoup could not agree more.  The unfortunate reality of higher education is the opportunity cost associated with attendance.  Four year programs place such heavy demands on students’ time that they often have time for little else.  What about those who want to study who can’t afford to give up their livelihoods?  What about those who are attending school while raising a family?  What about those who just want a leg up with a career change but are a bit beyond dorm life?

For people in these situations, and many others like them, community colleges are there to help, just like TestSoup.  With a wide variety of test preparation and study solutions, TestSoup can help students prepare for final exams, placement tests, and even keep up with class work.  But the benefits of the program don’t stop there.  TestSoup also has offerings for teachers that can help them give their students the technological edge to succeed in today’s world.

If the President wants America to make better use of our excellent system of community colleges, then TestSoup is right there with him, with high-tech online services for universities, school districts, individual classrooms, and even government networks.  Our education solutions can boost enrollment by offering students the resources to dominate their next test, encourage them to immerse themselves more completely in their subjects, and facilitate the sharing of resources across departments or even districts.

Community colleges are all about giving people the opportunity to find the sweet spot in their education, their careers, and their lives.  And TestSoup is here to help.

There are tons of articles online about improving your memory.  A quick search will bring up pages and pages of results.  I spent a few minutes clicking at random and then a few more sorting through the articles I chose.  Here are three of my favorites:

• Discovery Health has a good piece about improving general memory that should help with aspects of your life outside of your studies.  I am including it at the top of the list because it provides a good base (and also because their first tip is to drink a glass of wine, which is both unorthodox and totally awesome).
• For a quicker read that involves less clicking, try this WikiHow article that has 15 good tips and links to a bunch of other articles that may be helpful to your more specific situation.
• If you want to know more about what memories are and how your brain works to create lasting memories, check out this article on HelpGuide.org.  It spells things out scientifically in ways that are actually comprehensible to people without much psychological training like myself.

But what about improving your memory specifically for your studies?  Learning things for school is a particularly difficult task because it involves a certain amount of precision and recall that is not normally required in “real life.”  After all, we can almost always hop on the internet and look up something when we’re not in a classroom taking a final exam.

The best way I found to make sure I actually remembered something in school was to make studying an active process.  Reading and highlighting your text book or paying close attention in class may help create a base from which you can work, but it’s unlikely that you’ll remember quite enough to ace your exams just from reading.  To make lasting memories, you need to make your studying something you do rather than something that just happens to you.  I touched on this in another post, but let’s go a little deeper this time.

Your process for test preparation should place your mind in a state similar to the conditions of the test itself.  In other words, you need to test yourself repeatedly before the test begins.  If you know that you will be required to do certain types of math problems then don’t just look over the formulas — try doing sample problems without referencing your text books or class notes.  If you know you’re going to have to write an essay explaining an idea or historical event then don’t just read about it — try writing about that idea or event.  This way you won’t just be remembering the starting point (the equations or the basic facts) but the act of using the ideas you have taught yourself.

If there is one central idea to take from the myriad of articles on improving your memory available online, it’s that lasting memories make their home in more than one place in your brain.  The human brain is a complex thing, with hallways and passages leading every which way.  The more anchors that you can link an idea to, the easier it will be to remember it.  That’s why actively engaging your brain (and optimally the brains of your classmates) in the study process is so essential.  So study often, study actively, and study with others whenever you can.