# Study Strategies

**Source**: https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/2023/09/27/study-strategies/
**Parent**: https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/

Sometimes, the strategies we used to study in high school need to be modified to be effective in a college setting.

**Keep in mind these three principles when developing study strategies for college:**

## Study strategies start with note-taking.

What is your system for taking notes? Is it suited to the material you’re working with? The ARC has [information on different note-taking strategies](https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/2023/10/02/note-taking/) you can use to pick the best system for you.

**ARC Tip:** If you are listening to a pre-recorded lecture, listen at normal speed to increase your retention of the material. If you cannot resist the temptation, do not go beyond 25% compression. Research shows that students’ ability to learn information drops significantly somewhere between 25% and 50% compression. \
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Contact the [Disability Access Office](https://dao.fas.harvard.edu/) if you have a diagnosis that might make you eligible for note-taking software.

## Cramming the night before an exam isn’t effective.

Studying should begin much earlier, with consistent review as you are first exposed to new material. Check out the ARC webpage on [Memory and Attention](https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/2023/09/27/memory-and-attention/) for tips on improving memory and sustaining attention.

**ARC Tip:** If you’re having trouble figuring out how to find the time or motivation to study earlier than the night before an assessment, schedule an appointment with an [ARC Academic Coach](https://arcscheduler.fas.harvard.edu/). They can provide you with time management and motivation strategies to help you make room for studying.

## Narrow your focus instead of studying everything.

Even though a lot of material gets covered before an exam, the teaching staff often gives clues about what’s likely to show up on an exam through practice problems, p-sets, and lectures. Use these to help narrow down your focus.

**ARC Tip:** Consider using a combination of solo and collaborative study techniques. Create your own [study group](https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/2023/09/27/study-groups/) for your course or join an existing one. \
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Check out [Tackling STEM Courses](https://academicresourcecenter.harvard.edu/2023/10/03/tackling-stem-courses/) for additional suggestions and strategies for approaching your science, technology, engineering, and math courses effectively.